Asian Shrimp Farms (II)

[strider@xxxxxxxxxxx]

Received: (from strider) by igc2.igc.apc.org (8.6.11/Revision: 1.14 ) id FAA06330 for conf:reg.burma; Thu, 3 Aug 1995 05:20:44 -0700
Date: Thu, 3 Aug 1995 05:20:44 -0700

/* Written  1:54 AM  Aug  1, 1995 by sdenney@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx in igc:bitl.seasia */
/* ---------- "Asian Shrimp Farms (II)" ---------- */
Content-type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

The following is part 2 of the report on Asian Shrimp Farms, which I
found in Third World Network of Peacenet.
 - Steve Denney

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Subject: 31-Jul-95 Asian protests against aquaculture

PROTESTS SPREAD IN ASIA AGAINST AQUACULTURE

Protests  are growing all over the world and  especially  in
Asia  against shrimp farms, because of the  negative  social
and  environmental effects. It's time for a  moratorium  and
policy  review of the industry, say critics. (Second of  two
articles)


By Martin Khor
Third World Network Features


Penang:  An increasing groundswell of social  discontent  is
developing  in the Asian region against the adverse  effects
of shrimp aquaculture.  Community organisations and  ecology
groups  are intensifying their protests against  the  shrimp
farms  in  various countries, including  India,  Bangladesh,
Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines.

The  issue  is not confined to Asia.  In Ecuador,  which  is
also  a major shrimp exporter, there is a  campaign  against
aquaculture, with environmental groups calling for a boycott
of shrimp consumption.

The  following  are among the communities affected  and  the
actions being taken by them and supporting groups to counter
the negative consequences of aquaculture.

In  Bangladesh, thousands of farmers have suffered from  the
invasion  of their ricelands by aquaculture owners and  from
destruction  or  damage to their rice crops  by  seepage  of
saltwater  from  the shrimp ponds. Shrimp owners  have  been
buying  up the rice farmers' infertile lands  very  cheaply,
rendering  them landless. One study estimated  that  300,000
people were displaced from their farmlands by aquaculture in
the Stakhira region alone.

Disputes  between farmers and aquaculture owners have  often
led  to  violent  clashes, with the death of  at  least  two
villagers  to date. One of them, Jaber Ali, was killed by  a
bomb   attack   arranged   by   shrimp-farm   owners.   Many
communities,  supported by social organisations like  Nijera
Kori,  are  organising to defend  themselves.  In  September
1994,  villagers  took over 32 shrimp farms in Khunla  in  a
dispute over a large tract of riceland.

In India, a strong grassroots movement has developed in  the
Eastern  coastal states, where angry communities (helped  by
social  groups  like LAFTI and PREPARE)  have  organised  to
prevent  the  building  of  shrimp  ponds  and  to   protect
themselves   from  gang  violence  caused   by   aquaculture
companies.

In  Andra Pradesh, villagers at Kurru  attacked  aquaculture

farms,  uprooting the pumps and breaching the bunds  of  the
ponds.  The  activists recently won a  Supreme  Court  order
prohibiting new aquaculture works in three states.

In Malaysia, fishing communities have suffered big  declines
in  fishcatch  due  to  clearing  of  mangroves  and   river
pollution caused by aquaculture ponds being set up along the
coast.  In one district alone (Kuala Muda), 3,000  fishermen
have complained about loss of income.

In  the  state of Pahang, a 5,000-acre  eel  farm  destroyed
valuable  wetlands and caused many villages to suffer  water
shortage  due  to pumping of groundwater for the  farm.   In
Kerpan village in Kedah state, several hundred farmers  have
protested against the acquisition of their ricelands by  the
state  for use by an aquaculture project. The  farmers  have
taken their case to court.

In  Ecuador, the fourth biggest cultured shrimp producer  in
the   world,  the  environmental  group   Accion   Ecologica
(Ecological Action) in May called for a consumer boycott  of
cultured   shrimp  because  the  aquaculture  industry   had
destroyed  most  of  the mangrove forests  in  some  of  the
country's coastal regions.

The opponents of shrimp aquaculture have recently  increased
their collaboration. At a meeting in Madras in May,  several
groups  met to discuss their common problems and decided  to
launch  an  international  campaign  against   unsustainable
aquaculture. At the same time, Indian organisations set up a
national People's Alliance Against the Shrimp Industry.

