Chemicals and biological products used in south-east Asian shrimp farming, and their potential impact on the environment — a review

A wide variety of chemicals and biological products are used to treat the water and sediment of ponds in semi-intensive and intensive south-east Asian shrimp farming. These products are also often used in shrimp hatcheries and to disinfect equipment for shrimp pond management. In spite of the size and importance of the shrimp farming industry in several south-east Asian countries, documentation of the quality and quantity of chemicals and biological products used during farming is scarce. This paper is a compilation of the literature available on substances used in shrimp farming, and the possible environmental effects of these products are analysed to the extent allowed by the limited information. The role of shrimp farm managers, the chemical industry, governments, inter-governmental organisations and scientists in the development of a sustainable practice is discussed. It is concluded that shrimp farmers should reduce the use of chemicals and biological products because of the risks to the environment, human health and to production, and also, because many chemicals and biological products used in pond management have not been scientifically shown to have a positive effect on production. Clearly, the use of some chemicals, i.e. certain antibiotics, poses a risk of danger towards human health. Some chemicals used in shrimp farming, such as organotin compounds, copper compounds, and other compounds with a high affinity to sediments leave persistent, toxic residues, and are likely to have a negative impact on the environment. However, to assess the reality of these risks, substantial new information about the quantity of chemicals used in marine south-east Asian shrimp farming is needed.