Shrimp: The Endless Quest for Pink Gold

11. The Miracles of Chitin

The future of shrimp farming and wild harvest both dance on a knife’s edge that could go either way. Shrimp boats and their gear can be redesigned to cut down on bycatch and save turtles. Skimmer trawls are coming into use that don’t tear up the bottom, and lighter nets that are less destructive are also more fuel-efficient. Shrimp farms are also upgrading, getting farther away from the polluted mud holes that festered with diseases and destroyed the mangrove swamps. Larger, better-financed organizations are using lined ponds with low risk to the environment and high-tech greenhouses to increase their yields.

A new vision is emerging—not just for the big money, but for poor people as well. Consider the Seawater Farm ...