Steve Newman on Asian Shrimp Farming

“China May Become a Net Importer of Shrimp”

On September 28, 2009, at the World Aquaculture Society meeting in Veracruz, Mexico, I interviewed Dr. Stephen Newman, a shrimp farming and general aquaculture consultant and a supplier of a wide range of nutrition and probiotic products.

Shrimp News: You’ve traveled all over Asia in 2009 doing consulting work and certifying shrimp processing plants for the Aquaculture Certification Council.  What countries did you visit?

Steve Newman: I just got back from Thailand and Indonesia.  Not too long before that, I was in Malaysia for ten days, and before that I was in China, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia.  At the beginning of the year, in February 2009, I was in Bangladesh, Thailand and China.

Shrimp News: What can you tell us about shrimp farming in those countries?

Steve Newman: In general, one thing that I’ve noticed in 2009 is that the Asians are becoming more and more proficient at intensive shrimp farming.  What they are doing with shrimp genetics is phenomenal and has a lot to do with the improvements in production.  It’s readily apparent that they have made a significant investment in genetics and it is really beginning to pay off in terms of the quality of the animal and increased production.  They appear to be selecting animals that grow quickly at high densities.  The new animals really make a difference in the number of shrimp they can produce from a relatively small area.

I have visited farms that are consistently producing yields of more than 30 metric tons per hectare per crop, typically in small ponds.  This means that a five-hectare farm could produce 300 metric tons or more per year (two crops), a 30-hectare farm could produce almost 2,000 tons.  Given the size of these small farms, one can easily see that a properly managed 100-hectare farm could produce as much as some countries in Central America.

In Thailand, they probably produce a kilo of shrimp for $1.95 to $2.40.

The Asians have also opened their arms to SPF animals and have benefited greatly from that.

One area where shrimp farms in the Western Hemisphere have an advantage over those in Asia is in the production of head-on animals.  In Asia, many of the farms are small, and they don’t drain harvest like farmers in the Western Hemisphere; they use seines or cast nets to harvest, which is a lot slower, meaning it takes a lot longer until the animals get iced down properly.  Also, in Asia, the ponds have narrow levies, making it difficult to get trucks and ice to the pond that’s being harvested, and many processing plants in Asia experience delays of up to 24 hours.  They have more temperature control issues in Asia and usually wind up with an animal that is carrying a higher bacterial load.  Animals with high bacterial loads are not good candidates for head-on processing.  That gives the Western Hemisphere a big advantage in the production of head-on animals.

Shrimp News: What do you hear from Indonesia?

Steve Newman: In Indonesia, the IMN virus is beginning to spread and have an impact on production.

Every country in Asia is looking at doing its own genetics, its own breeding program, and eventually, each country will be producing its own SPF animals.  Eventually, Indonesia and Malaysia will probably produce SPF Penaeus monodon and P. vannamei.  Many of the buyers don’t want monodon; they want vannamei.

Shrimp News: What are the processing plants in China like?

Steve Newman: They’re big, clean and efficient and they produce a high-quality product.  Would I serve my kids Chinese farmed shrimp?  Yes!

Shrimp News: What about the use of antibiotics in China?

Steve Newman: The government of China has a set of regulations in place to control the use of antibiotics on shrimp farms.  In fact, China is probably ahead of some other countries in controlling antibiotics in farmed shrimp.

Even though China is producing between 500,000 and 1,000,000 metric tons of shrimp a year, I think it will eventually become a net importer of shrimp just to feed its huge population.  The economic growth there is phenomenal.  The middle class is burgeoning, now more than 300 million, about the same size as the entire population of the United States.  If just that population consumed two kilos per capita of shrimp a year, that’s 600,000 metric tons.

Information: Stephen G. Newman, Ph.D., AquaInTech, Inc., 6722 162nd Place SW, Lynnwood, WA 98037 USA (phone 1-425-787-5218, mobile 1-425-239-7682, fax 1-425-741-0857, email sgnewm@hotmail.com, webpage http://www.shrimpaquaculture.com).

Sources: 1. Dr. Steve Newman.  Interview by Bob Rosenberry, Shrimp News International.  Veracruz, Mexico.  September 28, 2009.  2. Email to Shrimp News International from Stephen Newman on October 18, 2009.

