Shrimp farm crops suffer from EMS outbreaks

News 08:13 04/02/2013 502
Shrimp farms across eastern Thailand have been viciously struck by outbreaks of EMS (early mortality syndrome), also known as AHPNS (acute hepatopancreatic necrosis syndrome), and the situation seems worse than reported.

Daniel Gruenberg, CEO of Sea Garden Foods, said he has visited his company’s main shrimp farming areas in eastern Thailand, from Pattaya, through Rayong and all the way to nearby Trat Province on the Cambodian border to study the situation.

“I estimated that a minimum of 80 per cent of shrimp ponds in this key production area were dry! Even more shocking, no one was talking about why the ponds were dry. Are we ostriches with our heads in the sand, hoping that the early mortality problem will just go away?” wrote the businessman on Shrimp News International forum.

Gruenberg expressed disappointment as far as experts’ attempts to explain the problem at the recent EMS symposium in Bangkok, calling attendees’ theories “a lot of nonsense.”

The three largest hatcheries in the region have confirmed to him that EMS has been killing their postlarvae as well as their broodstock, he told, which for him it means that other processors are also having problems when acquiring products for their shrimp ponds.

“From all the evidence that I have seen, the problem is much larger than the industry is willing to admit,” Gruenberg stated.

As for the desease impact on Sea Garden Foods’ farms, he said, the company has been implementing its own R&D programme, although it is too early to tell whether it will be successful. The efforts focus on practical methods for tackling EMS infections as well as preventing them.

So far, three causes of EMS have been proposed: an unidentified virus, a toxin in phytoplankton or zooplankton that is transmitted on oceanic currents and a genetic loss that previously provided shrimp with disease resistance, according to Leland Lai of California, US-based Aquafauna Bio-Marine.

“I have a strong suspicion that EMS involves immune suppression based on inbreeding depression,” Gruenberg noted. “I am going to test that theory by obtaining male and female pairs from disparate sources and genetic backgrounds, breeding them, and then growing them to see if they are resistant to EMS.”

He added that if there are environmental etiological agents, perhaps a virus, they may not express themselves until the shrimp are stressed.

He pointed out that maybe it is time for shrimp farmers to concentrate on the monodon variety (Penaeus monodon), the giant tiger prawn, given that there are no reported symptoms of this disease in this variety of shrimp, unlike what happens with the white shrimp (P. vannamei).

Bạn đang đọc bài viết Shrimp farm crops suffer from EMS outbreaks tại chuyên mục News của Hiệp hội VASEP

TIN MỚI CẬP NHẬT

Strengthen control over fishing vessels and trace the origin of harvested seafood.

 |  09:34 21/07/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first six months of 2026, Ha Tinh province continued to implement comprehensive solutions to combat IUU fishing; strictly manage the fishing fleet, control fishing vessels entering and leaving ports, operate vessel tracking devices, trace the origin of seafood, and severely punish violations.

Tilapia Exports Surge but Begin to Slow in June

 |  14:45 20/07/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam's tilapia exports reached USD 7 million in June 2026, down 32% compared with the same month in 2025. Nevertheless, thanks to strong growth in the first five months of the year, cumulative tilapia exports in the first half of 2026 totaled USD 69 million, up 67% year on year.

Sa Giang Honored with "Famous Brand - Competitive Vietnamese Brand 2026" Certification

 |  14:48 18/07/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Sa Giang Import-Export Joint Stock Company, a member of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), has been honored with the "Famous Brand - Competitive Vietnamese Brand 2026" certification at an award ceremony organized by the Vietnam Intellectual Property Association (VIPA).

China has become the largest importer of Vietnamese seafood.

 |  12:47 17/07/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) China imported nearly $1.4 billion worth of Vietnamese seafood in the first half of the year, a 40% increase compared to the same period last year, surpassing the US to become the largest export market for the industry.

International Seafood Hosted Buyer Program at Vietfish 2026: Connecting Global Buyers with Vietnam's Value-Added Seafood Supply Hub

 |  17:35 16/07/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As part of Vietfish 2026, the International Seafood Hosted Buyer Program has been designed as a dedicated B2B matchmaking initiative for selected international buyers. The program provides opportunities to meet directly with Vietnamese seafood companies, gain market insights, and experience Vietnam's seafood supply chain firsthand.

Sustainable seafood solutions: ESG vision & net zero commitment at Vietfish 2026

 |  08:45 16/07/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) A Story from Cà Mau’s Coast It’s 5 AM in Cà Mau. Minh, a third-generation fisherman, is ready to set sail. But unlike his father and grandfather, his boat no longer runs on an old diesel engine that burns fuel and clouds the sky with smoke. Instead, it’s powered by a hybrid engine that saves 40% fuel—funded by an ESG program from a major seafood exporter.

Pangasius industry shifts from volume growth to value creation

 |  10:21 14/07/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam's pangasius industry is shifting its focus from increasing production volume to enhancing value-added products in order to meet the increasingly stringent requirements of export markets. In An Giang Province—the country's leading hub for pangasius farming and processing—businesses and farmers are prioritizing product quality, traceability, food safety, and sustainable development rather than expanding output.

Vietnamese tuna maintains momentum in Sweden, but the market Is becoming more unpredictable

 |  08:55 12/07/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Following strong growth in 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Sweden continued to edge higher during the first five months of 2026. However, the picture is far from straightforward. Orders have fluctuated significantly from month to month, indicating that this market remains cautious, with purchasing decisions closely tied to actual demand and the import cycles of Nordic distributors rather than to a steady upward trend.

China’s rising shrimp imports: Expanding opportunities amid intensifying competition

 |  08:56 10/07/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) China’s shrimp imports in the first five months of 2026 continued to surpass the same period in 2025, indicating that demand in the world’s largest seafood-consuming market remains strong. However, behind the growth figures lies an increasingly competitive landscape: Ecuador dominates the competitively priced whiteleg shrimp segment, India remains the second-largest supplier, while Vietnam stands out in the lobster segment but still needs to strengthen its advantages through quality, traceability, and reliable supply.

Lobster is on its way to becoming a billion-dollar commodity.

 |  08:18 08/07/2026

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Lobster exports to China continued to surge in the first half of this year, putting the lobster industry on the verge of reaching an export value exceeding $1 billion.

VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM

Chịu trách nhiệm: Ông Nguyễn Hoài Nam - Phó Tổng thư ký Hiệp hội

Đơn vị vận hành trang tin điện tử: Trung tâm VASEP.PRO

Trưởng Ban Biên tập: Bà Phùng Thị Kim Thu

Giấy phép hoạt động Trang thông tin điện tử tổng hợp số 138/GP-TTĐT, ngày 01/10/2013 của Bộ Thông tin và Truyền thông

Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 – (ext.203); email: kimthu@vasep.com.vn

Trụ sở: Số 7 đường Nguyễn Quý Cảnh, Phường An Phú, Quận 2, Tp.Hồ Chí Minh

Tel: (+84) 28.628.10430 - Fax: (+84) 28.628.10437 - Email: vasephcm@vasep.com.vn

VPĐD: số 10, Nguyễn Công Hoan, Ngọc Khánh, Ba Đình, Hà Nội

Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 - Fax: (+84 24) 37715084 - Email: vasephn@vasep.com.vn

© Copyright 2020 - Mọi hình thức sao chép phải được sự chấp thuận bằng văn bản của VASEP

DANH MỤC