The hidden cost of farmed shrimp from Ecuador

The report details how the expansion of shrimp farming in Ecuador has led to the destruction of over 70% of its mangrove ecosystems by 2020, resulting in biodiversity loss, increased climate vulnerability, and human rights violations. It highlights the role of EU imports and trade agreements in driving this demand and warns that seafood companies and investors face increasing regulatory and reputational risks under emerging EU due diligence legislation.

• Shrimp farming has caused massive deforestation of Ecuador's mangrove ecosystems, which originally covered 362,802 hectares. By 2020, more than 70% of these mangroves were destroyed by shrimp ponds, leading to the loss of critical ecosystem services including carbon sequestration, flood control, and water filtration.
• The destruction of mangroves in Ecuador has severely impacted the human rights of coastal and Indigenous communities, such as the Valdivia, Wankavilca, Jama-Coaque, and Atacames. Impacts include the loss of food security, increased vulnerability to cyclones, and extreme violence, with over 11 murders recorded by CCONDEM in the last 10 years.
• The European Union is heavily dependent on shrimp imports, with Ecuador serving as a primary supplier. In 2021, Ecuador provided 32% of EU imports of frozen Penaeus shrimp. Trade mechanisms, such as the 2016 Protocol of Accession of Ecuador to the Multi-Party Trade Agreement with the EU, have facilitated these imports through tariff preferences.
• Seafood companies and financial institutions operating in these value chains face growing legal and financial risks. The upcoming EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive is expected to require companies to account for impacts related to deforestation and human rights violations, including the right to health and an adequate standard of living.

APA

ClientEarth (2023). The hidden cost of farmed shrimp from Ecuador. https://www.clientearth.org/media/nlxpnadj/the-hidden-cost-of-farmed-shrimp-from-ecuador-pdf.pdf

Chicago

ClientEarth. The hidden cost of farmed shrimp from Ecuador. 2023. https://www.clientearth.org/media/nlxpnadj/the-hidden-cost-of-farmed-shrimp-from-ecuador-pdf.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=ClientEarth |title=The hidden cost of farmed shrimp from Ecuador |date=July 2023 |url=https://www.clientearth.org/media/nlxpnadj/the-hidden-cost-of-farmed-shrimp-from-ecuador-pdf.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{clientearth2023hidden, author = {{ClientEarth}}, title = {{The hidden cost of farmed shrimp from Ecuador}}, institution = {ClientEarth}, year = {2023}, month = jul, url = {https://www.clientearth.org/media/nlxpnadj/the-hidden-cost-of-farmed-shrimp-from-ecuador-pdf.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }