Shrimp farming: Where does the carbon go?

Abstract

The muscle tissues of the Litopenaeus vannamei shrimp grown in ponds through organic and traditional (intensive) management show that δ 13 C values were similar amongst the shrimp. Shrimp grown in the traditional pond were enriched in 13 C by 7‰ relative to the carbon isotope ratios of their feed. The differences in the carbon isotope ratios of shrimp and feed in the traditional pond shows that the feed is not the main carbon source for shrimp grown in the traditional intensive management. Using mass balance we calculate that feed in traditional culture contributes at most 13% of the shrimp's carbon biomass.