Mangroves and Shrimp Farming in Belize

If you keep up with environmental issues at all, you will find pervasive accusations that shrimp aquaculture destroys mangroves.

There's no reason to take anyone's word for it. Go check it out.

If you haven't done it already, go online and download Google Earth.

Take your own global tour and look for shrimp farms. The clusters of square and rectangular dark green ponds are easy to spot along tropical and subtropical coasts all over the world. With very little effort, you can find the places in Asia and Latin America where coastal mangrove habitat has indeed been displaced by shrimp farms. You can still see the mangroves growing in irregularly shaped ponds contructed in river deltas. You can see pond dikes built to the edges of the shore and beyond.

You can also get a taste of how pervasive global aquaculture, particularly shrimp aquaculture, has become. Shrimp farming regions spanning 40 coastal miles are not unusual. If you are concerned about mangroves and the health of coastal ecosystems world wide, you should indeed be concerned about shrimp aquaculture. The fact that an entire non-governmental movement has sprung up around environmental effects of shrimp aquaculture speaks for itself. That did not happen randomly.

Once you have that picture in mind, go to Belize.

Look where Belizean farms are located. Inland. Behind the coast where mangroves grow. With the exception of one row of ponds in the original shrimp farm in Belize, built in the mid-80s, Belizean shrimp farms are situated in low-diversity, low production savannahs and not in mangrove habitat. The full extent of mangrove removal associated with Belizean shrimp farming comes from the construction of intake canals and docks. Certainly the farms affect mangrove ecosystems, but the mangroves have not been removed. The amount of mangrove removal the shrimp farms have done is comparable to the amount Belizean eco-tourism industry has taken (depending on how you define eco-tourism). The effects of the farms on mangrove is vastly smaller than the overall effects of tourism and real estate development on Belizean mangroves at large.

In fact, Belizean shrimp farms depend on mangroves to clean their intake water and their effluents. In aggregate, they have planted more mangrove than they have removed. Some of them have applied independently for the mangroves in their area to be put into reserves. Some of them are accepting Belizean students to work as interns to plant even more mangroves and work on other environmental issues.

Belizean shrimp farms have the potential to be one of the most potent forces for mangrove conservation in the region.

This is not to say that shrimp farming in Belize has achieved environmental perfection. If you study those satellite pictures you can see for yourself some of the issues that remain. Those require attention, especially in a sensitive coastal environment close to the Mesoamerican Reef which so many people and organisms need for their well being.

Yet I see clear evidence that many of the shrimp farmers in Belize are willing to address their remaining issues. Most of them have been responsive to the results of environmental research. Most of them are working to improve their performance.

Perhaps they would be willing to make even greater conservation efforts if we the conservation community were willing to acknowledge the steps they have taken?

Respected environmental NGOs like Environmental Defense clearly feel that shrimp aquaculture can be done in a sustainable manner. Shrimp are omnivores that can produce biomass greater than the feed used to grow them. Cultured shrimp also don't have the problems associated with wild caught shrimp such as by-catch, or damage to sea-floor habitat. US grown shrimp are cited as an eco-friendly food source because of these process advantages and because of their careful design, operation and regulatory monitoring. Environmental Defense lists US shrimp aquaculture as an "eco-best" choice for seafood.

In many ways Belizean shrimp farming industry compares favorably to their US competitors. Belizean farms apparently don't use antibiotics in their ponds or apply toxic chemicals. The density of farms is relatively low compared to many other areas. Labor practices adhere to Belizean standards, which are by far the best in Central America. And yes, Belizean shrimp farms have not engaged in the widespread mangrove removal found elsewhere. Belizean shrimp farms have made a considerable investment in sustainable practices.

Whether or not you believe that shrimp farming is currently environmentally sustainable in Belize, that goal appears to be attainable. The fulcrum that makes that outcome possible is that the farms are willing to keep working to improve because it is, or it can be, good business to do so.

I would hate to see them give up their efforts toward environmental sustainabilty because no one was willing to acknowledge the efforts they have taken.

Certainly they have taken substantial steps where mangroves are concerned.

Placencia Mangrove Restoration

During 2008 and 2009 approximately 17,000 mangroves were either planted or transplanted at developed sites, cayes or shrimp farms in the Placencia area with funding from the world wildlife fund and logistical help from the Southern Environmental Association. Some of those planting sites are marked by signs like this one, held here by Adrian Vernon, Tim Smith and John Cheeseman.

Placencia Mangrove Workshop: June 13, 2009

On June 13th, 2009, about forty people gathered at the Placencia Village Community Center to see presentations by scientists, climate experts and conservationists regarding the importance of mangrove conservation in Belize. The work was sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund with logistical help from the Southern Environmental Association and Brooksmith Consulting.

The lead speaker was Ramon Frutos, the retired head of the Belize Meteorological Society. Dr. Frutos reviewed the evidence and accumulating impacts of climate change. His talk pointed out that most of Belize was vulnerable to severe weather and sea level rise. The need for shoreline protection is high and becoming more acute.

