So the assertion about pollution is exaggerated and out of date. This statement refers to the misguided assumption that shrimp farming threatens mangrove swamps. Indeed, most shrimp farms are located in the tropics and some are near coastlines fringed with mangrove swamps. However, shrimp farmers soon learned that the poor drainage and acidic soils of mangrove swamps were poorly suited for pond construction. It is far better to build farms on higher ground, and leave mangrove areas intact to help recycle discharge nutrients-and protect farms from erosion and storm surges.
Shrimp farmers recognize the value of mangroves and are leading mangrove conservationists.
In Honduras, high altitude imagery shows that the area of man-groves in the vicinity of shrimp farms actually has increased in the last 10 years. This assertion is misleading. In 1995, shortly after shrimp farming began in India, a shrimp disease passed through many farms, resulting in financial loss and bankruptcy for some. This led to accusations of nonsustainability and unnecessary social disruption of coastal communities. A legal battle culminated in a 1996 Indian Supreme Court ruling to close all shrimp farms within 500 m of the high-tide line.