ABC News Reports on Consumer Health Risks in US Shrimp Imports

Please follow this link to view a breaking news story on consumer health risks in eating imported farmed shrimp!

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/t/video/imported-shrimp-tested-chemicals-16382541

Open Letter of Protest Against Shrimp Certification by WWF

AN  OPE N LETTE R  TO THE  GENERAL STEERING COMMITTEE OF THE

WWF SHRIMP AQUACULTURE DIALOGUE

April 24, 2012

Dear ShAD/GSC members,

After careful and considered reflection on the draft standards and the

whole WWF-ShAD (Shrimp Aquaculture Dialogue) process, we the undersigned

Conscientious Objectors — NGOs working with local communities in the

shrimp producer-nations and consumers in the shrimp-importing nations –

have unanimously decided that we cannot support the ShAD General Steering

Committee (ShAD/GSC) and the Aquaculture Stewardship Council’s (ASC)

intentions or actions towards establishing standards for shrimp aquaculture

certification. Many others who have added their names and organizational

affiliations to our list have also joined us in our protest.

We must therefore continue our course to speak out publicly and campaign

against the intent and the process that WWF-ShAD has endeavoured to

undertake. The historical record and scientific evidence both indicate that

certification will do much harm to both Local Resource Users and the

coastal marine environment. The following reasons stand out among many

others as indicators that we COs must continue to strongly oppose the ShAD

process and the intended ASC and organize a wider resistance against ShAD

and other shrimp certification schemes in both Europe and the USA:

1. There has never been involvement nor representation in WWF-ShAD’s socalled

dialogue process for the majority of stakeholders or, more

aptly, the Local Resource Users who are adversely affected by the

shrimp industry in producer nations.

ShAD’s “stakeholders” are overwhelmingly those invested in the growth of

the shrimp-export industry.

2. With each revision to the draft, the standards and their evaluation

criteria have been progressively and deliberately diluted by the GSC to

ensure that at least 20% of the existing shrimp industry can be

certified immediately after the Standards are released. The process

clearly demonstrates the bias of the ShAD/GSC.

3. The ShAD/GSC has resolutely refrained from undertaking or commissioning

serious research to collect meaningful and verifiable inputs and

feedback from Local Resource Users in the manner prescribed by The

Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB).

4. The GSC process for selecting its board members has not been fair from

the beginning and is not representative of a transparent and democratic

process. As such, the standards overwhelmingly represent industry

interests — for example: the whole of Africa is “represented” on the

ShAD/GSC by shrimp industry nominees from Madagascar.

5. Continued lack of proper legislation and enforcement in producernations

makes adherence to any certification standard unfeasible.

6. ShAD puts too much trust in the industry to monitor and regulate

itself. The certification programme depends upon an untried and

untested auditing system. Other critical aspects of the process too

require a “leap of faith” — that previously disastrous practices will

miraculously reverse their effects once the ShAD standards are

released.

7. The ShAD standards continue to perpetuate unsustainable and destructive

open-throughput systems of aquaculture — with a legacy of 400,000

hectares (and counting) of abandoned ponds in producer-nations.

The standards also promote bad practices relating to so-called

“mitigation of the effects of mangrove loss”.

8. The process conveniently ignores wide-spread community displacement,

human rights violations and environmental damage to many thousands of

hectares of land by the shrimp industry prior to 1999. Under the

present standards, ponds in these regions could be certified. Trends

indicate that they will. The ASC becomes, therefore, a confessional for

the shrimp industry and will grant indulgences in the form of

certification.

9. Export-oriented tropical shrimp production does not contribute towards

food security. Food security should not be measured by the weight of

export-production or the profit-curve of the industry, but instead by

the availability of healthy and sustainable means of local food

production for local consumption.

10. There remains the great risk that WWF-ShAD certification, by placing a

green stamp on tropical shrimp, will actually expand the demand for

farmed tropical shrimp — both certified and uncertified — thus

promoting the continued (and possibly more rapid) expansion of

unsustainable practices.

11. Feed issues are still not satisfactorily resolved and there is still no

effective plan to meet increasing feed demands. The projected reliance

on GM soy and palm oil is of great concern.

12. The COs had requested a breakdown of development time spent by ShAD in

developing their social, environment and technical standards. We have

not received this, yet.

2

1 13. ShAD/GSC and their offspring in the ASC have still not taken any direct

and effective actions to influence consumers in the importing nations

to reduce shrimp consumption — extremely pertinent to the intent and

purposes to any attempt at designing a certification program for

shrimp.

