World shrimp production tops 6 million metric tons each year, and demand continues to grow. The good news is in many developing countries, shrimp fishing and farming creates jobs and income. The bad news is that the wild shrimp broodstock in these countries tends to be riddled with disease, causing 80 percent to die before reaching maturity and those that live grow slowly, and rarely reach full size. Bangladesh produces and exports upwards of 70,000 tons of shrimp, amounting to more than half a billion US dollars. The industry employs approximately 1.2 million people in production, processing, and marketing. However, collecting wild shrimp fry (or broodstock) has damaged the environment, and it is well known that the shrimp industry has unsanitary methods, poor quality, and corrupt business practices.
