This area of Taiwan annually produces about 8,000 tons of white shrimp (Photo: YouTube)
Heavy rains affect the white shrimp season
TAIWAN
Wednesday, August 21, 2019, 19:50 (GMT + 9)
From now until mid-autumn, it is the white shrimp harvest season, but affected by the continuous heavy rains in the south, the shrimp farming water quality environment in Chiayi County in southwest Taiwan is seen affected, causing illness or death, which has caused 10 to 30% losses.
Aquafarmers can only harvest as much as possible, hoping to reduce losses.
The white shrimp that have just been harvested have changed color. Some of them have even died. The aquaculturists said that the heavy rain of this time has caused the shrimp pond water quality to decrease and become acidified, which caused many white shrimp to die of diseases, so they also greatly reduced their harvest.
Mr. Chen, a farmer, said: "Almost everyone who can be collected has died. When they are collected, there are more dead than alive."
Farmer Chen also said: "In the past, my best experience was for my 2.5 hectares cultivated, approximately 11,000 to 14,000 kilograms. But now it is less than 3 kilograms."
White shrimp farming in Chiayi is mixed mainly with other fish species, and water quality cannot be changed with a single offspring. It is easy to affect the growth of white shrimp. According to the Fishing Association, the white shrimp harvest at the height of 4 or 5 years ago can reach more than 8,000 tons. Heavy rains this year, combined with a low reproduction rate, only exceed 2,000 tons compared to the same period last year.
YouTube video: PTS News (Taiwan) | Note: You may not understand anything that the journalist says, like me, but at least it can serve as illustrative material.
Chen Yushuo, president of the Chiayi County Fish Breeding Association, said: "In the case of this rain wave, the estimated loss of the entire white shrimp industry is ten to thirty percent. It is very likely that many fishermen are psychologically prepared but it will be very difficult to make money this year with the shrimp. "
Farmers said that to avoid deterioration of shrimp disease in the ponds, they should go to the afternoon to save and choose the bad shrimp. As heavy rains are planned they can only take advantage of time and hurry to reduce some losses.
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