Using Sustainability Indicators to Evaluate the Economic, Social and Environmental (ESE) Effects of Alternative Shrimp Production Systems

Samuel-Fitwi, et al. (2012) observe that global aquacultural production increased forty-times between 1957 and 2008. Advancing aquacultural technologies and management practices contributed to these dramatic increases. Rising global aquacultural output also necessitates producers to allocate limited resources to satisfy accelerating global fishery food demand. Gains in aquacultural output consequently generate market-external effects. Adverse externalities influence social, economic and environmental (ESE) welfare on a local, regional and global scale. Competitive aquacultural shrimp production practices include extensive, semi-intensive and intensive systems (Hatch and Tai, 1997). Our research examines the ESE sustainability of alternative shrimp production systems. Utilizing Valenti, et al.’s (2018) methodologies, we evaluate shrimp aquaculture systems across a range of ESE sustainability indicators. We also review a case study of an intensive system (known as trū® Shrimp) where advanced techniques and management practices alter the current and future ESE effects of shrimp production. We assess the efficacy of using sustainability-indices to investigate gains or shortfalls associated with alternative shrimp production-systems. We utilize our research results to suggest management practices for shrimp aquaculture that are economically, socially and environmentally sustainable.