DRAFT STANDARDS FOR RESPONSIBLE SHRIMP AQUACULTURE

The Shrimp Aquaculture Dialogue (ShAD) has developed a comprehensive set of draft standards for responsible shrimp aquaculture, focusing on seven core principles: legal compliance, environmentally suitable siting, community consideration, responsible labor practices, shrimp health management, broodstock and stock management, and resource efficiency. The standards employ a performance-based approach, defining acceptable impact levels rather than prescribing specific production methods, and are intended for the top 20 percent of farms globally. Key environmental requirements include the prohibition of siting in mangroves and natural wetlands (with limited exceptions for infrastructure), the mandate for Biodiversity inclusive Environmental Impact Assessments (BEIA), and strict limits on nutrient effluent loads (nitrogen and phosphorus). Social standards require participatory Social Impact Assessments (p-SIA) and adherence to ILO core conventions regarding child and forced labor. The document also outlines strict biosecurity measures to prevent disease and mandates the transition toward 100% closed-loop hatchery sourcing for Litopenaeus vannamei and Penaeus monodon. The standards are designed to be verified through third-party certification via the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC).

• The standards are designed to be performance-based, meaning they define acceptable impact levels rather than prescribing specific production methods, allowing producers to innovate to meet environmental or social benchmarks.
• Siting standards strictly prohibit the establishment of new or expanding farms in mangrove ecosystems and natural wetlands, except for essential infrastructure like pumping stations and canals, which must be offset by 100% restoration of equivalent areas.
• The standards mandate that all new or expanding shrimp farms undergo a Biodiversity inclusive Environmental Impact Assessment (BEIA) prior to construction, which must be carried out by a nationally accredited body and be publicly transparent.
• To protect surrounding communities, farm owners must conduct a participatory Social Impact Assessment (p-SIA) and implement a verifiable conflict resolution policy, with a target of resolving 75% of conflicts within one year.
• Labor standards are based on ILO core conventions, prohibiting child labor (minimum age 15), forced or bonded labor, and discrimination, while requiring that 100% of employees are paid at least the legal minimum wage or a basic needs/living wage, whichever is higher.
• Disease prevention standards require 100% of stocked post larvae (PL) to be Specific Pathogen Free (SPF) or Specific Pathogen Resistant (SPR), and mandate minimum dissolved oxygen levels of >3ppm at the pond bottom one hour before sunrise.
• The standards prohibit the use of transgenic shrimp and mandate a transition to closed-loop hatcheries; 100% of L. vannamei PL must be from closed-loop hatcheries, and P. monodon must reach this level within six years of publication.
• Resource efficiency standards set specific limits on nutrient effluent loads per tonne of shrimp: nitrogen must be <17.6 kg for P. vannamei and <28.5 kg for P. monodon, while phosphorus must be <2.7 kg for P. vannamei and <5.5 kg for P. monodon.
• Feed sourcing standards require that within five years of commercial availability, 100% of fishmeal and fish oil must originate from fisheries certified by an ISEAL member's certification scheme.

APA

WWF International (2010). DRAFT STANDARDS FOR RESPONSIBLE SHRIMP AQUACULTURE. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/856/5nz6im7g2w_ShAD_Standard_First_Draft.pdf

Chicago

WWF International. DRAFT STANDARDS FOR RESPONSIBLE SHRIMP AQUACULTURE. 2010. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/856/5nz6im7g2w_ShAD_Standard_First_Draft.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=DRAFT STANDARDS FOR RESPONSIBLE SHRIMP AQUACULTURE |date=1 March 2010 |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/856/5nz6im7g2w_ShAD_Standard_First_Draft.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfinternational2010draft, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{DRAFT STANDARDS FOR RESPONSIBLE SHRIMP AQUACULTURE}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2010}, month = mar, url = {https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/856/5nz6im7g2w_ShAD_Standard_First_Draft.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }