Sustainable Shrimp for all Grocery Stores!

Dear [Your Grocery Store],

As someone who gives thought to the environmental impact of what I eat, seafood is of particular concern. I am writing you to ask you to adopt eco-friendly standards for purchasing seafood, particularly shrimp.

The purchasing policy should address the key environmental impacts of shrimp farming, by requiring farmed shrimp producers to:

• Protect sensitive wetland areas, like mangroves, by requiring that farms are above the high tide line


• Operate and site their farms in compliance with all local and national laws, and not impede the access of local communities to public resources;


• Use no groundwater, and protect and monitor the quality of groundwater and soils;


• Meet stringent health standards for contaminants like PCBs, ensuring that shrimp they produce are safe to eat regularly;


• Use fewer wild fish in shrimp feed, helping conserve ocean fish stocks;


• Eliminate escapes of farmed shrimp into the environment;


• Eliminate the use of antibiotics, other antimicrobials and pesticides;


• Eliminate the use of genetically engineered shrimp;


• Use best practices to prevent disease and prevent the spread of disease to other farms or wildlife;


• Reduce water pollution by treating all effluent;


• Stock farms only with hatchery raised shrimp;


• Strictly limit the control of wildlife predators at shrimp farms; and


• Demonstrate compliance with the purchasing policy through annual public reports and third-party audits.