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Practitioner and student responds to industry criticism
The following is a response to the letter by Wenonah Hauter at Public Citizen published by The Washington Post, February 1, 2005, (see The Danger in Aquaculture’s Boom).
To Wenonah Hauter
Director
Food Program
Public Citizen
I am an American MSc. aquaculture student and I am not getting paid for promoting the aquaculture industry. I am not a huge supporter of shrimp monoculture, but your article was way overboard. The Washington Post, a credible newspaper, should be ashamed after publishing your article and your organization should be reprimanded for its shortsighted perspective.
The Public Citizen, a body that protects health, safety, and democracy, has no right to condemn aquaculture by saying, "educated consumers should avoid farm-raised shrimp and fish." The uneducated can respect your dated position, but the industry is currently becoming more sustainable. Years ago, there was an excessive use of antibiotic, hormone, chemicals and fishmeals, but today unnecessary overuse is a dieing trend.
You were able to sum up the industry with the "Up to three pounds of wild-caught fish is needed to raise just one pound of farm-raised shrimp" slogan, but that is also no longer the case. This and other uninformed/dated perspectives are setting precedence and they must be stopped. More importantly, they are fear-mongering techniques that should not be promoted by an organization that represents the public citizen.
Worldwide, there are a variety of farms that promote the incorporation of vegetable fats and proteins into feeds and have zero tolerance for antibiotic, hormone and chemicals. Like other livestock producers, the FDA BMP's are strictly adhered to. If you need active commercial examples they are readily available upon your request.
The aquaculture industry is being reformed and the public should be aware of that. Your article doesn't mention other aquaculture based industries such as, bioreactors that create renewable energy resources/health supplements from microalgae, ornamental growers that take the pressure off the reef, the use of molluscs/shellfish to filter bays and agricultural run-off, integrated agriculture/polyculture of freshwater fish and vegetables and sponge farmers that supply researchers with products to cure diseases.
Aquaculture is also becoming a vehicle for renewable energy resources such as geothermal, wind and solar power. The integration between renewable energy, agriculture, aquaculture and natural fisheries is rapidly becoming the commercially and environmentally acceptable alternative. The aquaculture industry is extremely diverse and your article in no way represents that diversity. Your organization is unaware of the importance of the aquaculture industry as a whole and your article is a shocking example of its ignorance.
The "blue revolution" will continue to evolve, as did the "green revolution", and the people that care about this planet will learn from its mistakes and develop rules to promote sustainable growth. Shrimp farming and other aquaculture industries will always be responsible for their end products. That doesn't give "The Public Citizen" the right to use an out-dated weapon to bash the aquaculture industry as a whole. You did not list one benefit of aquaculture and I feel that your article is a personal attack on a misrepresented industry.
Sincerely,
Scott E. Zimmerman
Director/Owner
MarineAquafarms.com/SeafoodFarms.com-
"Linking Partners for More Productive Oceans"
Editor’s Note
We looked at the original letter but decided against its republication due to the total lack of substantiation of any of the so called “ information” in the letter. We do, however, congratulate Scott on his eloquent response. | 
