Raising Shrimp

Filmmaker Joe Cunningham's documentary follows engineer Ted Caplow and ecologist Andy Danylchuk as they slowly build a case for sustainable, ecologically sound aquaculture that would produce shrimp in the U.S. that could exceed imports (which currently account for 90 percent of America's consumption) in quality, although the price would be higher. Raising Shrimp explores the dying Gulf Coast shrimp fishery business, where trawlers scour the ocean floor, destroying ecosystems and capturing many other species that are then discarded. By contrast, shrimp operations in Belize experiment with recycling water and even fish waste in ways that exploit coastal saltwater flats yet protect the nation's vast coral reef. While not deeply examining Asian shrimp-farming practices (simply assuming that the product raised there is substandard), the film successfully argues that the cleaner Belize operations can't crack the U.S. market because the Asian alternative is cheaper (Belize's output ends up mainly in Europe, where regulations are stricter). Meanwhile, sustainable aquaculture projects in the U.S. remain in their infancy but offer some hope for the future. Offering an informative look at the production of this popular food, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Gardner)