How Alternative Water Treatment Technologies are Helping Combat the Rise of Infectious Shrimp Diseases

In recent years, the aquaculture industry has seen a significant rise in the spread of infectious diseases in shrimp such as, the Infectious Myonecrosis (IMN) disease caused by the Infectious Myonecrosis Virus (IMNV). 1 These diseases can have devastating effects on shrimp populations and can lead to significant losses for farmers and the industry as a whole. In this blog, we will explore the causes of infectious diseases in shrimp and the steps that are being taken to combat this growing problem ranging from biosecurity measures and vaccines to innovative technologies.

The expansion of the global shrimp aquaculture industry, which reached a production of approximately 6.5 million tons in 2019, has led to an increase in diseases outbreaks and substantial losses in shrimp production. 2 Historically, attempts to grow shrimp at large scale using closed-systems and “BioFloc Technology” have had limited success or complete failure. That’s because infectious caused by parasites, bacteria, and viruses are particularly difficult to control. As the industry continues to grow, it is crucial to understand the causes and impact of diseases in order to successfully implement effective measures to prevent and control them. Infectious diseases can spread through shrimp in a variety of pathways. One common way is through contact with infected water, as many shrimp species are farmed in pods or tanks. The disease can also spread through contact with infected shrimp through direct contact or through shared equipment or transport systems. Bacterial infections can sometimes be treated with antibiotics, but the use of these drugs is generally viewed as detrimental and not in line with sustainable cultivation practices. Viruses can even be more dangerous as they are not affected by antibiotics and can quickly spread through a shrimp farm and wipe out entire populations, even with the use of probiotics.

That’s why in 2014, NaturalShrimp adopted “Vibrio Suppression Technology,” a proprietary and innovative system that incorporates Electrocoagulation (EC) technology into the filtration process. And while such water treatment technologies based on anti-oxidative processes are relatively new in the field of shrimp farming, they have the potential to significantly reduce the spread of infectious diseases in shrimp populations. One of the main benefits of their proprietary technology is that it allows for a much higher degree of control over the environment in which the shrimp are raised. This includes factors such as water temperature, pH levels, and dissolved oxygen levels. Maintaining optimal conditions for the health and well-being of the shrimp as they grow by implementing strict sanitation and biosecurity protocols can help reduce the risk of disease outbreaks significantly.

NaturalShrimp has spent many years developing and commercializing a technology that will reliably produce a weekly crop of premium quality shrimp using a high degree of automation within an indoor environment. Their patented and proprietary technology include fresh and saltwater production systems with improved performance of bacterial biofilms, which greatly improves the health and performance of stock. The enclosed, salt-water systems, uses patented technology to produce fresh, naturally grown shrimp, without the use of
antibiotics or toxic chemicals.

1 Andrade, Thales P.D., et al. “New Infectious Myonecrosis Virus Variant Linked with Recent
Disease Outbreaks in Pacific White Shrimp in Brazil – Responsible Seafood Advocate.”
Global Seafood Alliance, 9 Jan. 2023, https://www.globalseafood.org.
2 Anderson, James L., et al. “Goal 2019: Global Shrimp Production Review – Responsible Seafood
Advocate.” Global Seafood Alliance, https://www.globalseafood.org/advocate/goal-
2019-global-shrimp-production-review/.

Gary Shover

I am one of the few lucky recipients that received some of the most beautiful shrimp during a shipping trial…. and when I say lucky and beautiful, I am not exaggerating.The shrimp arrived in a sealed Styrofoam container and the temperature was 37 degrees. I then went to the store and purchased some regular shrimp. Sadly, the guy working the counter did not know where the shrimp originated from. After cleaning both the store bought shrimp and the Natural Shrimp I set about cooking and did so with a skillet and the grill…. The taste of Natural Shrimp was outstanding when compared to the store bought shrimp the taste comparison was as different as night and day. The texture and taste was shrimply outstanding… The store bought shrimp was gritty and had little flavor versus NaturalShrimp that was tasty and buttery smooth. After eating Natural Shrimps product, I will never eat store bought shrimp again and gladly rate this a 5 star product.

Randy Tye

I live on the Gulf Coast and regularly purchase fresh caught wild shrimp right off of the shrimp boat and I have had the pleasure of eating Natural Shrimp numerous times. There is no comparison in the quality. Natural Shrimp is gourmet quality and I highly recommend it.

Allen Frank

I have had the pleasure of tasting the Natural Shrimp on 3 separate occasions. I normally buy my shrimp from a small shop located in San Leon, Texas on the Gulf Coast right on the water that gets their shrimp ” Right off the boat”. I like that since I know they are American caught shrimp, and the boats are tied up next to the store. I can honestly say that the Natural Shrimp is BY FAR taster and has NO odor than the shrimp I normally buy from the store. They have a sweet and buttery taste. As a big plus there is no need to de-vein the shrimp also. There is NO visible vein to remove…..I can honestly rate these tasty shrimp as a HUGE 5 STAR.

Steve & Deb Salmen

My husband and I drove 12 hours to purchase shrimp from Natural Shrimp. We were not disappointed in our purchase. The shrimp was extremely clean, no odor and had a good flavor. We’re looking forward to purchasing more in the near future. 5 stars!

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Gary Shover

Randy Tye

Allen Frank

Steve & Deb Salmen

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