Traditional aquaculture, much like other types of farming practices, traces its roots back thousands of years. Early shrimp farmers developed a balanced ecosystem where small numbers of shrimp coexisted in ecological harmony with other fish species. This type of fish farming could yield approximately 450 pounds of shrimp per acre in a good year. Today, due to high global demand for shrimp, rice fields, salt beds and fishponds have been converted to industrial shrimp farms. According to a report by Food & Water Watch, a United States environmental organization, today’s corporate run shrimp operations can produce as much as 89,000 pounds per acre. That’s 200 times more shrimp per acre then small traditional aqua cultures. As with many other industrial animal farming operations, our ability to purchase this low cost food comes with hidden costs to our health and the environment.
Read more in this edition of FarmFolk CityFolk Magazine.
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