Biophysical survey and state of sustainability assessment for coastal shrimp aquaculture : a case study of the Upper Gulf of Thailand
Date
1996
Authors
Miller, Paul John
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Thailand is currently the world's leading producer of farmed shrimp. Shrimp farming in most coastal regions has experienced explosive growth primarily through the intensification of methods and the expansion of culture area. The industry generates a combined annual revenue of $US 2 billion to produce some 229,000 MT of farmed shrimp. This dominance in the shrimp industry, representing approximately one-fifth of global total, has only been achieved by a substantial increase in shrimp farming effort. The potential for export revenue has also attracted high risk capital and has been nationally supported. The 'success' in the application of these intensive monoculture methods can be attributed to the use of adverse practices and at the expense of the biophysical environment.
The sustainability of the industry is now being seriously questioned. This questioning has fostered a realization of the inherent problems at all levels ranging from farm-level practices to national policies. The assumption that coastal shrimp aquaculture is a low risk high-profit operation is no longer valid. Examples of the negative effects of the rapid development of coastal areas to establish shrimp farms are numerous and widespread. Severe environmental, human health and socioeconomic impacts are now prevalent in many shrimp farming regions. This research focused on the collapse of the Upper Gulf shrimp industry from 1989 to 1991. This region, formerly the highest shrimp producer, now experiences a recurring pattern of shrimp farm failure. Large scale abandonment of shrimp farms located on previously productive areas for other land uses has led to land alienation. The extent of degradation and environmental damage is severe, potentially irreversible, and to date has not been restored or rehabilitated.
This interdisciplinary thesis conducted an in-depth analysis focused on the biophysical aspects of sustainability at both the farm- and pond-level of the Upper Gulf province of Samut Sakhon. Direct field observations and data collection, using qualitative and quantitative methods, demonstrated the complex nexus of environmental (physical, biological and chemical) and socio-economic factors which have contributed to the current status of the industry. The results indicate that fundamental changes are required to improve the sustainability of the industry. In sharp contrast to these results, the industry continues to expand rapidly in other regions of Thailand and to other countries seeking to cash in on the potential export earnings. This prevalent mentality suggested an immediate response and forced the author to organize the research using an integrative approach to assess the sustainability issues. Previous work on sustainability has been concentrated along disciplinary lines, and dominated by sectoral interests. Most studies have not considered the fundamental requirements of sustainability i.e. integration and equal consideration of socioeconomic, economic and environmental concerns.
Field observations from Samut Sakhon found the pattern of shrimp farm failure followed a characteristic cycle. Investigation of this cycle determined the many causes of farm cycle failure. Further, the observed responses to shrimp farm failures has resulted in a number of post production land uses. These responses were grouped into a 'report card' of progress towards sustainability.
A complete sustainability analysis of the industry was then the logical next step. Five key sustainability indicators, grouped in either: environmental, human health-ecosystem health or socioeconomic, were selected to reveal the negative trends observed in the field investigation. For the moment, they are almost all negative in terms of sustainability. Analysis of the negative trends revealed by the indicators led to the conclusion that These barriers were organized in terms of institutional factors. Solutions to overcoming these barriers to sustainability are proposed by reverse application of these factors in a positive way. This thesis makes a substantial contribution to analyzing the sustainability of Thai shrimp farms. However, the research on sustaibaility is far from complete. The author suggests several future key indicators for further work that was not possible within the scope of this thesis.