Global Group Formed to Counter Destructive Industrial Shrimp Farming

Wetland forests and coastal areas are being recognized as ecosystems of great ecological, economic and social values. Despite the fact that the debate for their protection has been increasing over the last few years, the pressure for the development of unsustainable projects affecting these ecosystems continues to cause severe damages. The conversion of large tracts of mangrove forests, lagoons, marshlands and other coastal and inland ecosystems to intensive shrimp farms has been fuelled by an increasing demand for shrimps in northern countries, especially Japan, USA and Europe. Although local communities and environmental groups in the affected countries have been highlighting the destructive and fast-expanding nature of the shrimp industry, the vast majority of consumers in the North are totally unaware of the impact that their rising demand for shrimps is having on local communities and coastal and inland ecosystems in producing countries.

Representatives of major environmental and community organizations from 14 nations agreed last week to create an umbrella group to oppose the continued expansion worldwide of destructive industrial shrimp farming. The new group -formed on World Food Day, October 16th- is called the Industrial Shrimp Action Network (ISA Net). ISA Net is composed of NGOs, community organisations and concerned scientists from Southern and Northern countries. Its main aims are to support local communities and launch a public awareness campaign in consumer countries. As a conclusion of the Forum the following statement was adopted:

"We are a global network of organizations and individuals, representing community, environmental, and scientific concerns. We are opposed to the expansion of destructive industrial shrimp farming with such consequences as impoverishment and displacement of local communities, degradation of mangrove forests and other coastal and inland ecosystems, loss of agricultural land, pollution, and the loss of cultural and biological diversity.

We have joined together:

to recognize, support, and empower communities threatened by shrimp farming to enable them to control the use and management of coastal resources to meet their food, livelihood, cultural, and other basic needs;

to educate consumers about the social, economic, and environmental costs of shrimp production so that they can make informed decisions about purchasing and eating shrimp;

to resist destructive industrial shrimp production practices and policies and encourage the adoption of ecologically responsible and socially equitable alternatives by industry, local communities, national governments, and international institutions;

and to identify and encourage better coastal resource management and support the restoration of ecosystems degraded by industrial shrimp farming."

Source: WRM's bulletin Nº 6, November 1997

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