According to new estimates, farmed shrimp from Asia may have one
of the highest carbon footprints of any food. More than half of
all shrimp farms are located in Asia, primarily in areas that
used to be mangrove forests. Mangroves are trees that grow in
salt water, and they are important for marine ecosystems because
they provide nutrients and shelter for many fish, turtle, and
wading bird species. Mangrove forests are also important because
they serve as a carbon sink, removing and storing more than
1,000 pounds of CO2) per acre each year. But around the world,
mangrove forests are being cut down to build shrimp farms. These
farms are also often short-lived. The intensive farming methods
pollute the environment, and disease spreads easily among the
shrimp, which means that shrimp farmers must frequently clear
new areas to stay in business. - Shrimp’s Dirty Little Secret:
Our new report reveals that shrimp nets are illegally killing
scores of sea turtles in the Gulf of Mexico. - Q&A with Diane
Lane: The actres