Traditional vs Intensive Aquaculture

Whilst at grassroots level the ill effects of the commercial
aquaculture   farms  are  well  known,  there  is  still   a
misconception  generally  that  aquaculture  activities  are
environmentally   friendly  and augment the food  supply  of
poor communities.

This  could  be because aquaculture has been  practised  for
many  centuries by small farmers and fisherfolk in  Asia  to
improve  their living conditions. However, there is  a  vast
difference   between   the  traditional   methods   of   the
communities and the new commercialised system.

As  pointed  out  by Ian Baird in a  survey  of  aquaculture
practices   and   performance  in  Asia,   the   traditional
aquaculture, including for shrimp, was usually  small-scale,
used  low  inputs  and relied on natural  tidal  action  for
water-exchange. In some countries, such as India, Bangladesh
and Thailand, there is a tradition of a rice/shrimp rotating
system, with rice grown part of the yar and shrimp and other
fish species cultured the rest of the year.


Chemicals, antibiotics and processed feeds were not used. In
this   low-yield,  natural  method,  known   as   `extensive
aquaculture',  the  harvest was small but  sustainable  over
long periods. The catch is for family consumption or sold in
local markets.

The modern method is larger in scale and intensive or  semi-
intensive  in  nature. Requiring more capital, it  is  owned
and   operated   by  commercial  and   often   foreign-owned
companies, which mainly export the shrimp.

In intensive aquaculture, selected species are bred using  a
dense  stocking  rate.  To maintain  the  very  crowded  (or
overcrowded)   population  and  attain   higher   production
efficiency,   artificial   feed,  chemical   additives   and
antibiotics are used. This, together with excrement from the
shrimp, makes the wastewater from the ponds poisonous.

The intensive nature also makes the cultured fish life  very
prone to disease, similar to how rice monocultures under the
Green Revolution are disease-prone.

According  to  Malaysian biologist, Nora  Ibrahim,  `Studies
show  that dense stocking rates may induce  stress  problems
and increase susceptibility to diseases. Overcrowding  leads
to  poor water quality due to decreased oxygen  level,  high
accumulated metabolic products and excrements, rapid  growth
and  transmission of noxious parasites,  microorganisms  and
pathogens.'

To  maintain  water quality for the high  population,  large
quantities of groundwater and seawater are regularly  pumped
to ponds to artificially create the water conditions  needed
for shrimp or fish survival. The corresponding wastewater is
pumped out, polluting water in the surrounding environment.


POLICY REVIEW NEEDED

Many  social and environmental groups are now calling for  a
thorough  review  of  the aquaculture industry,  or  even  a
moratorium on its activities.

`Experience  of many countries shows the shrimp  farms  have
such  a short lifespan,' says Mohammed Idris,  president  of
the Malaysia-based Consumers' Association of Penang and  the
Third World Network.

`Yet  they  cause  such  devastating  long-term  social  and
environmental  effects. There is no economic  rationale  for
this type of activity to continue.'

Recently, a cost-benefit analysis commissioned by the Indian
Supreme  Court  concluded  that shrimp  aquaculture  in  two
states  caused  more  economic  harm  than  good.  In  Andra

Pradesh,  the social and environmental costs outweighed  the
economic benefits by a ratio of four to one whilst in  Tamil
Nadu  the losses were one and a half times greater than  the
gains.

Studies like these reinforce the community organisers'  view
that  a halt should be placed, at least temporarily, on  the
shrimp  farms.  `Before  more damage  is  done,  governments
should  review  whether  to  continue  with  this  kind   of
aquaculture,'  remarks Mr Idris. `And the international  and
regional  agencies  giving technical  or  financial  support
should reflect on the ill effects of this industry.' - Third
World Network Features

- ends -

About the writer: Martin Khor is director of the Third World
Network.

When  reproducing  this feature, please credit  Third  World
Network   Features  and  (if  applicable)  the   cooperating
magazine  or  agency involved in the article, and  give  the
byline. Please send us cuttings.

Published by Third World Network 228, Macalister Road, 10400
Penang,     Malaysia.    Email:    twn@xxxxxxxxxxx;     Tel:
(+604)2293511; Fax: (+604)364505.

1348/95