After working in aquatic farming of shrimp for over 20 years, WWF has developed a new roadmap for sustainable shrimp production, “The Blueprint for Future Proofing Shrimp Supply Chains.”
Farmed shrimp is an industry poised for transformation. Globally, shrimp is the most valuable traded seafood by volume, representing $32 billion in annual trade. Farmed shrimp has the potential to sustainably support the growing global demand for animal protein by producing more with less.
Even though farmed shrimp has been characterized as one of the most environmentally and socially destructive commodities, major industry actors have recently made progress working collaboratively to address sector-wide issues. The challenges and opportunities in farmed shrimp are emblematic of many food commodities. Thus, transforming shrimp supply chains offers an opportunity for businesses to apply learnings—in principle and practice—to other commodities.
The WWF’s roadmap is a challenge to businesses that buy, sell, produce or benefit from farmed shrimp to achieve the following by 2025:
- Traceability of farmed shrimp and the feed ingredients used in production
- No conversion of natural ecosystems post-1999 levels
- A 30% decrease in farm and feed use of natural resources
- Secure human and labor rights throughout the value chain
- Transparent reporting to track progress toward goals
Download the roadmap here.