We reiterate our demands that shrimp farming should not be located

within the inter-tidal zone; it should not be allowed to affect productive

agricultural lands, or displace members of local communities.

The final draft standards represent an extremely crude attempt at

setting up “standards”. The process demonstrates a lack of careful thought

and consideration of ground realities and concern for Local Resource Users

– people who will suffer the consequences of WWF-ShAD’s actions.

The GSC’s position that the standards will be released regardless of

their merit and consequences leaves little scope for further dialogue.

As such, we the undersigned Conscientious Objectors reject the WWF-ShAD

process and its shrimp aquaculture standards.

We reaffirm our support, as always,

For the mangroves and mangrove communities,

The Conscientious Objectors

Signed by:

ORGANISATIONS

1. Pisit Charnsnoh, Yadfon Association, Thailand

2. Khushi Kabir, Nijera Kori, Bangladesh

3. Riza Damanik, KIARA (Fisheries Justice Coalition), Indonesia

4. Alfredo Quarto, Mangrove Action Project

5. Maurizio Farhan Ferrari, Forest Peoples Programme, UK

6. Natasha Ahmad, ASIA Solidarity against Industrial Aquaculture, India

7. Gudrun Hubendick, Stockholm Society for Nature Conservation, Sweden

8. Don Staniford, Global Alliance against Industrial Aquaculture

9. Maria Delgado, ECOTERRA Intl.

10. Marieke Mutsaers, Trichilia ABC, Netherlands

11. Stanislav Lhota, Univ. of South Bohemia & Usti nad Labem Zoo, Czech

Republic

12. Darlene Schanfald, Olympic Environmental Council, Sequim, Washington

13. Paula Palmer, Director Global Response Program/Cultural Survival,

Inc., USA

14. Diane Wilson, Calhoun County Resource Watch, USA

15. Dr. Wolfram Heise, The JAF Foundation, Switzerland

16. Foundation for Deep Ecology, USA

17. The Conservation Land Trust, USA, Argentina, Chile

18. Conservacion Patagonica, USA, Argentina

19. Fundacion Pumalin, USA, Chile

20. Joanna Levitt, International Accountability Project, USA

21. Gabriella Zanzanaini, Food & Water, Europe

22. Wenonah Hauter, Executive Director, Food & Water Watch, USA

23. Nina Holland, Corporate Europe Observatory, Belgium

24. DeeVon Quirolo, Co-Founder of Reef Relief, USA

25. Guadalupe Rodriguez, Salva la Selva, Spain

26. Klaus Schenck, Rettet den Regenwald, Germany

27. Béatrice Gorez, CFFA – CAPE, Belgium

28. Anne Petermann, Global Justice Ecology Project, USA

29. Mary Bricker-Jenkins, USA-Canada Alliance of Inhabitants (USACAI), USA

3 30. Robert Jereski, New York Climate Action Group, USA

31. Tim Keating, Rainforest Relief, USA

32. Sylvie Cardona, d’AVES, France

33. Herman Klosius, Informationsgruppe Lateinamerika – IGLA, Austria

34. Nian Dorry, Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance, USA

35. Dan Silver, Endangered Habitats League, USA

36. Redmanglar Internacional, Latin America

37. Jorge Varela, CODDEFFAGOLF, Honduras

38. Henderson Colina, AEPA FALCON NGO, Venezuela

39. Alianza por los manglares, Litorales, Aguas y Suelos ALMAS REDMANGLAR,

Venezuela

40. La Ventana AC de Mexico, Mexico

41. Juan Carlos Cardenas, Centro Ecoceanos, Chile

42. Teresa Perez, World Rainforest Movement, Uruguay

43. Nemesio Juan Rodríguez Mitchell, PUMC-UNAM sede Oaxaca, México

44. René Schärer, Instituto Terramar, Brazil

45. Manuela Díaz Ballesteros, Asociación de Pescadores, Campesinos, afro

descendientes e Indígenas para el Desarrollo Comunitario de la Ciénaga

Grande del Bajo Sinú, ASPROCIG, Colombia

46. Fundación Urundei, Salta, Argentina

47. Rezwana Hasan, Bangaldesh Environmental Lawyers’ Association,

Bangladesh

48. Hasan Mehedi, Humanitywatch, Bangladesh

49. Shamsul Huda, Association for Land Reform and Development (ALRD),

Bangladesh

