Following are various points that clarify the current status of mangroves in the aquaculture community. Any of some 70 species of tropical and sub-tropical trees and shrubs, which grow at the boundary of land and the saltwater environment. Mangroves are some of the most productive ecosystems in the world. They also offer traditional subsistence benefits to people living in coastal communities.
Shrimp farming is a minor cause of loss.
Only a fraction of shrimp farms have been developed on mangrove land. Shrimp farming began as early as the 15th century, when coastal mangrove areas in Indonesia were converted into intertidal ponds. Conversion of mangrove areas accelerated during the 1980s, when shrimp farming underwent rapid growth. We now know that mangrove lands are not well suited for shrimp ponds, due to low elevation, acid soils, and high construction costs. Recent trends are toward more intensive farms constructed on higher ground.