Thailand's Shrimps Are Dying En-Masse, And No One Can Figure Out Why

[Thai at Heart]

The "otherpaper" has a super front page story about the Thai fishing industry.....

Yes.

The story is based on an article written for a UK paper and advocates that the UK stops eating Thailand's "warm-water prawns".

It uses emotive language such as: "... panicked marine creatures ....scurrying across the deck...".

Catching cold water fish for "fish & chips" is, of course, done much more humanely?

Thinks ....

Their proposal would reduce (by a huge factor of 2/3rds) the total volume available, by excluding the competition. The price, and hence profitability, of the local "cold water prawns" would rise significantly.

But they surely wouldn't do it for those reasons now would they? They're British! ;)

R21

But, there was a similar article on the Sunday times 2 weeks ago. Seems Thailand fish and shrimp industry is getting a lot of unwanted attention.

I was discussing today. I reckon they should have to print the paid daily wage rate on the packaging next to the ingredients.

If you want shrimps for rock bottom with wage rates of 300 baht a day up to the consumer.

There is"fair trade" coffee. Why not "living wage" shrimp?

[Route21]

But, there was a similar article on the Sunday times 2 weeks ago. Seems Thailand fish and shrimp industry is getting a lot of unwanted attention.

I was discussing today. I reckon they should have to print the paid daily wage rate on the packaging next to the ingredients.

If you want shrimps for rock bottom with wage rates of 300 baht a day up to the consumer.

There is"fair trade" coffee. Why not "living wage" shrimp?

Looks like the UK/European shrimp/fishing industry is feeling the pressure and winding up the lobbyist pressure to minimise their competition.

To achieve a "fair trade" situation you would effectively have to sell direct from the primary source, or their cooperative, to the major Western supermarket chains.

To do that you would have to do for the Thai fishing industry the phenomenal things that have already achieved for the fruit, vegetable and flower industries in North Thailand.

It would then, not only result in fair wages but require very, very strict quality control at every stage of the process. I believe it's possible, but may take years to achieve.

I don't personally believe putting wage rates on packets is meaningful for 2 primary reasons:

1. The cost of living/taxes in Thailand differs substantially, for the average person, from that in the "West". It just isn't directly comparable.

2. It is too easy to manipulate the wages figure. Does it include the shrimp feed boat owner/captain etc or the manual workers? Does it include selective bonuses based on catch size etc? Does it include the food processing/feed preparation workers and their supervisors/managers? Does it include the shrimp farm labour/supervision/management/owners?

You also need to draw a distinction between industrial/non-industrial style farmed/non-farmed situations and take into account the precursor work involving feed production/preparation and environmental impact.

Too many complex factors to explain on a packet!

I would personally favour the Northern Thailand type solution - sell a premium product at a premium price with the primary profits in the supply chain being retained at source.

R21

Edited March 18, 2013 by Route21

[Route21]

The main immediate problem, getting back to the OP, is that, with the escalating mortality rate of farmed shrimps, we may run out of time before the solution is implemented.

R21

[metisdead]

Just a reminder that posts using derogatory nicknames or intentional misspelling of people’s names will be deleted. If you don’t want your post to be deleted, spell people’s names correctly.

[Thai at Heart]

But, there was a similar article on the Sunday times 2 weeks ago. Seems Thailand fish and shrimp industry is getting a lot of unwanted attention.

I was discussing today. I reckon they should have to print the paid daily wage rate on the packaging next to the ingredients.

If you want shrimps for rock bottom with wage rates of 300 baht a day up to the consumer.

There is"fair trade" coffee. Why not "living wage" shrimp?

Looks like the UK/European shrimp/fishing industry is feeling the pressure and winding up the lobbyist pressure to minimise their competition.

To achieve a "fair trade" situation you would effectively have to sell direct from the primary source, or their cooperative, to the major Western supermarket chains.

To do that you would have to do for the Thai fishing industry the phenomenal things that have already achieved for the fruit, vegetable and flower industries in North Thailand.

It would then, not only result in fair wages but require very, very strict quality control at every stage of the process. I believe it's possible, but may take years to achieve.

I don't personally believe putting wage rates on packets is meaningful for 2 primary reasons:

1. The cost of living/taxes in Thailand differs substantially, for the average person, from that in the "West". It just isn't directly comparable.

2. It is too easy to manipulate the wages figure. Does it include the shrimp feed boat owner/captain etc or the manual workers? Does it include selective bonuses based on catch size etc? Does it include the food processing/feed preparation workers and their supervisors/managers? Does it include the shrimp farm labour/supervision/management/owners?

You also need to draw a distinction between industrial/non-industrial style farmed/non-farmed situations and take into account the precursor work involving feed production/preparation and environmental impact.

Too many complex factors to explain on a packet!

I would personally favour the Northern Thailand type solution - sell a premium product at a premium price with the primary profits in the supply chain being retained at source.

R21

Of course they will never put the wage costs on the packaging, it would give the consumers too much to consider in their purchase beyond the price.

