Marks and Sparks sourcing unsustainable prawns?
Feb
6
Written by:
06/02/2012 15:21
In November 2011 Marine Matters reported that Marks & Spencers was selling Honduran prawns with a big question mark over their source.
The publication stated that most prawns from the area are farmed and to farm shrimp mangrove swamps are often destroyed.
The process of the farming itself also causes problems including contamination of water and surrounding land.
According to Marine Matters:
- "Most of the nutrients used to feed the prawns/shrimp is waste and falls to the bottom of the shrimp beds.
- The water and silt at the bottom of the shrimp beds becomes acidic pretty quickly owing to the chemicals excreted by the shrimp/prawns.
- Because of this the shrimp beds are flushed out into the sea/rivers in order to provide fresh water to avoid the toxic sludge from poisoning the shrimp growing in the beds.
- The land around the shrimp beds becomes contaminated with salt and acid for tens or hundreds of metres around the beds themselves.
- Despite the flushing of the shrimp beds they eventually become so contaminated by acid build-up that they have to be abandoned and new shrimp bed created; the mangrove swamp cannot be rehabilitated for a long time and we believe the shrimp farming industry makes little or no effort to rehabilitate the shrimp beds after they have been abandoned."
The publication is now asking readers to see if their local Marks & Spencers is stocking Honduran prawns.
If they are, campaigners suggest writing to M&S to ask the
following questions:
- Are the prawns in question farmed?
- Have M&S checked how sustainable the prawn farming process is?
- Was mangrove swamp removed to make way for the prawn farming?
- Who owns the land that is used for the prawn farms?
- Have M&S checked whether the shrimp beds will be rehabilitated after they fall into disuse?
They also ask that you let them know the results of your investigations, and help them map the extent of this problem to enable them to challenge these practices. Email them at: enca2011@gmail.com