Nadia Bood of the World Wildlife Fund followed Dr. Frutos, demonstrating how mangroves can not only protect shorelines from storm damage, but add land mass at a faster rate that sea level is projected to rise.


Here Nadia discusses the value of mangrove buffer zones along developed shorelines.


Lisa Carne, biologist and consultant showed a series of slides analyzed by Environmental Biology students at Independence Junior College. Their analysis showed the historical pattern of mangrove removal in Placencia has been accelerating recently.

John Cheeseman, professor of Plant Biology at the University of Illinois, gave an in depth description of mangrove biology. Dr. Cheeseman pointed out that mangrove restoration is a difficult process on exposed shorelines where erosion and storm damage are most likely to occur.

Here Dr. Cheeseman shows the results of a mangrove planting at a shrimp farm from September 2009.

Tim Smith, biologist, consultant and Lagoon Projects Coordinator for the Southern Environmental Association outlined past and future mangrove conservation strategies for Placencia and Placencia Lagoon. Those include mangrove plantings, restorations and reserves.


The climax of the morning was the talk by community researcher Adrian Vernon who drew on his extensive practical knowledge to present detailed information about how to successfully plant red mangroves.




After a morning of talks and a catered lunch, some of the group met at the Peninsula Club development to replant mangroves along cleared shorelines.

Many thanks to speakers and participants for a successful mangrove workshop!

Press Release: World Wildlife Fund and Brooksmith Consulting

The World Wildlife Fund and Brooksmith Consulting are pleased to announce five winning submissions to the Mangrove-Friendly Development Challenge. Winning submissions covered a number of categories including large developments, private home-owners, condominium developments, a town park and a mangrove preserve. Each winner illustrates a unique contribution and approach to mangrove conservation in Belize. Each one has a unique story to tell about the value of mangroves to the coastal communities of Belize

Sunset Pointe: Placencia

Sunset Pointe is a group of condominiums opened in July 2008. Mature stands of mangroves along the shoreline have been retained and trimmed, providing a dramatic backdrop to the landscaping there. A dock, cut carefully through a small opening in the tree line, provides aesthetically appealing access to the water.

Owner Jennifer Bond says of their landscaping approach:

“Our entire project was designed to conserve the mangroves by making our landscaping fit into the mangroves - not vice versa.

They are a natural work of art - protecting the shoreline and building a natural seawall between land and sea.

Mangroves are one of the most artistic trees there are. Their gnarled trunks and branches are not only beautiful to look at but are home to a multitude of birds, small animals, and reptiles. Their roots are like no other in that they are like stilts that support the trees and become home to an array of fish and marine life.”

Bond further cites the value of mangroves as hurricane protection, noting that their lot was relatively unaffected during hurricane Iris even though many other homes not protected by mangroves were completely destroyed.

Cocoplum Development, Maya Beach Belize

Cocoplum is a large development with multiple real estate lots just north of Seine Bight and south of Maya Beach. A 10 acre reserve area has been set aside within the development and mangroves along Placencia Lagoon have been retained. Additionally, mangroves have been planted along the extensive network of canals on the lagoon side of the development. Red mangrove and buttonwood trees are shaped into a low hedge, providing shoreline stabilization and a natural buffer against disturbances.

Owner Stewart Krohn cites multiple advantages for the use of mangroves along his canals: “The result actually saved us money, provided better coastal protection, promoted increased wildlife presence and proved aesthetically superior to the construction of seawalls or use of PVC sheet piling.”

Corozal Village Council: Corozal

The shoreline of Corozal is an important natural asset to the people of the town. A new village park being developed there is keeping and increasing red mangroves for aesthetic and shoreline protection purposes. Landscape architect Craig Timmons hopes to attract wildlife and retain some smaller sandy beaches there by keeping mangroves in place. Plans for cleaning and improving the park are moving ahead using winnings from the Mangrove Challenge.
Says Timmons: “When mangrove is preserved or replanted it benefits fish, birds and other wildlife as well as shoreline protection, keeping the shores of Belize healthy and beautiful.”

Tom Viridine: Ambergris Caye

Tom provided one of the few non-commercial private entries to the Mangrove Challenge, showing how mangroves can play a vital and aesthetically pleasing role in shorelines of single lot developments. In an area where most of the local mangroves have been removed, Tom opted to retain his mangroves and even replant in some areas. With trimming, Tom feels mangroves can become attractive trees or hedges even in developed areas, keeping the vital root structure and habitats they provide.

Caye Caulker BTIA: Caye Caulker


The Caye Caulker BTIA has maintained a 1.5 acre mangrove preserve on the island for the last 13 years. The hope of the preserve has been to provide a small taste of what natural shoreline is like and to promote a wider 100 acre preserve. The area is an epicenter of conservation activities, supporting a visitor’s center and sponsoring mangrove replanting projects. The preserve provides an example of the importance of preservation zones and green areas even in rapidly developing venues.


Congratulations to diverse, forward-thinking and innovative Mangrove Challenge winners. It is the hope of WWF that projects such as yours will provide an example for others as Belize faces the challenges of coastal development in the years to come.