SUSTAINABILITY OF SHRIMP FARMING IN INDIA – A CASE STUDY OF PUDIPARTHI SHRIMP PONDS AT KANDALERU CREEK, ANDHRA PRADESH, INDIA.

Abstract

India being endowed with a vast coastline, has been a successful producer of Aqua culture products and is a competitive
supplier of shrimps. Andhra Pradesh emerged as leading producer of this species. However, due to unsustainable farming
practices many ponds have become unt for Shrimp culture. Poor farming practices has greatly affected the quality of the environment and this in
turn has to led to large scale abandonment of shrimp farms. Further, the abandonment of existing farms has resulted in conversion of agricultural
lands and mangroves to new shrimp ponds. The primary objective of this paper is to study the shrimp farming practices of the farmers, understand
the challenges faced by the shrimp farmers and explore the underlying causes for abandonment of ponds. The study is based on a focus group
discussion conducted among few farmers who have been practicing Shrimp culture near the Kandaleru Creek of Nellore district in Andhra
Pradesh. Abandonment of shrimp ponds and conversion of mangroves into new shrimp ponds for culture affects the environmental sustainability
and future prospects of the shrimp industry. Further the study also attempts to identify development strategies that could be implemented to revive
the existing ponds for practice of sustainable shrimp culture.