King prawn

Litopenaeus vannamei

?: Under review How we work out the ratings

What to check for

Location

All Areas, All Areas

Production method

Pond, semi-intensive

Certification

EU Organic
Soil Association

Rating summary

Organic King prawns (L. vannamei) from Ecuador and Honduras rely on traceable, responsible terrestrial feed ingredients, and the marine component of the feed includes trimmings, although whole fish can also be used. Organic certification ensures best practices and guidelines are in place for animal welfare and humane slaughter and also mitigates many areas of environmental concern. The production of Organic King prawn does not allow the destruction of mangroves for pond construction, pond discharges are low and only minimal chemical treatments are used, if at all and all juveniles are hatchery based. Surrounding wild shrimp populations are also not impacted by disease or escapes from farms. However, there are still improvements that could be made. Lethal control of predators may still be used and Environmental Impact Assessments are not in place for smaller farms. Management and regulation of the aquaculture sector, while comprehensive, still needs to be better resourced to ensure effectiveness.This rating is based on full compliance with certification requirements. Commercial buyers should therefore ensure that full compliance has been achieved in order for this rating to be applicable.Rating last updated: October 2021

References

Commission Regulation (EC) No 710/2009 of 5 August 2009 amending Regulation (EC) No 889/2008 laying down detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 834/2007, as regards laying down detailed rules on organic aquaculture animal and seaweed production. Available at https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv%3AOJ.L_.2009.204.01.0015.01.ENG [Accessed on 25.02.2021].Coze, A. and Nava, A. 2009. Review of environmental impact assessment and monitoring of aquaculture in Latin America. In FAO. Environmental impact assessment and monitoring of aquaculture. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Technical Paper. No. 527. Rome, FAO. pp. 395–454. Available at http://www.fao.org/tempref/docrep/fao/012/i0970e/i0970e01e.pdf [Accessed on 23.03.2021].FAO. 2021a. National Aquaculture Legislation Overview: Honduras. Available at http://www.fao.org/fishery/legalframework/nalo_honduras/en [Accessed on 23.03.2021].FAO. 2021b. National Aquaculture Legislation Overview: Ecuador. Available at http://www.fao.org/fishery/legalframework/nalo_ecuador/en [Accessed on 23.03.2021].FAO. 2021c. General view of the nation aquaculture sector: Ecuador. Available at http://www.fao.org/fishery/countrysector/naso_ecuador/fr [Accessed on 23.03.2021].FAO. 2021d. Overview of the nation aquaculture sector: Honduras. Available at http://www.fao.org/fishery/countrysector/naso_honduras/es [Accessed on 23.03.2021].Global Aquaculture Alliance. 2020. Shrimp Eyestalk Ablation Researcher Wins 2020 Global Aquaculture Innovation Award. Available at https://www.aquaculturealliance.org/blog/2020-aquaculture-innovation-award-winner/ [Accessed on 23.03.2021].Green, K. and Lart, W. 2013. Seafish Responsible Sourcing Guide – Warm water prawns – March 201. Available for download at https://www.seafish.org/document/?id=d443878e-d50b-4d78-9d68-8b5c393ed0c0 [Downloaded 24.02.2021].Gee, J. 2015. Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Assessment: Whiteleg Shrimp (L. vannamei), Honduras: ponds. Available for download at https://www.seafoodwatch.org/recommendation/shrimp/shrimp-whiteleg-honduras-ponds?species=156 [Downloaded 24.02.2021].Kramer, L. 2020. Innovation Award 2020 Finalist: Simao Zacaris’s shrimp eyestalk ablation research. Available at https://www.aquaculturealliance.org/advocate/innovation-award-2020-finalist-simao-zacarias-shrimp-eyestalk-ablation-research/ [Accessed on 23.03.2021].OMARSA. 2017. Company website for Ecuadorian shrimp farm. Available at http://www.omarsa.com.ec/ [Accessed on 24.02.2021].Regulation (EU) 2018/848 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2018 on organic production and labelling of organic products and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 834/2007. Available at https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv%3AOJ.L_.2018.150.01.0001.01.ENG [Accessed on 25.02.2021].Seafish. 2020. Aquaculture Profile: White Leg Prawn. Available at https://www.seafish.org/responsible-sourcing/aquaculture-farming-seafood/species-farmed-in-aquaculture/aquaculture-profiles/white-leg-prawn/ [Accessed on 24.02.2021].Seafoodwatch. 2021. Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Assessment: White Shrimp (L. vannamei), Ecuador: Semi-intensive ponds. Available for download at https://www.seafoodwatch.org/recommendations/search?query=%3Aspecies%3BWhiteleg%20shrimp%3Acountry%3BEcuador [Downloaded 22.03.2021].Soil Association. 2021. Soil Association Standards Aquaculture. Version 18.6, pp.3-78. Available at https://www.soilassociation.org/media/18614/aquaculture-standards.pdf [Accessed on 25.02.2021].Soil Association. 2021. Summary of standard changes: Organic standards documents updated Friday 12th February 2021 – Version 18.6. Available at https://www.soilassociation.org/media/19109/sa-standards-summary-of-changes.pdf [Accessed on 25.02.2021].STIP. 2021. Seafood Trade Intelligence Portal: Shrimp in Ecuador. Available at https://seafood-tip.com/sourcing-intelligence/countries/ecuador/ [Accessed on 24.02.2021].Tacon, A., Jory, D. and Nunes, A. 2013. Shrimp feed management: issues and perspectives. In M.R. Hasan and M.B. New, eds. On-farm feeding and feed management in aquaculture. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Technical Paper No. 583. Rome, FAO. pp. 481–488. Available at http://www.fao.org/tempref/FI/CDrom/T583/root/18.pdf [Accessed on 25.02.2021].Wybran, J. 2015. Shrimp News Interviews Dr. James Wyban The Father of SPF Shrimp. Shrimp News International. Available at http://www.shrimpnews.com/FreeReportsFolder/HistoryFolder/HistoryUnitedStates/DrJamesWybanFatherOfSPF.html [Accessed on 26.02.2021].