Country Reports

Africa

Job

Company: Not provided.

Description: Vacancies exists for biologists at a proposed shrimp and fish farm that plans to farm freshwater and marine species.

Qualifications: Fisheries degree with a minimum of three years of field experience with marine fish and shrimp at farms and hatcheries.  Should be able to communicate effectively orally and in writing.  Candidates must have the ability to get the project started.  Send your CV to info@aabiotech.in.  Put the words “Hatchery or Farm” (yes, all three words) in the subject line of your email.  Short-listed candidates will be contacted for more information.

Source: AquaNic (The Aquaculture Network Information Center, a gateway to the world’s electronic aquaculture resources).  Jobs Directory in cooperation with the WAS Employment Service.  Search jobs.  Aquaculture Farm & Hatchery.  Posted November 2, 2009.

Australia

Advances in Penaeus monodon Breeding and Genetics

Australian P. monodon broodstock, reared for five generations in controlled environment tanks and raceways, produced ten times as many nauplii as first generation broodstock.

Harvest yields from ponds stocked with the progeny of fifth generation P. monodon broodstock were 60% higher than from adjacent ponds stocked with the progeny of wild broodstock.

Significant international advances have been made in the development and application of genetic markers for P. monodon.  These include:

• assessing genetic diversity in wild stocks

• tracking diversity in domesticated stocks

• pedigree assignment

• generating linkage maps

• gene identification

Genetic markers are also being used to explore the potential of natural mating as a practical alternative to artificial insemination.

Source: The Rising Tide.  The Proceedings of the Special Session on Sustainable Shrimp Farming.  Edited by Craig L. Browdy and Darryl E. Jory.  Published by the World Aquaculture Society.  Advances in Penaeus Monodon Breeding and Genetics.  Nigel P. Preston (CSIRO Food Futures Flagship, CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, P.O. Box 120, Queensland), Greg J. Coman, Melony J. Sellars, Jeff A. Cowley, Tom J. Dixon, Yutao Li and Brian S. Murphy.  Page 1.  2009.

Belgium

INVE Set for Growth

After ownership and management changes in late 2008, the INVE Group is now fully dedicated to supporting and strengthening INVE AQUACULTURE, its international supplier of shrimp hatchery feeds.  To this end, INVE recently signed a deal with China’s Evergreen Group, which has shrimp hatcheries, shrimp farms and processing plants in Guangdong, China.  The deal will result in the introduction of INVE’s products into China “on a grand scale”.

INVE has decided to concentrate the production of its aquaculture products to its state-of-the-art plant in Pitchit, Thailand.

At present, INVE serves more than 1,300 customers in 73 countries and four continents.

Professor Dr. Patrick Sorgeloos remains INVE’s highly valued senior scientific advisor.

Business Development Managers Dr. Patrick Lavens and Pepino Candreva, both seasoned aquaculture experts, will review new business opportunities and manage the health and larval nutrition portfolio.

Information: Philippe Léger, Business Unit Director, INVE Aquaculture (phone +32-5240-9595, email p.leger@inve.be).

Source: FIS United States.  INVE Aquaculture Set for Growth.  October 27, 2009.

Brazil

Ceará—State-of-Origin Labeling

In the state of Ceará, shrimp farmers are attempting to establish “state-of-origin” certificates for their shrimp production.  They hope the certificates will add value to their products and increase exports.  “We are going to send the completed documentation by November 2009 to the National Industrial Property Institute, which is the entity in Brazil responsible for the registry of geographic indication,” said Pedro Henrique Lopes, a member of the Technical-Scientific Council of the Costa Negra Carciniculturists Association (ACCN) of Ceará, the organization pursuing the certificates.

According to the International Business Centre of Ceará, the state’s shrimp crop was worth $3 million through September 2009.

Meanwhile, the Ceará State Development Agency said that Ceará occupies second place in shrimp production in Brazil, behind Rio Grande del Norte.

At present, Ceará’s biggest customers are Japan, Spain, Denmark and France.

