Nutrition and Beyond:  Challenges Faced by Global Shrimp Industry

Shrimp aquaculture is facing a range of challenges and issues. Some of these, such as diseases and low farm-gate prices, have led many farmers to reduce their costs, thus having implications on biosecurity, environment management and the nutritional quality of feed. The lower investments throughout the rearing cycle at hatchery, nursery and farm level, have consequences on the performance of animals and on the productivity. Feed with the correct physical and nutritional properties give a clear advantage in the hatchery and nursery phases, and these benefits will be borne out in the later stages. However, the price pressure on feed manufacturers is preventing many of them from incorporating ingredients that would support farmers. This has led to the development of protocols combining “bulk” feed with health boosters or specialty feed. In this presentation, protocols combining nutrition, health and environment management, will be reviewed, with attention paid to their contribution to sustainable production.