50. Meghnaguha Thakurata, Research Initiatives Bangladesh (RIB),

Bangladesh

51. Philip Gain, Society for Environment and Human Development (SEHD),

Bangladesh

52. Khorshed Alam, Alternative Movement for Resources and Freedom Society,

Bangladesh

53. Anti-Debt Coalition (KAU), Indonesia

54. Black Tiger Shrimp Farmers’ Union (P3UW), Indonesia

55. Institute of Global Justice (IGJ), Indonesia

56. Berry Nahdian Furqon, Indonesia

57. Ruddy Gustave, KONPHALINDO, Indonesia

58. Muhammad Reza, Serikat Nelayan Indonesia / Indonesia Fisherfolk Union,

Indonesia

59. Nurhidayat Moenir, Jaringan Kerja Pemetaan Partisipatif (JKPP),

Indonesia

60. Geetha Lakmini, Food Sovereignty Network, Sri Lanka

61. Herman Kumara, National Fisheries Solidarity Movement, Sri Lanka

62. Shamith Roshan, Youth in Action (YinA), Sri Lanka

63. Thomas Kocherry, National Fishworkers’ Forum (NFF), India

64. Bijaya Kumar Kabi, Action for Protection of Wild Animals (APOWA),

India

65. Kunal Deb, Uthnau, India.

66. Samir Acharya, Society for Andaman and Nicobar Ecology, Port Blair,

India

67. Javier M. Claparols, Ecological Society of the Philippines, IUCNCEESP,

Philippines

68. S.M. Mohamed Idris, Consumers’ Association of Penang, Malaysia

69. Meenakshi Raman, Sahabat Alam Malaysia (Friends of the Earth

Malaysia), Malaysia

70. Chee Yoke Ling, Third World Network, Malaysia

71. Akie Hart, Mangrove Forest Conservation Society of Nigeria

72. Tekena Opukunachukwu, Grassroots Coalition for Transparency and Good

Governance, Nigeria

73. Nemi Tammuno, Rural Initiative for Community Empowerment, Nigeria

74. Shedrach Philimon, Rural Communities Development Association, Nigeria

75. Parker Lawson, Economic Empowerment and Environmental Protection

Network, Nigeria

76. Ibiwari Hector,Peace and Justice Foundation, Nigeria

78. Junior Pepple, Bethaisda Environmental Foundation, Nigeria

79. Clifford Opusunju, Positive Change Advocates, Nigeria

80. Nenibarini Zabbey, Centre for Environment, Human Rights and

Development (CEHRD), Nigeria

81. Ekindi Moudingo, Cameroon Wildlife Conservation Society, Cameroon

82. Edem Edem, African Mangrove Network, Nigeria

83. Wally Menne, Timberwatch Coalition, South Africa

84. Rowland Benjamin, Information for Action, Perth, Western Australia

85. Edda Kirleis, Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst EED, Germany

86. Ashish Kothari, Kalpavriksh, India

87. Abdoulaye Diame, WAAME, Senegal

88. Jean-Marie Muanda, ADEV, Congo

89. Orijemie Akpo Emuobosa, University of Ibadan, Nigeria

90. Lydia Chaparro, Área Marina – Ecologistas en Acción, Spain

91. Salomon Abresparr, Fältbiologerna – Nature and Youth, Sweden

92. Centre National de Coopération au Développement, Belgium

93. Brian O’Riordan, ICSF Belgium Office

94. African Confederation of Artisanal Fishing Organisations (CAOPA)

95. Centre National pour la Cooperation au Development (CNCD), Belgium

INDIVIDUALS

1. Douglas and Kristine Tompkins, USA

2. Wolfgang Gerster, Germany

3. Madhusree Mukerjee, Germany

4. Marc Robinson, France

5. Javier Mateo, Spain

6. Yara Schaeffer-Novelli, Brazil

7. Khaing Shwe, ME

8. Emily Broderick, FL

9. Wendy Lee, Jamaica “Certification that is not based on credible data

and effective management is meaningless… just a form of

greenwashing.”

10. Htain Lin, Myanmar

11. Marc Sommer, Netherlands Antilles

12. Alain Olvera Baena, Spain

13. Kat Hollomon, United Kingdom

14. Pillar Gallego, Spain

15. Ann Truyens, Canada

16. Gabi Feijo, Brazil

17. René Scharer, Brazil

18. Marta Rivera, Spain

19. William Warren, MA “Analyses of persistent organic pollutants (COPs)

should first be performed on sediment, water and shrimp tissues, the

results posted on a website to show transparency, and tests be

performed by companies that follow EPA standards. Thank you.”