In the UK they have just gone through the horse meat scandal, which has been created by a race to the bottom on pricing through competition in the supermarkets chasing a penny of margin here and a penny of margin here. When everyone was going to Marks and Spencers to buy their more expensive lasgna, maybe that is the cost of having a pure beef lasagna. The consumer has virtually no visibility into how their food is produced today, and in many cases it isn't pretty.

in the day and age of mobile technology, and QR codes, why can't a quick scan come up with a video assuring that this product is produced in a fair and correct manner, that doesn't endanger ecology or put salinity into soil for example. People jumped on fair trade coffee and it has a market. The problem is, that the concept of "free range, green production, sustainable development, pesticide free" has to be defined legally, so the producers stretch it to the 99th percentile of the meaning to fit the title. If people understood that you can only get shrimps at these prices, by importing illegal workers, farming them on land with huge doses of antibiotics, etc etc, maybe there would be a decent amount of customers willing to pay, just that bit more for something a little more wholesome.

[tampasailor]

Shrimp Exports From Thailand Poised to Decline 50% on Disease

Shrimp exports from Thailand may slump 50 percent this year because of a disease called Early Mortality Syndrome in one of the industry’s worst crises, said Somsak Paneetatayasai, president of Thai Shrimp Association.

Shipments would decline from an annual average of 350,000 metric tons, he said in a phone interview today. Supply may also fall about 50 percent from normal production of 500,000 tons per year, he said.

The disease has killed cultivated shrimps in several countries in Asia where one million people depend on this type of aquaculture for their living, according to a report on the website of the United Nations’ Food & Agriculture Organization. Asia produced 3 million tons of shrimp with a value of $13.3 billion in 2011, it said. The industry is showing signs of recovery after hatcheries, farmers and the government worked to stop the disease spreading, said Somsak.

more on this story click from Bloomberg

Edited July 15, 2013 by tampasailor

[tampasailor]

Early Mortality Syndrome Threatens Asia’s Shrimp Farms

The emerging disease early mortality syndrome (EMS) has caused large losses among shrimp farmers in China, Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand. Causing mass mortalities, its spread points to the need for increased awareness and cooperative reporting, writes Eduardo M. Leaño, Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific. Taken from the Global Aquaculture Advocate, a Global Aquaculture Alliance publication.

The Asia-Pacific region, the top producer of aquaculture products in the world, is continuously beset by emerging aquatic animal disease problems that can cause high mortalities and economic losses among small farmers as well as commercial producers. Over the last couple of decades, diseases such as white spot syndrome, yellowhead disease and Taura syndrome heavily impacted shrimp aquaculture in the region and caused the collapse of the Penaeus monodon industry.

More recently, an emerging disease known as early mortality syndrome (EMS) – also termed acute hepatopancreatic necrosis syndrome or AHPNS – caused significant losses among shrimp farmers in China, Vietnam and Malaysia. It also reportedly affected shrimp in the eastern Gulf of Thailand this year (Flegel, 2012).

EMS affects both P. monodon and Litopenaeus vannamei and is characterized by mass mortalities during the first 20 to 30 days of culture in growout ponds. Clinical signs of the disease include slow growth, corkscrew swimming, loose shells and pale coloration. Affected shrimp consistently show abnormal shrunken, small, swollen or discolored hepatopancreases.

- See more at: http://www.thefishsite.com/articles/1459/early-mortality-syndrome-threatens-asias-shrimp-farms#sthash.C9Ty8ag3.dpuf

Edited July 15, 2013 by tampasailor

[DeepInTheForest]

Early Mortality Syndrome Threatens Asia’s Shrimp Farms

The emerging disease early mortality syndrome (EMS) has caused large losses among shrimp farmers in China, Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand. Causing mass mortalities, its spread points to the need for increased awareness and cooperative reporting, writes Eduardo M. Leaño, Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific. Taken from the Global Aquaculture Advocate, a Global Aquaculture Alliance publication.

The Asia-Pacific region, the top producer of aquaculture products in the world, is continuously beset by emerging aquatic animal disease problems that can cause high mortalities and economic losses among small farmers as well as commercial producers. Over the last couple of decades, diseases such as white spot syndrome, yellowhead disease and Taura syndrome heavily impacted shrimp aquaculture in the region and caused the collapse of the Penaeus monodon industry.

More recently, an emerging disease known as early mortality syndrome (EMS) – also termed acute hepatopancreatic necrosis syndrome or AHPNS – caused significant losses among shrimp farmers in China, Vietnam and Malaysia. It also reportedly affected shrimp in the eastern Gulf of Thailand this year (Flegel, 2012).

EMS affects both P. monodon and Litopenaeus vannamei and is characterized by mass mortalities during the first 20 to 30 days of culture in growout ponds. Clinical signs of the disease include slow growth, corkscrew swimming, loose shells and pale coloration. Affected shrimp consistently show abnormal shrunken, small, swollen or discolored hepatopancreases.

