Production Methods and Resource Use at <i>Litopenaeus vannamei</i> and <i>Penaeus monodon</i> Farms in India Compared with Previous Findings from Thailand and Vietnam

Abstract

Abstract Shrimp farms in India had average yields (pond surface basis) of 7.86 ± 1.04 (SE) m.t./ha/yr for Litopenaeus vannamei ( n = 89) and 3.88 m.t./ha/yr for Penaeus monodon ( n = 11). Average feed conversion ratio was 1.48 ± 0.04 for L. vannamei and 1.24 ± 0.12 for P. monodon . Land use for production ponds, supporting area, and feed ingredients averaged 0.634 ± 0.053 ha/m.t. for L. vannamei and 0.716 ± 0.087 ha/m.t. for P. monodon . Saline water volume used at farms without water exchange was 18,522 ± 4065 m 3 /m.t. for L. vannamei and 9528 m 3 /m.t. for P. monodon . Farms exchanging water used 149,188 m 3 /m.t. for L. vannamei and 191,500 m 3 /m.t. for P. monodon . Freshwater embodied in feed was 1678 ± 508 m 3 /m.t. for L. vannamei and 1401 ± 137 m 3 /m.t. for P. monodon . Average energy use for farm construction and repair, farm operations, and embodied in feed and liming materials was 82.14 ± 9.08 GJ/m.t. for L. vannamei and 59.03 ± 24.92 GJ/m.t. for P. monodon . Wildfish used to make fishmeal included in feed was 1209 kg/m.t. for L. vannamei and 1611 kg/m.t. for P. monodon . Farm infrastructure, pond management methods, yields, and resource use in India were similar to those previously reported for shrimp farms in Thailand and Vietnam.