The Environmental, Technical and Economic Implications of the White Spot Syndrome Virus on Latin American Shrimp Farming
McClennen, Caleb
2004
- Submitted in partial fulfillment of the degree Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. Abstract: In the past twenty years, export oriented shrimp farming in Latin America and throughout the world has boomed, diversifying national trade, while providing a much needed boost to poor coastal economies. The industry is praised from within, while emphatically ... read morelambasted by many international activists who cite the destruction of mangrove ecosystems and coastal fisheries, gains in the hands of a few and politically corrupt structures guiding an ultimately unsustainable extractive industry. In 1999, the White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) epizootic quickly spread through nine Pacific coast Latin American countries, costing billions of dollars in regional export earnings of which most of the economies have yet to recover. However, in all countries, university scientists, farm owners and technicians, NGOs and international development agencies are working on solution to survive with WSSV. This investigation first seeks to account for the short term devastation of the disease, and then examines its long-term effects on the sustainability, both ecologically and economically, of the Latin American shrimp farming industry. Sustainability is examined by analysis of the economic, technical, legal and environmental changes that can be attributed to the disease shock. Data and research was gathered through government and NGO reports and analysis, industry publications and numerous interviews through coastal Peru, Ecuador and Mexico. The experiences of these three countries are explored as representative case studies of the region. It is concluded that on average the disease has left the industry, though crippled, an ecologically more sound, legally more controlled, politically more integrated and overall more sustainable structure than in the past. The massive profits wrought from the low control and hastily planned boom days of the 1980s and 1990s are those of the past. The WSSV has accelerated existing industry trends towards efficiency and scientific understanding to increase profits and survive future challenges while simultaneously decreasing negative externalities.read less
- ID:
- c534g0859
- Component ID:
- tufts:UA015.012.DO.00040
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