- See more at: http://www.thefishsite.com/articles/1459/early-mortality-syndrome-threatens-asias-shrimp-farms#sthash.C9Ty8ag3.dpuf

The sharpies among us will immediately recognize that the accursed Thai ineptitude is apparently transnational in its effect, reaching across boundaries and causing viral disease in shrimp in China, Vietnam, Malaysia, etc. If those countries could only convince Thailand to stop raising shrimp, I am sure this outbreak could be easily brought under control.

[DeepInTheForest]

The virus infection merely indicates once again the folly of industrial monoculture that our global food system now extensively employs. Maybe someday we will get a grip on corporations and their endless gutting of resources in search of ever-higher profits.

Maybe.

For many small landholders in the region, it may be too late. After the wholesale mangrove removal from the shore was recognized as the disaster that it is, shrimp farming turned to land-based installations. The salt and other contaminants will make it difficult to rehabilitate that land.

Thanks, tampasailor, for the two posts above.

Edited July 15, 2013 by DeepInTheForest

[FWIW]

Early Mortality Syndrome Threatens Asia’s Shrimp Farms

The emerging disease early mortality syndrome (EMS) has caused large losses among shrimp farmers in China, Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand. Causing mass mortalities, its spread points to the need for increased awareness and cooperative reporting, writes Eduardo M. Leaño, Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific. Taken from the Global Aquaculture Advocate, a Global Aquaculture Alliance publication.

The Asia-Pacific region, the top producer of aquaculture products in the world, is continuously beset by emerging aquatic animal disease problems that can cause high mortalities and economic losses among small farmers as well as commercial producers. Over the last couple of decades, diseases such as white spot syndrome, yellowhead disease and Taura syndrome heavily impacted shrimp aquaculture in the region and caused the collapse of the Penaeus monodon industry.

More recently, an emerging disease known as early mortality syndrome (EMS) – also termed acute hepatopancreatic necrosis syndrome or AHPNS – caused significant losses among shrimp farmers in China, Vietnam and Malaysia. It also reportedly affected shrimp in the eastern Gulf of Thailand this year (Flegel, 2012).

EMS affects both P. monodon and Litopenaeus vannamei and is characterized by mass mortalities during the first 20 to 30 days of culture in growout ponds. Clinical signs of the disease include slow growth, corkscrew swimming, loose shells and pale coloration. Affected shrimp consistently show abnormal shrunken, small, swollen or discolored hepatopancreases.

- See more at: http://www.thefishsite.com/articles/1459/early-mortality-syndrome-threatens-asias-shrimp-farms#sthash.C9Ty8ag3.dpuf

The sharpies among us will immediately recognize that the accursed Thai ineptitude is apparently transnational in its effect, reaching across boundaries and causing viral disease in shrimp in China, Vietnam, Malaysia, etc. If those countries could only convince Thailand to stop raising shrimp, I am sure this outbreak could be easily brought under control.

I would think that the even sharper amongst us would know that this disease is caused by a toxin released by a bacteria (admittedly one infected with a bacteriophage) and that the first reports of EMS were in China in 2009 followed by Vietnam in 2010, Malaysia 2011 and Thailand in 2012.

Pretty difficult to pin it back on the Thais I would have thought.

[ginjag]

Alcaprawn the culprit...... But seriously NOBODY KNOWS WHY ??? surely the tops of this will be the cabinet member who is appointed to the (fisheries dept) he has to know as he is the top in the profession ??? or will he not know--so will have to ask---and NOW ?? so the PM will ask him, (I don't know') and he will ask --but they don't know, what an industry ???? it is among the top export commodities.

[MAJIC]

Shrimp Exports From Thailand Poised to Decline 50% on Disease

Shrimp exports from Thailand may slump 50 percent this year because of a disease called Early Mortality Syndrome in one of the industrys worst crises, said Somsak Paneetatayasai, president of Thai Shrimp Association.

Shipments would decline from an annual average of 350,000 metric tons, he said in a phone interview today. Supply may also fall about 50 percent from normal production of 500,000 tons per year, he said.

The disease has killed cultivated shrimps in several countries in Asia where one million people depend on this type of aquaculture for their living, according to a report on the website of the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization. Asia produced 3 million tons of shrimp with a value of $13.3 billion in 2011, it said. The industry is showing signs of recovery after hatcheries, farmers and the government worked to stop the disease spreading, said Somsak.

more on this story click from Bloomberg

"3 million tons of shrimp with a value of $13.3 billion in 2011"

Is this figure a Typo?

[Moruya]

There's something rotten in the state of Yingluck.

Prawns with chlamydia, carcinogenic rice, a clothing industry staffed by kids and a fishing industry staffed by slaves.

Roll on tapioca with genital warts and rubber with herpes and the whole shebang is scuttled

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[OzMick]

"3 million tons of shrimp with a value of $13.3 billion in 2011"

Is this figure a Typo?

$4.50/kg don't seem to be too excessive.

[MAJIC]

"3 million tons of shrimp with a value of $13.3 billion in 2011"

Is this figure a Typo?

$4.50/kg don't seem to be too excessive.

Thanks for that,my Calculator only goes up to 8 figures.