1. In December 1997, FAO convened the Technical Consultation on Policies for Sustainable Shrimp Culture which brought together government delegates and observers from 12 countries of Asia and the Americas accounting for about 90% of the global production of cultured shrimp and including major consuming countries. Observers from 5 inter-governmental organizations and from 4 international NGOs also attended. The Consultation noted that the achievement of sustainable shrimp culture is dependent on effective government policy and regulatory actions, as well as the co-operation of the shrimp farming sector in utilizing sound technology in its planning, development and operations. In this regard, the Consultation recommended that FAO convene expert meetings to elaborate best[2] practices for shrimp culture and desirable elements of the legal and other regulatory instruments for coastal aquaculture.
2. The Network for Aquaculture Centres for Asia and the Pacific (NACA), in partnership with the World Bank (WB), Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) and FAO are implementing a Consortium Programme on Shrimp Farming and the Environment. A central objective of the consortium is to identify better management practices for shrimp farming under various environmental, economic and social conditions and assess the cost-benefits for farmers to adopt these practices individually and in co-ordination with other farmers. This information is expected to help governments and the private sector to develop support strategies and specific assistance measures for farmers to overcome the constraints that currently prevent them to adopt better management practices. These strategies may encompass the adoption of codes of practices, improved extension services, economic incentives, and others. The Consortium Programme is undertaken primarily through a series of case studies covering all major producing regions of cultured shrimp.
3. Shrimp farming guidelines and codes of practices have been developed, or are under development, in a number of countries (e.g. Australia, Belize, Ecuador, India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Thailand). At international levels, a code has also been elaborated by an industry organization, the Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA), that is intended to provide the basis for a future eco-labelling programme. Guidelines are also under development for the production of organically grown shrimp.
4. One area of special concern is the management of shrimp disease. FAO has been active in providing assistance to several member countries on health management in shrimp culture and has taken the lead in conducting the review on management strategies for major diseases in shrimp farming, one of the thematic reviews under the Consortium Programme. A number of programmes in co-operation with several agencies and organizations, with the view to develop Good Management Practices (GMPs) on shrimp health management, are being currently conducted by FAO in both Asia and the Americas.
5. The Legal Office of FAO is currently working on a comparative survey of national laws and regulations governing shrimp culture. The purpose of the survey is to examine and compare relevant national legislation, particularly legal requirements concerning the environmental impacts of shrimp culture activities and measures applicable in relation to the development of shrimp farming installations, continuing operational controls, and legal requirements which apply on the cessation of activities and aspects related to enforcement of relevant legislation. This information is expected to help in the identification of good legal and institutional arrangements and in an assessment of current constraints for countries to adopt them.
