Integrated mangrove-shrimp cultivation: Potential for blue carbon sequestration

Background

Mangrove deforestation and degradation have increased due to the growth of shrimp farming in tropical coastal environments. This has serious implications for global climate change mitigation, since mangroves are the most carbon-rich forests in the tropics, and converting mangroves into aquaculture ponds increases blue carbon emissions. Integrated mangrove-shrimp cultivation systems can help to prevent mangrove loss and curb blue carbon emissions through pairing shrimp aquaculture with mangrove restoration.

Goals and Methods

This article surveys available literature on global blue carbon estimates and integrated mangrove-shrimp cultivation systems to describe integrated aquaculture’s potential to increase blue carbon sequestration.

Conclusions and Takeaways

This research reveals that 1.5 million hectares of global mangroves have been lost from conversion to shrimp aquaculture since 1980, and this has led to an approximate loss of 831 million tons of sequestered blue carbon. Integrated mangrove-shrimp cultivation can increase blue carbon sequestration through silvofishery systems, which contain mangrove cover on 30-78% of the site, and organic shrimp farming, which contains mangrove cover on at least 50% of the site. If integrated or organic shrimp farming is adopted across 10% or 50% of the global deforested mangrove area, this could result in 0.17-0.21 million tons or 0.86-1.04 million tons of blue carbon sequestered annually, respectively. The ecosystem services preserved through mangrove conservation and reforestation in integrated mangrove-shrimp cultivation would also provide further climate mitigation benefits and improvements to shrimp yields. However, there are many challenges associated with integrated mangrove-shrimp cultivation systems, so the inclusion of all key stakeholders and institutional support, with technical and financial assistance, is necessary for successful implementation.