Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Are the increase in prawn farms causing the destruction of mangroves?THE ANSWER IS YES!!!Read the following article to find out more:On July 26th, people in coastal regions from all over the world demonstrated against the shrimp farming industry, calling for the conservation of precious mangrove areas. Thirty percent of the shrimp and prawns produced worldwide come from ponds carved from mangrove areas. Mangroves, the coastal equivalent of rainforests, provide homes for an amazing range of plant and animal life, support the livelihood of local communities, and defend the coast from erosion and storms.
The single greatest threat to mangroves worldwide is shrimp farming - about 35 percent of mangroves worldwide have been lost in the last 20 years.Previously a luxury item only consumed on special occasions, prawns and shrimps are now turning into an everyday product - Britain's favourite starter after all is the prawn cocktail. Consumers in the US, Japan, and the European Union - the main importers - are often not aware of the destruction that lies behind one of their favourite dishes.
Shrimp farming requires the clear-cutting of mangroves to build ponds. Once the mangroves are ripped out, the coast is rendered unstable and many creatures lose their habitat. Fish catches decline and ecosystems are knocked out of balance. The ponds are treated with antibiotics, pesticides, and fish-feeds, with the toxic mix often dumped into the surrounding land or waterways.In addition to the loss of biodiversity, local communities depend on this coastal ecology for their food and livelihood. The destruction of mangrove areas means these communities lose their only source of income.
On July 26th, global protests took place near cities and towns where industrial shrimp farming and mangrove loss are problems. Over a dozen countries were involved including Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Malaysia, Myanmar (Burma), Kenya, Nigeria, Germany, and the US. It marked the beginning of a stronger international network of small-scale fisher.
So, in short, the summary of this article is:- The reason why prawn and shrimp farms cause destruction in mangroves is because 30% of these farms are carved from mangrove areas.- This means that with every shrimp farm that opens, a mangrove area is destroyed.- About 35% of mangroves have been lost in a year.- Many people love eating prawns and shrimps, in fact, it is our favourite dish! Hence, consumres do not care about the decreasing numbers of mangroves.Why are mangroves important?- They provie animals and plants with a suitable habitat to live in- Local communities depend on mangroves of food and livelihood- Mangroves defend the coasts from storms and erosion- Mangroves are the coastal equivalent of rainforest!So, do your part and save the mangroves before they disappear!Special thanks and acknowledgements to:
http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/whaling/precious-mangroves-threatened-by-shrimp-and-prawn-farming-july-26th-international-day-of-the-mangrovesPosted by:
Abigail Lim, Nicole Lim and Angelyn Ong
living nature
4:35 AM