20. Alex Tagge, CA

21. Shannon Alexander, FL

22. Jess Jordan, MA

23. Jacques Mermoud, New Caledonia

24. Elin Andersson, Sweden

25. Dan Silver, CA

26. Jonathan Spinac, NY

27. Piyashi Debroy, India

28. Jean-Marie Muanda, Democratic Republic of Congo

29. Peter Zdrojewski, OH

30. Beckline Mukete, Netherlands

31. Kakolee Banerjee, India

32. Prarthi Shah, India

33. Karin Wijnand, Netherlands

34. Noor Alam, Bangladesh “I hate saline shirimp culture.”

35. Bev Brewis, Canada 36. Zebedee Feka, Cameroon

37. Celeste Botha, WA

38. Ewa Piasecka, Poland

39. James Mulcare, WA

40. Bettina Lorenz, Germany

41. Natasa Legen, Croatia

42. Eternal Gardener, Australia “Do your homework WWF: greenwashing is

ECOCIDE! Walk the talk!”

43. Allan Yorkowitz, NJ

44. May Howie, United Kingdom

45. Anette Stauske, Germany

46. Agnieszka Tyszkiewicz, Lithuania

47. Rebecca Brandon, Australia

48. Peter Kralovic, Slovakia

49. Elzbieta Gotkowska, Poland

50. Mary Hebblewhite, GA

51. Steve Klein, Canada

52. Lene Harries, Denmark

53. Mageswari Sangaralingam, Malaysia

54. Mary Truelove, IN

55. Alan Francisco, CA

56. Debora Freriks, Netherlands

57. Thomas Moore, TX

58. David Lobina, Sweden

59. Theodore Spachidakis, Greece

60. Elizabeth Reynolds, United Kingdom

61. Thomas Gordon, MO

62. Rachel Martin, United Kingdom

63. Roger Monk, United Kingdom

64. Victoria McFarlane, United Kingdom

65. Danielle Herie, Canada

66. Teresa Wlosowicz, Poland

67. Iwona Krzeminska, Poland

68. Gretchen Craig, NY

69. Julian Lang, CA “Please respect local voices when establishing

standards than can impact negatively their local environments as this

proposed WWF- ShAD action surely will.”

70. Tom Stilwell, NC

71. Hege Torset, Norway

72. Julia Bateman, Ukraine

73. Regina Powell, CA

74. Arthur J, PA

75. Joanna Walczak, Poland

76. Gordana Roljic, Serbia And Montenegro

77. Tonie Wickman, Sweden “Certification is normally a good thing but when

it comes to tropical shrimp aquaculture it is different. There is a

need to be careful as no systems so far has proven to fulfill

standards needed for a certification worth the name. With bad systems

being certified all certifications risk to loose confidence, which

would spoil possibilities for a sustainable future.”

78. Maren Heinig, Australia

79. Anissa Reed, Canada “There is no right way to do the wrong thing!”

80. Elishia Windfohr, CA

81. Margaret Runfors, Sweden

82. Tahoma Khalsa, WA

83. Pocho Alvarez, Ecuador

84. Debbie Williams, WV

85. Juan Manuel Guevara, Ecuador “Un apoyo total, estoy en contra de la

tala indiscriminada del manglar que nos afecta a todos, y a las

poblaciones usuarias directamente.”

