Problem Addressed
Shrimp aquaculture has brought substantial economic benefits to Thailand over the past
decades, but is also blamed for widespread negative environmental and social impacts. Vast
areas of mangrove - traditionally used by local people for fisheries, timber production and nontimber
forest products - have been converted to shrimp aquaculture ponds. Unsustainable
environmental practices, including reliance on high nutrient, chemical and bio-chemical inputs,
severely degrades land quality and after only 5 to 10 years use, shrimp aquaculture ponds are
abandoned and investors establish new ponds in other mangrove areas.
While short-term economic benefits of this “shifting aquaculture” tend to be reaped by elite of
influential investors, rural communities experience the permanent loss of local natural resources
upon which their traditional livelihoods depend.
Like many other areas of Thailand and beyond, this is the case for the Don-Sak area of Surat-
Thani province. Land conversion for shrimp aquaculture has caused the loss of over 90% of the
study area’s mangrove forests and of the original 2,400 hectares, only 160 hectares still remain.
For the local population this has led to loss of resource access, loss of traditional livelihoods,
unemployment and marginalisation.
The Project
The initiative seeks to restore environmental and socio-economic functions across the 2,400
hectare Don-Sak site, through a partnership of local people, statutory authorities and NGOs.
Mangrove areas will be re-established and existing mangroves enhanced. Mangrove planting by
local people, together with low-input, natural regenerative methods, will supplement restoration
activities of local government agencies. Research partnerships with academic institutions will be
secured to build technical capacity for government and other agencies.
Employment will be provided for local households currently impacted by natural resource loss.
Sustainable livelihood alternatives, consistent with local socio-economic conditions, will be
researched, piloted and promoted through direct partnership with local people. Multiple use
aquaculture, such as shrimp silvoculture (harmonious and complimentary mangrove restoration
and shrimp culture) and species diversification to crab culture will be explored among potentially
financially sustainable options.
In the long-term, the initiative will provide a “win-win” solution, where local people stewards
restored natural resources and derive income and livelihoods from sustainable shrimp and other
aquaculture; where Government agencies, with the capacity to respond and support local needs,
manage restored mangrove areas in collaboration with local people.
Impacts of shrimp aquaculture are a global issue. While policy may not yet be an effective
control, a model for socio-economic regeneration through environmental restoration has
potential for replication throughout tropical coastal areas worldwide, where unsustainable
aquaculture has already contributed to the loss of over a half of the world’s mangrove forests.