Thailand: operating guidelines for marine shrimp farms. Item Type Journal Contribution Authors Tookwinas, Siri; Dirakkait, Surasak; Prompoj, Waraporn; Boyd, Claude; Shaw, Randy Download date 28/09/2021 07:11:50 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/1834/8904 AquacultureSEAFDEC A s ia n Volume XXIV Number 1 January-March 2002 ISSN 0115-4974 SEAFDEC and IN THIS ISSUE OIE hold disease workshop Recognizing that the E nvironment- aquaculture industry is continuously threatened by F riendly diseases, SEAFDEC/AQD and the Paris-based Office S hrimp Dr. Barry Hill, International des Epizoo­ Secretary- General ties (OIE) organized a 2 and of the Paris-based 1/2 day seminar-workshop C ulture Office Internationalon Disease Control in Fish des Epizooties (OIE) and Shrimp Aquaculture in lauded the efforts ofSoutheast Asia: Diagnosis countries around theand Husbandry Techniques. world in reporting This was conducted Decem­ and dealing with diseases of marine ber 4-6, 2001 in Iloilo City. animals that can As AQD Chief Dr. Rolando threaten world Platon noted in his welcome trade address, Asia is a major aquaculture site, and better regional cooperation can Thailand: O perating G uidelines for help the aquaculture indus­ try attain its goal of M arine Shrimp F arms sustainability. OIE Secre­ By tary General Dr. Barry Hill, Siri Tookwinas, Surasak Dirakkait, Waraporn Prompoj, on the other hand, said that there is a global monitor for Claude Boyd, Randy Shaw aquatic animals and aquatic animal products. Further, The marine shrimp industry in Thailand has developed a code of conduct for its operations. This code is a set of principles and processes that provides a Dr. Yasuo Inui,fish the OIE disease control health expert at policy is based on regula­framework to meet the industry’s goal for environmental, social, and economic SEAFDEC/AQD. tions focused on certain dis­responsibility. The foundation of the code of conduct is the following mission noted that Southeast eases (what are called noti­ statement: Asia needs more fiable diseases) and The marine shrimp farming industry in Thailand is committed to producing skilled fish health high quality, hygienic products in a sustainable manner that provides for environ­ page 7 workers who can mental, social, and economic benefits to present and future generations. diagnose and report Policy statements have been formulated to outline actions that the industry will diseases quickly and undertake to meet its commitments under the statement. These policy statements efficiently cover a broad range of topics, including: on page 7, you’ll next page find more SEAFDEC/AQD news www.seafdec.org.ph A publication of the Aquaculture Department of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center SEAFDEC/AQD, Tigbauan 5021, Iloilo, Philippines E nvironment-Friendly Shrimp C ulture • Environmental protection “The marine shrimp farming potential impacts (environmen­ • Public consultation industry in Thailand is tal or social) and the installa­ • Regulatory compliance tion of GMPs to prevent or • Location committed to producing high mitigate possible impacts. • Quality and safety quality, hygienic products in a Shrimp farming in Thai­ • Continual improvement sustainable manner that land is conducted over a wide • Efficiency range of coastal environments • Research and development provides for environmental, within which, physical, chemi­ • Social responsibility social, and economic benefits cal, and biological conditions • Monitoring and auditing and resource use patterns dif­ • Education and training to present and future fer. A flexible system of GMPs • International trade generations.” has therefore been formulated, The code of conduct is voluntary, and selected combinations of but it has been signed by a wide variety GMPs can then be used to of industry stakeholders. The code com­ optimize the operating systems mits the signatories to specific actions, including the developmentfor site-specific conditions in a given area and on individual farms. of a series of operating guidelines and procedural manuals. These actions will aid the industry in carrying out its operations inPotential a impacts of shrimp farms manner consistent with the intent of the code of conduct. As noted above, the first step in developing GMPs is to identify The code of conduct for shrimp farms is the first in a series ofthe key impacts that need to be stressed. Shrimp farming is a com­ operating guidelines and procedural manuals that will be devel­paratively new activity, but possible impacts associated with oper­ oped for the marine shrimp culture industry of Thailand. Suc­ating shrimp farms are well known and include: ceeding volumes would cover the other sectors of the industry.