86. Sandra Rocha, Portugal

87. Karren Exley, United Kingdom

88. Susan Benway, VT

89. Kendra Richardson, Canada

90. Norm Conrad, WA

91. Bill C, Germany

92. Olga Sokolova, Russian Federation

93. Lynette Zizzo, NY

94. Sami Signorino, IN

95. Vukan Simic, Serbia And Montenegro

96. Alex Tan, Canada

97. Szilvia Molnar, Hungary

98. Mireille Picron, Belgium

99. Carrie Gleason, AZ

100. Monica Gutierrez-Quarto, WA

101. Karen Drissi, Tunisia

102. Harsha Vardhana R, India

103. Lou Baxter, Australia

104. Diane Berings, Belgium

105. Christophe Bazin, France

106. Matjaz Bratus, Slovenia

107. Marina Dobraya, CA

108. Ann Rybalka, Ukraine

109. Vlado Gasperov, Croatia

110. George Theobald, Australia

111. Aletta Kraan, Canada

112. Gudrun Dennis, FL

113. Nicole Weber, MD

114. Cindy Collier, United Kingdom

115. Patricia Myers, NY

116. Rejanne Albuquerque, Brazil

117. Susan M R, Ireland

118. Brenda Collins, United Kingdom

119. Andy Walker, United Kingdom

120. Marta de la Fuente, Spain

121. Hester Low, Singapore

122. Hallie Brotherton, WV

123. Kathleen Basiewicz, NC

124. Amber Caine, GA

125. Patrick Donovan, NY “The world’s food supply is too fragile for

haphazard and biased rule making.”

126. Darini Suthasakul, Thailand

127. Ana Fuentes, Uruguay

128. CJ Johnson, VA

129. Emma Spurgin Hussey, United Kingdom

130. Michael Kirkby, Canada

131. Beatrice de Filippis, Yemen

132. Victoria Molinari, WA

133. Val Rose, CO

134. Isabel Esteve, Spain

135. David Erik Barsati, Sweden

136. Danny Madzhurova, Bulgaria

137. Irina Tikhomirova, Russian Federation

138. HP Garden, United Kingdom

139. Xana Barroso, Portugal

140. Albert Mah, Australia

141. Jana F., South Africa

142. Fran Fulwiler, OR

143. Elena Podgosnik, Russian Federation

144. Per Stenbeck, Sweden

145. Hasmukh Jiwa, India

146. Beth Burrows, USA

147. Yvonne Thiemann, Germany

148. Anne Cook, WA

149. Matthias Bauer, Germany

150. Valentino Martinelli, Germany

151. Michael Skazick, United Kingdom

152. Eva Cardona, Spain

153. Albert Hamann, Germany

154. Thaddäus Bielefeld, Germany

155. Sebastian Lasse, Germany

156. Cecilia Bowerman, Australia

157. Margy Stewart, CA

158. Patricia Matejcek, CA

159. Karilyn Shephard, Trinidad And Tobago

160. Tamara Segrt, Serbia And Montenegro

161. John Schertow, Canada

162. Helen Golding, United Kingdom

163. Gharsallah Mohamed, Saudi Arabia

164. Bruce Sandison, United Kingdom

165. Gabriela Fonseca, Ecuador

166. Valli Sanstrom, WA

167. Carten Meyer, Germany

168. Nicolette Ludolphi, Germany

169. Jean Luc Tortiller, France

170. Marija Popovic, Serbia And Montenegro

171. Kayleigh Rhodes, United Kingdom

172. Lalla Bock, Switzerland

173. Marco Baracca, Italy

174. Kelly Kalinke, Germany

175. Toni Adisano, NY

176. Rik Reynolds, WA “Shrimp farming is destructive to the environment.”

177. Katja Relford, Germany

178. Chrissy Henker, Germany

179. Jennifer Curtis, MS

180. Zannah Mustapha, Nigeria

181. Balin Hansen, WA

182. Katherine Garnett, NM

183. Dennis Kaplan, OH

184. Nikos Pastos, AK “Standards for shrimp certification must be inclusive

of local shrimp users.”

185. Hasmukh Jiwa, India

186. Oumar Balde, Congo

187. David Dow, MA

188. Vivian Newman, ME

189. William Newman, ME

190. Vanditta Diwakar, Fiji

191. Angie Chapman, United Kingdom

192. Kathi Corrigan, NH

193. Cl Ripley, NY

194. Katella Ting, CA

195. A Montgomery, FL

196. Vika Babakova, Ukraine

197. Carolyn Hayton, Australia

198. Serena Wittkopp, OR

199. Michelle Hodges, United Kingdom

200. Cristiano Pinnow, Brazil

201. Amelie Laurent, France

202. Imelda Avendano, TX

203. Sherry Dillon, MD

204. Patti LePage, MO

205. Gabriela Seabra, Portugal

206. Richard Hieber, Germany

207. Marion Laval Jeantet, France

208. Barbara Mindermann, France

209. Catherine Hammond, MD

210. Lee Lockwood, DC

211. Amanda Carter, NY

212. Pamela Kirkham, ON

213. John Taylor, MA

214. Karin Lehnigk, VA

215. Amy E Stroud, TX

216. Danuta Watola, Poland

217. Chris McLaughlin, MA

218. Kathy Parsons, United Kingdom

219. Chantal Buslot, Belgium

220. Maria E Lozano Marin, Spain

221. Francis M Cone, US

222. Gawel Solowski, Poland

223. Ana Gutierrez, Nicaragua

224. Mark M Giese, WI

225. Paul Wilson, WV

226. Agnes Wojciechowska, Poland

227. Dominic Delarmente, Philippines

228. Gawel Solowski, Poland

9

 

