The shrimp sowing period in Sonora cannot exceed 60 natural days from the start-up date, protocol dictates. (Photo: Luis Eustaquio)

Farmed shrimp sowings to commence in Sonora

MEXICO
Tuesday, February 23, 2010, 00:30 (GMT + 9)

Shrimp sowing in the state of Sonora will commence next 20 March, indicated the subsecretary of fisheries of the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Hydraulic Resources, Fisheries and Aquaculture (SAGARHPA), Prisciliano Melendrez Barrios.

The official clarified that work will begin in the local juntas of Cruz de Piedra and Guaymas on that date, and on 25 March in Bahia de Lobos.

Meanwhile, the sowing will commence in the communities of Tastiota, Cardonal, Bahia de Kino and Caborca on 15 April; on the 20th of the same month in Tobari, Atanasia and Melagos; and on 25 April in Agiabampo, Santa Barbara, Riito, Aquiropo and el Siari.

Per Melendrez Barrios, over the last year some 24,115 hectares were sown in 134 farms with a low incidence of disease, like white spot; and production reached 81,135.6 tonnes.

“Thanks to the implementation of the Law of Fisheries and Aquaculture for the State of Sonora, we only had problems with disease in two farms," affirmed the fisheries subsecretary.

In addition, he noted that around 23,000 hectares were sown in 2008, but the incidence of disease affected 33 farms with operating permits.

Meanwhile, that year of production totalled 81,311.5 tonnes, America Multimedios Agencia de Noticias reports.

"The new law allows for greater control over farms, and that way we can control any sanitary risk that may arise," Melendrez Barrios explained.

He further added that the sowing protocol of shrimp establishes that the sowing period should not exceed 60 natural days from the dates of start-up for each one of the local juntas.

Previously, all the pools and reservoirs should remain completely dry for a minimum period of 45 days prior to sowing; and ponds and humid areas should be treated with chlorine.

In other news, experts at the Food and Development Research Centre (CIAD) demonstrated that the growth of farm-bred shrimp can be stunted by exposure to heavy metals.

After two years of research, a team of CIAD scientists determined that the detoxifying protein in shrimp is reduced upon exposure to metals like copper and cadmium in concentrated amounts in waters of the region.

According to Rafael Sotelo Mundo, head researcher of the Animal Origen Food Technologies Coordination Agency (CTAOA), tests conducted in the laboratory with copper and cadmium verified that both metals -- but mainly the latter -- can inhibit this detoxifying enzyme, making shrimp susceptible to disease.

However, shrimp aquaculture farms not only face the problem of heavy metals, the high concentration of which can be due to geological issues, but also pesticides, which leach in from nearby agricultural fields, Sotelo Mundo explained.

Related article:

- Heavy metals sicken farmed shrimp

By Analia Murias
editorial@fis.com
www.fis.com

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