Some 30 shrimp farms operate in the region of Costa Negra, which also has a shrimp hatchery and four processing plants.

In 2008, Ceará produced more than 7,000 tons of shrimp.  Farmers hope to produce 8,000 tons in 2009, an increase of almost 15 percent.

Sources: FIS United States.  Shrimp Farmers Pursue “Controlled Origin Denomination”.  Analia Murias (editorial@fis.com).  October 23, 2009.  2. Wikipedia.  Map of Ceará, Brazil.  Website visit on October 29, 2009.

Brazil

Bahia—Slow Permitting Slows Development of Shrimp Farming

Shrimp farmers in the state of Bahia have resolved the disease problems in their ponds, and the Ministry of Agriculture has given them permission to restart their operations, but they can’t get banking credits because they no longer have environmental impact permits.  In 2007, the Federal Court suspended the licenses of all the shrimp farms that had not done environmental impact studies.  According to data furnished by the Bahia Environmental Institute, only two farms are up to code.  Ana Cristina Lima, Institute Coordinator, said that “many requested renewals”, but they did not follow the rules.

At present, Bahia is the fifth largest shrimp-producing state in Brazil.

Bahia shrimp is exported to France and Portugal, but Paulo Queiroz, producer and member of the Shrimp Producers Association of Canavieiras, says that much of what is produced in the state is sold in southeastern Brazil, mainly in Rio de Janeiro and San Pablo.

Source: FIS United States.  Environmental Licenses Slow Shrimp Production.  Analia Murias (editorial@fis.com).  October 27, 2009.  2. Wikipedia.  Map of Bahia, Brazil.  Website visit on October 29, 2009.

Denmark

Novozymes Introduces New Probiotic for Shrimp Ponds

Novozymes A/S has announced two new aquaculture products that accelerate the breakdown of organic waste components and prevent the build-up of toxic ammonia in shrimp ponds.

PondPlus® is a formulation of seven strains of Bacillus bacteria selected for their ability to degrade organic waste.  Together, they produce a broad spectrum of enzyme activity to efficiently degrade pond bottom sludge and clarify water.

PondProtect® contains two strains of nitrifying bacteria that convert toxic ammonia and nitrites into harmless nitrates.

Novozymes conducted trials of PondPlus® and PondProtect® in 100 ponds in India, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines.  The results showed that ponds treated with PondPlus® and PondProtect® maintained far more stable water conditions and lower levels of ammonia than untreated ponds.  The improved pond management achieved with PondPlus® and PondProtect® translated into a decrease in feed conversion ratios and increases in shrimp size, survival and yield.  The end result was an increase in total sales and profit per pond.

Information: Novozymes North America, Inc., State Road 1003, P.O. Box 576, Franklinton, North Carolina 27525, USA (phone 1-919-494-3000, fax 1-919-494-3450, webpage http://www.novozymes.com/en).

Source: FIS United States.  Novozymes Helps Shrimp Farmers Improve Profits.  October 24, 2009.

Ecuador

Reference Shrimp Prices for Early November 2009

Source: Boletin Informativo (Ecuador’s Camara Nacional de Acuacultura).  Editor, Jorge Tejada (jtejada@cna-ecuador.com).  Precios Referenciales del Camarón del 26 al 15 de Noviembre 2009 Octubre/2009.  [Reference shrimp prices for October 26 through November 15, 2009].  October 27, 2009.

El Salvador

Production of Postlarvae Increases

To date, the Los Cobanos Mariculture Station has produced more than 23 million marine shrimp postlarvae, enough to supply all the shrimp farming cooperatives in the country.  The Station, a division of the National Fisheries Centre, achieved this increased production with technical help from the Embassy of Taiwan.  Farmers in El Salvador hope to grow marine shrimp in fresh water.  The Embassy of Taiwan may also offer start-up capital to interested cooperatives.  So far, the cooperatives in the program are making a 30% profit on their shrimp farming investment.  Through September 2009, approximately 128 tons of shrimp worth $454,000 were sold.  The national government plans to encourage domestic shrimp consumption.

Source: FIS United States.  National Production of Postlarvae Grows.  Analia Murias (editorial@fis.com).  October 23, 2009.