 

 

Dear Friends, …

Dear Friends,

 

Capt. Charles Moore of the Algalita Foundation, author of Plastic Ocean and researcher of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch will speak at two events MAP is co-organizing in Edmonds and Mt. Vernon, WA this weekend.  If you have friends in the Puget Sound area, please pass along the announcements since we will have info on mangroves, wild fisheries and industrial aquaculture and I will also be a presenter on shrimp farm expansion and mangrove forest losses worldwide.

 

Edmonds:http://mangroveactionproject.org/news/edmonds%20SafeguardingBigBlue_V03.pdf

 

Mt Vernon: http://www.lincolntheatre.org/performance/safeguarding-big-blue

 

 

For the Mangroves,

Alfredo Quarto,
Executive Director
Mangrove Action Project (MAP)
PO Box 1854
Port Angeles, WA 98362-0279  USA
mangroveap@olympus.net
www.mangroveactionproject.org

Help Mangrove Action Project work at the roots of the sea! 
Take a look how: https://access.foundationsource.com/nonprofit/map-mangrove-action-project

 

We need to buil…

We need to build pressure on Walmart to win, and the best way to do that is to get more people to join you in taking action. Can you either forward the email below to your friends, or share on Facebook?

Click to share on Facebook

Thank you!

- Kaytee, Taren and the rest of us

Here’s an email you can forward to friends:

Friends,

Earlier this month, in a factory in Thailand that processes shrimp for a major supplier to Walmart, there was a revolt. 2,000 guest workers from Cambodia and Myanmar angrily protested the seizure of their passports by factory owners in Thailand. Police were called. Shots were fired.

But it wasn’t just the passport seizure that incited their anger — it was management slashing wages again. Their wages already didn’t cover the most basic needs, and this action put workers deeper into the factory’s debt – it’s called debt bondage. At this moment, many of them are still legally and financially trapped at the factory, victims of human trafficking. 

Sign our petition to Walmart’s VP of Ethical Sourcing Rajan Kamalanathan to demand these factory owners end human trafficking immediately and allow independent monitors to audit all of their factories.

http://sumofus.org/campaigns/shrimp/?sub=taf

This is not an isolated incident. Also in Thailand, a pineapple factory had similar protests over wage reductions. There are now reports of human trafficking and that children under 15 have been bought and sold to work there. More than 73% of this factory’s US shipments go to Walmart.

Walmart’s own internal system claims to protect against these abuses, some of which the Bangkok Post Editorial staff have described as “the equivalent of actual slavery”. But these two cases highlight a chronic problem — human trafficking, identity document seizure, child labor, forced unpaid overtime, and debt-bondage are found across Walmart’s supply chain. 

Its internal system that audits factories to prevent these kind of abuses is broken at its core. 

We only know about these worker abuses because their revolt spilled out onto the streets. The problem is almost certainly far worse — and extends beyond the borders of Thailand. But we don’t know for sure and neither does Walmart.

We know that Walmart’s internal auditors schedule visits to factories — a deeply flawed practice that allows owners to coach workers and hide the most egregious abuses as is evident today. On the other hand, independent monitors show up unannounced, don’t aim to please factory owners, and provide a real check against some of the worst abuses — that is why they are so desperately needed.

Walmart customers around the world may be buying shrimp, pineapple, and who knows what else and unwittingly supporting near-slavery, debt bondage and child labor. We as consumers shouldn’t have to worry about supporting those kinds of horrendous abuses. 

Walmart is already feeling the heat after a New York Times investigation exposed a top-level cover up of a bribery scandal in the company’s Mexican subsidiary. With mainstream media drawing attention to Walmart’s broken internal auditing, they are desperately trying to regain public trust. If we press this issue now, while Walmart and the media are listening, we can help bring an end to these practices and can protect some of the most vulnerable workers around the world.

That’s why we set up a petition to Walmart’s VP of Ethical Sourcing, calling for him to demand these factory owners end human trafficking immediately and allow independent monitors to audit all of their factories. Will you add your name?

http://sumofus.org/campaigns/shrimp/?sub=taf

 Thanks!

