It is neither toxic nor illegal. Over the last 10 years, shrimp farmers have halved the quantity of water discharged per kilogram of shrimp produced, and they are continually testing new technology to further reduce discharges. The assertion about pollution is exaggerated and out of date. Most shrimp farms are located in the tropics and some are near coastlines fringed with threatened mangrove swamps. It is far better to build farms on higher ground, leaving 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 mangroves in the vicinity of shrimp farms actually has increased in the last 10 years. The Indian government recently ordered more than 100 farms closed. In 1995, shortly after shrimp farming began in India, a widespread shrimp disease resulted in financial loss and bankruptcy for some. This led to accusations of non-sustainability 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 meters of the high-tide line.