Mexico

No Damage to Sinaloa’s Shrimp Farms from Hurricane Rick

In mid-October 2009, Hurricane Rick brushed the Sinaloa coast, but had no impact on the shrimp farming industry.  Most of the farms had already harvested, and there was no damage to ponds, hatcheries or processing plants.

Source: Seafood.com (an online, subscription-based, fisheries news service).  Mexican Shrimp Farmers, Harvesters Report No Damages from the Recent Hurricane Rick.  John Stockton.  Editor and Publisher, John Sackton (phone 1-781-861-1441, email jsackton@seafood.com).  October 26, 2009.

United States

Louisiana—Giant Tigers

Wildlife experts say the appearance of giant tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon) in the Gulf of Mexico is reason for alarm, and they want fishermen to let them know if they find any in their nets.

“So far, they’ve been taken in waters near Lafitte, Grand Isle and Venice,” said Martin Bourgeois, the biologist who heads the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries shrimp program.  “Several weeks ago we had two documented captures a week apart in Vermilion Bay.  All were mature adults.”

The department is circulating a new poster at shrimp docks in south Louisiana, asking fishermen to keep an eye out for tiger shrimp.  State officials say native shrimp species could be infected with a variety of diseases if the giant tigers establish a population in Louisiana.

Tiger shrimp first escaped from a facility in Bluffton, South Carolina, in 1988.  But officials believe an additional release may have taken place from a facility in Alabama during hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Sources: 1. HoumaToday.com.  Black Tigers Invading Louisiana Waters.  Jeremy Alford.  October 20, 2009.  2. Nolo.com.  Giant of a Shrimp Threat: An Editorial.  October 27, 2009.

United States

New Jersey—Epicore’s 2009 Annual Report

Despite extremely challenging market and economic conditions, Epicore BioNetworks, Inc., a USA corporation that supplies probiotics and hatchery feeds to shrimp farmers worldwide, managed to maintain basically the same level of revenue as last year, $3.2 million.  Epicore started fiscal 2009 before the recession fully hit and was able to enjoy a half-year of good sales as distributors geared up for another normal year in 2009.  With low consumer consumption of shrimp at the end of 2008, producers cut back in early 2009 so Epicore sales suffered.  While individual customer purchasing levels may have decreased, the company was able to increase its customer base to somewhat offset this decrease, thereby maintaining sales levels.

Epicore Highlights:

• Held operating expenses to $1.5 million despite an 88% increase in R&D costs.

• Generated another year of positive net income ($0.4 million, 80% of the prior year).

• Maintained cash at $0.8 million (105% of the prior year).

Information: William Long, Chief Executive Officer, Epicore BioNetworks, Inc., 4 Lina Lane, East Hampton, New Jersey 08060, USA (phone 1-609-267-9118, fax 1-609-267-9336, email epicore@gbsias.com, webpage http://www.epicorebionetworks.com).

Source: Epicore BioNetworks, Inc.  News Release/Epicore BioNetworks, Inc.  Strong Results in Fiscal Year 2009 for the Period Ended 30 June 2009.  Received October 27, 2009.

United States

Texas—Bowers Shrimp Farm

On November 2, 2009, Bowers Shrimp and Fish distributed this price list for its shrimp.

Bowers Shrimp and Fish is a family-owned and operated company that sells premium quality farmed Pacific white shrimp and Texas farmed catfish.  All products are taken directly from the farm to the processing plant, where they are immediately processed, packaged and put into cold storage.

Information: Terry Miller, Bowers Shrimp and Fish, 34781 SH 35 S, Palacios, Texas 77465, USA (phone 1-361-972-2414, fax 1-361-972-2422, email tmiller@bowershrimp.com, webpage http://www.bowershrimp.com).

Source: Emails from Granvil Treece to Shrimp News

International on October 21 and November 3, 2009.

United States

Washington, DC—FDA Weighs the Glaze

In a milestone action, the USA Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cited Registry Steaks & Seafood of Bridgewater, Illinois, for selling short-weighted shrimp by illegally adding ice glaze and marinade to increase the net weight of the product.