 

**********
Additional Reading:

Bangkok Post Editorial, End This Abuse by Companies, 24 April 2012  
ABC Melbourne, Exploitation Claims Hit Thai Seafood Exporter, 11 April 2012

 

Imported Farmed Shrimp A Confirmed Health Risk

http://www.fox8live.com/news/local/story/Five-fish-you-should-never-eat/26mVHR4sKU2f-BX7urhj6g.cspx

Five fish “you should never eat”

File shot of farm-raised shrimp from Vietnam (Associated Press )
Reported by: John Snell, Anchor Email: jsnell@fox8tv.net

Print Story Published: 11/15 11:03 pm Share Updated: 10:49 am
Undated– An article on the widely-read Yahoo! news website warns diners against eating imported shrimp.

Authors David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding write, “imported shrimp actually holds the designation of being the dirtiest of all seafood we looked at.”

For economic reasons, Louisiana shrimpers have long complained about imported seafood, which makes up 90 percent of the shrimp sold in the U.S.

Shrimp farms overseas pose a serious risk to the livelihoods of shrimpers, but Zinczenko and Goulding also view the imports as a health risk for consumers.

The article warns imported, farmed shrimp “comes with a whole bevy of contaminants including antibiotics, residues from chemicals used to clean pens, E. coli, mouse hair, rat hair and pieces of incects. Yum!”

Yahoo! warns that less than two percent of all imported seafood, including crab, catfish and others, gets inspected before it is sold.

The article advises consumers to buy domestic shrimp.

Last year, in the wake of the BP oil spill, Vietnam earned a record high of $2 billion for shrimp exports, according to an industry trade group.

Americans, concerned about the safety of domestic seafood, satisfied their appetites with 48,000 tons of Vietnamese shrimp, generating well in excess of half a billion dollars in 2010 sales.

That represented a 20 percent increase in volume and a 40 percent jump in price, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers.

Yahoo! states that consumers put these fish at the top of their don’t-eat list.

1: Atlantic bluefin tuna

2: Atlantic salmon (both wild-caught and farmed)

3: Atlantic flatfish

4: imported king crab

5: imported shrimp

Organic Tropical Prawns Are Not OK

PRESS RELEASE 05-10-2011
Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SSNC)

Organic tropical prawns are not ok!

Mangrove deforestation, human rights violations and breaches of law are some of the findings in the report released today: “Murky Waters – the environmental and social impacts of shrimp farming in Bangladesh and in Ecuador.”

The extent of the impact of conventional shrimp farming in Bangladesh is staggering, but the fact that not even standards for organic production can guarantee a “better product”, and that the so called environmentally friendly choice is actually contributing to environmental degradation and loss of livelihoods in some of Ecuador’s poorest and most marginalised communities, is deeply disturbing.

SSNC has investigated the production of shrimp in Ecuador which is certified by among others German organisation Naturland and EuroLeaf, and sold in supermarkets and stores across Europe.

- Organic certification is an important tool which enables consumers to consume sustainably. But when it comes to tropical prawns, it appears consumers are currently being fooled, says Mikael Karlsson president of SSNC.

The large-scale shrimp production in Ecuador that we have investigated is certified as organic, despite the fact that the shrimp farms are infringing both the standards for organic aquaculture as well as Ecuadorian law. Previously destroyed mangroves are not reforested as required by Naturland and the Ecuadorian state, one of the four producers operate without concessions approved by the Ecuadorian state and at least two violate the human rights of fishers and shell fish collectors on a daily basis. Members of the local communities are no longer allowed to travel the public waterways in the vicinities of the farm without special permits. Many waterways are closed with fences. One guard interviewed in the film explains how he chases local fishers away by shooting.

– It is a common misconception that local communities are benefitting from export-oriented shrimp farming, particularly when certified. This is not the case. Many community members testify about the loss of natural resources and, as a consequence, loss of livelihoods. In addition, those who continue to fish raise concern about their safety, according to Kajsa Garpe, Policy Officer Tropical Marine Ecosystems and Fisheries.