• Conversion of mangrove and other coastal wetlands to ponds Volume 1 - Shrimp Farms • Nutrient enrichment and eutrophication of coastal waters by Volume 2 - Hatcheries and Broodstock Capture pond effluents Volume 3 - Processing Facilities • Discharge of potentially toxic and bioaccumulative chemicals Volume 4 - Feeds and Chemical Suppliers into natural ecosystems • Sedimentation in coastal waters because of erosion from ponds The overall objective is to establish a consistent approach to and other earthen infrastructure industry operations through establishment of good management• Salinization of freshwater sources by ponds effluents or practices or GMPs. It is anticipated that implementation of these seepage GMPs will enable the industry to operate in a sustainable manner.• Reduction in biodiversity of coastal ecosystem caused by water pollution, sedimentation and toxicity of effluents Good management practices • Introduction of non-native species or new shrimp diseases into Good management practices are defined here as practices that are coastal waters thought to be effective, yet practical, in eliminating or reducing• Competition with other activities for natural resources environmental and social impacts. GMPs may include structural• Land use disputes (e.g., a settling basin to remove suspended solids), biological (e.g., wetland plants to remove nutri­ Operating guidelines and ents in effluent) or management procedures for shrimp farms (e.g., minimize use of chemicals) This manual was developed with ABOUT THE AUTHORS practices to solve a particular the input from international and problem. Mr. Tookwinas and Mr. Prompoj are with the Department of Fisheries, Bangkok, Thailand; Mr. Dirakkait, Thai Marine national experts on shrimp farm­ A single GMP seldom solves Shrimp Farmers Association, Surajthani. Thailand; Dr. Boyd, ing operations and was reviewed a problem; rather a system of Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures, Auburn by shrimp farmers at a series of GMPs is normally required to University, Alabama, USA; and Mr. Shaw, BTG Golder Co. workshops held in Thailand in prevent a particular type of farm­ Ltd., Bangkok, Thailand February 1999. ing or other activity from caus­ THAILAND’S DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES IS A GMPs are provided to elimi­ ing negative impacts. Therefore, COLLABORATING PARTNER OF THE SEAFDEC-ASEAN nate or minimize the negative en­ for an activity such as shrimp MANGROVE-FRIENDLY SHRIMP CULTURE PROJECT vironmental impacts listed above. farming, a system based on The following sections of the GMPs requires identification of page 13 E nvironment-Friendly S hrimp C ulture THAILAND’S GUIDELINES FROM PAGE 2 manual discuss general guidelines for shrimp farm operations, spe­ GMPs for optimizing stocking density include: cific procedures for implementing these guidelines, and a series of• Stocking densities should be based on anticipated survival, de­ checklists and record keeping forms for farm management. sired size at harvest, and carrying capacity of ponds • The size and age of shrimp fry should be considered Site selection for new shrimp farms Proper location of a shrimp farm is important to minimize adverseFeed management environmental and social impacts and in maximizing productionFeed is the basis for high levels of shrimp production in intensive rates. shrimp culture ponds. However, shrimp do not eat all of the feed GMPs for site selection include: provided to them, and only a portion of the feed consumed is con­ • The shrimp farm owner should have clear title or right to their verted to shrimp flesh. Uneaten feed, feces, and metabolic wastes property or other, legal or concession agreements enter ponds and serve as nutrients for phytoplankton. Ammonia • All stakeholders should be involved in area zoning for shrimpexcreted into pond water by shrimp can reach toxic concentrations. farming As feeding rates increase, water and soil quality in ponds usually • The carrying capacity of an area should be determined in orderdeteriorate. to prevent too many shrimp farms in one place Good feed quality and careful feed management are essential • The water and soil quality should be suitable for shrimp farmingingredients for efficient shrimp culture. By using high quality feeds and farms should be located far away from pollution sourcesin reasonable quantities, water and soil quality in ponds is pro­ • Farmers should register with the appropriate government agen­tected. This reduces stress in shrimp; there is less likelihood of cies disease; and shrimp convert feed more efficiently to improve the feed conversion ratio and minimize feed costs. Better water qual­ General pond management ity effluent reduces the possibility of negative environmental im­ Good pond management helps prevent water pollution, losspact of in receiving water bodies. biodiversity,