Lisa Weddig, speaking for the National Fisheries Institute’s Better Seafood Board, said, “This is certainly not the first situation that FDA is aware of, but it is the first time in many years that the FDA is doing something about it.  The honest folks in the seafood industry are getting what they asked for—an opportunity for the regulatory process to work.”

“We’re experiencing a shift in the FDA’s attitude toward enforcing laws designed to ensure consumers get the product they pay for,” said Weddig.  “The FDA is clearly sending a signal that the days of lax enforcement are over.”

In February 2009, the FDA reminded processors that the net weight of seafood products “may not include the weight of glaze.”  A month later the Government Accountability Office found that FDA wasn’t doing enough to combat fraud.  In August FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg announced she was making regulatory enforcement a priority.

In the warning letter, the FDA accused Registry of “serious violations of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (the Act) and associated regulations.”

The warning letter stated that: “FDA collected samples of your Shell-On Shrimp, Peeled and Deveined Shrimp and Cooked Tail-On Shrimp products during the inspection of your facility.  These frozen shrimp products are adulterated within the meaning of Section 402(b)(4) of the Act [21 U.S.C. 342(b)(4)], in that an ice glaze and/or a frozen ‘marinade’ glaze containing water, citric acid, and salt, has been added to increase the products’ bulk or weight.  Section 402(b)(4) of the Act provides that a food is adulterated if any substance has been added or packed with it to increase its bulk or weight.  Furthermore, your Shell-On Shrimp, Peeled and Deveined Shrimp and Cooked Tail-On Shrimp are misbranded within the meaning of Section 403(e)(2) of the Act [21 U.S.C. 343(e)(2)], and Section 4(a)(2) of the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act (FPLA) [15 U.S.C. 1453(a)(2)], in that they fail to bear an accurate statement of the net quantity of contents because they include the weight of the ice glaze or frozen marinade in the net quantity of contents.  Section 403(e)(2) of the Act and section 4(a)(2) of the FPLA require food to bear an accurate statement of the net quantity of contents.  Overstating the net quantity of contents (such as including the weight of ice glaze or marinade) misbrands the products under these sections, as discussed in FDA’s 1991 letter to seafood manufacturers regarding the fraudulent practice of including glaze (ice) as part of the weight of frozen seafood.”

FDA said it may take further action, including seizure of the product and closing of the facility, if these violations are not satisfactorily addressed.

Source: Seafood.com (an online, subscription-based, fisheries news service).  FDA Takes First Direct Action Against Short Weight Shrimp: Illinois Company Illegally Glazed Shrimp.  John Sackton.  Editor and Publisher, John Sackton (phone 1-781-861-1441, email jsackton@seafood.com).  October 22, 2009.

United States

Washington DC—Official Species Names for Shrimp

Here are the Food and Drug Administration’s official market names for shrimp.

Source: USA Food and Drug Administration.  2008 FDA Seafood Complete List.  No Date.  Website visit on October 26, 2009.

United States

Washington DC—NOAA and FDA Cooperate on Food Safety

On October 26, 2009, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Food and Drug Administration announced an interagency agreement to strengthen seafood inspection and improve seafood safety and quality.  The agreement formalizes the working arrangements between NOAA’s Fisheries Service Seafood Inspection Program and the FDA to reinforce each agency’s efforts through cooperation and information sharing in the inspection of seafood products and facilities.  Inspection agents from both agencies will work together when appropriate, and NOAA will share inspection results with FDA.

“Americans are eating an average of 16 pounds of seafood a year—that’s a lot of fish,” Jim Balsiger, acting assistant administrator for NOAA’s Fisheries Service, said.  “This partnership will help ensure that USA seafood consumers—who spent nearly $70 billion on seafood last year—continue to get safe, healthy seafood through combining our resources with FDA.”

The agreement strengthens the agencies’ partnership and satisfies a Government Accountability Office recommendation that calls for FDA to consider the results of NOAA inspections when determining the frequency of seafood inspections and the use of limited inspection resources.

Source: SeafoodSource.com.  Editor Steven Hedlund (shedlune@divcom.com).  Seafood News/Food Safety and Health/NOAA, FDA Partner on Seafood Safety.  October 26, 2009.

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