– Regarding tropical shrimp, the recommendation is simply: don’t eat them! There are no environmentally friendly or fair trade shrimp, says Mikael Karlsson

Watch the film at: www.naturskyddsforeningen.se/socalled-organicshrimpfarming
The reprot is atteched to this email
Printed copies will be available within a week, in order to receive a copy, please send your address to us. A Spanish version will be published online within short

For questions, please contact

Mikael Karlsson, President SSNC, +46 70-316 22

Kajsa Garpe, Policy Officer Tropical Marine Ecosystems and Fisheries, +46 76-787 84 75

Louise Bjarke, Press Officer, +46 70-884 77 28

Kajsa Garpe, PhD
Sakkunnig Tropiska marina ekosystem och fiske
Policy Officer Tropical Marine Ecosystems and Fisheries

Naturskyddsföreningen
Head Office
Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SSNC)
Visitors´ address: Åsögatan 115
Postal address: Box 4625, SE-116 91 Stockholm, Sweden
Switchboard: +46-8-702 65 00 Direct number:+46-8-702 65 27 Cell: +46-76-7878475
Fax: +46-8-702 08 55
kajsa.garpe@naturskyddsforeningen.se
skype: kajsa.garpe

The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation is an environmental organisation with power to bring about change. We spread knowledge, map environmental threats, create solutions, and influence politicians and public authorities, at both national and international levels.Climate, the oceans, forests, environmental toxins, and agriculture are our main areas of involvement. You are welcome to join in as a member, business sponsor, or to make a donation.
www.naturskyddsforeningen.se

Entering Into Murky Waters- New Video Release on Shrimp Farming Ills

Shrimp farming – an ecological and social disaster

See the film “Murky waters” at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPJpPEH3l7o
Filmen “I grumliga vatten” läggs inom kort upp på: http://www.naturskyddsforeningen.se/natur-och-miljo/hav-och-fiske/fiske-i-syd/rakodlingar-i-bangladesh/

In a new film and report, the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SSNC) today reveals the extent of the destruction caused by the shrimp farming industry. Our increased consumption of tropical shrimp, also called prawns and sometimes scampi, can be traced to coastal regions in the tropic where ecosystem where the ecosystems have been devastated and people are living in miserable conditions, their human rights repeatedly violated. When an increased number of people choose tropical prawns in their curry, on their sushi or in their stir fry, it is causing increased environmental degradation and human suffering in producer countries, like Bangladesh.

Despite visiting shrimp farms in Asia, Africa and Latin America, I was moved by these new results. Shrimp farming is an ecological and social disaster. In the end it is the Europeans and consumers in other rich countries that fuel the devastation. In a way, that gives me some hope. Awareness amongst consumers could potentially halt the ongoing destruction and create change, says Mikael Karlsson, President of SSNC.
The Swedish import of tropical prawns has increased by 600 % in the last 10 years. Shrimp production of takes place in ponds where mangroves or farmland has been cleared. These ecosystems typically contribute to food security for hundreds of thousands of people in coastal Bangladesh. Due to the alteration of the landscape, the region has become increasingly vulnerable to extreme weather events and climate change. In addition it appears that chemicals are used that do not only destroy the environment but are also poisonous. It is chocking how these people have had their land stolen from them and when they protest they are subject to violence.
Rafiza who lives in the village of Roskok in Bangladesh was raped by an employee at a shrimp farm and after she went to the police her family is living under constant threat of reprisals from the local shrimp farmers.

Before I could go to the police these people went to the police before me. They had filed a case against me, my parents and another uncle of mine. They kept pressurising my father and brother. They told us that “you people are like flies and we can just blow you people away anytime. We will kill you and cut your body in pieces and throw your body into the river. Just drop the case.” They are still threatening us.
Shrimp for which there is no demand will not be farmed. Where no shrimp are farmed, mangrove ecosystems and paddy field can remain, supporting communities with their goods and services. Abstaining from the prawn on the sushi plate contributes to preserving biodiversity and strengthening the rights of communities to livelihoods and decent lives, says Kajsa Garpe, policy officer for Tropical Marine Ecosystems and Fisheries at SSNC
Shrimp are found in many of food stores and restaurants around Europe. There is only way to stop the unsustainable production. Say no to tropical shrimp! It is, after all, an easy way of taking responsibility for the environment and people in other parts of the world, says Mikael Karlsson.

To the report and film Murky waters- the environmental and social impacts of shrimp farming in Bangladesh: www.naturskyddsforeningen.se/shrimpfarming

For further information please contact:
Mikael Karlsson, president SSNC, +4670-316 27 22
Kajsa Garpe, policy officer for Tropical Marine Ecosystems and Fisheries SSNC, +4676-78 78~475
Louise Bjarke, pressofficer SSNC, +4670-884 77 28