ANDHRA PRADESH — A group of global seafood industry leaders, financiers, and sustainability experts gathered in Andhra Pradesh for the inaugural India Shrimp Landscape Tour, a five-day field programme designed to offer a comprehensive view of one of the world’s most important aquaculture regions.

The tour, organised by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) and the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP), brought together representatives from major companies and institutions across the seafood supply chain to observe the realities shaping India’s shrimp production—from hatcheries and farms to feed mills, processing plants, and surrounding ecosystems.

Among the participating organisations were High Liner Foods, Comavicola, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Captain Fresh, and British International Investment (BII). Local partners Seafood Solutions and Dakshin Foundation supported the programme on the ground, helping facilitate visits across farming communities and production facilities.

The tour highlighted how shrimp aquaculture in Andhra Pradesh operates within a complex landscape shaped by local farming communities, environmental stewardship, and a rapidly evolving global seafood supply chain.

Roy van Daatselaar, Head of Improver Programme at ASC, explained the purpose of the initiative:

“By bringing together buyers, investors, and supply chain partners in the field, the tour aimed to foster a deeper understanding of the social, environmental, and economic realities shaping shrimp production in India.

“Certification is a powerful tool to demonstrate responsible practices, but scaling impact across thousands of farms requires collaboration across the entire landscape.”

India’s Strategic Role in the Global Shrimp Market

India is currently the world’s second-largest shrimp producer and exporter, behind Ecuador, with nearly 70% of the country’s shrimp production concentrated in Andhra Pradesh. This makes the region one of the most critical sourcing hubs for international seafood markets.

During the tour, participants visited a diverse range of operations—from small community-based farms prioritising stability and livelihoods to large-scale certified facilities recognised in global markets.

The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) and the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) are two science-based, nature and people-focused, data-driven NGOs that share the vision that 100% of seafood is sustainably and responsibly managed.

The programme also showcased several responsible production practices gaining traction in the region, including ablation-free shrimp breeding, improved feed ingredient transparency, and stronger environmental management systems.

Participants were also taken to the Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary, where thriving mangrove ecosystems coexist alongside productive shrimp farms, illustrating the region’s potential to balance aquaculture with environmental conservation.

David Parreño, Partnerships & Markets Engagement Specialist at SFP, said:

“ASC is clearly strengthening the foundations of responsible aquaculture. The consolidated Farm Standard brings greater consistency and rigor across environmental performance, animal welfare, and social responsibility, while the Feed Standard reinforces expectations around ingredient sourcing and feed mill accountability.

In Andhra Pradesh, the difference between certified and non-certified farms is evident in the structure of management systems and the level of control applied to environmental and operational practices. In such a major aquaculture hub, the landscape approach is particularly important, and SFP is pleased to support efforts that help ensure improvements extend beyond individual farms to benefit the wider environment and surrounding communities.”

A Connected Ecosystem of Farms and Communities

For global seafood companies, the visit offered a clearer perspective on how shrimp farming is interconnected across the region’s waterways and communities.

Josh Austin, Senior Manager of Sustainability at High Liner Foods, highlighted the importance of collaboration across the sector:

“The ASC landscape tour provided a deeper understanding of why our industry needs to take a more holistic approach to improving aquaculture in India. We observed an ecosystem of farms and communities connected not only through economics, but also through shared waterways.

This highlighted how the actions of individual farms are closely linked to practices across the wider region, making collective efforts essential for meaningful progress. It reinforced my belief that ASC’s proposal to implement improvement projects at a regional level has strong potential to drive greater efficiency in shrimp aquaculture, while also generating environmental and social benefits for the surrounding communities.”

Local industry leaders also emphasised the value of strengthening connections across the supply chain.

A B Ch Mohan, Managing Partner at Seafood Solutions, said:

“The landscape tour provided a valuable opportunity to hear diverse perspectives from all participants. These interactions highlighted how essential it is to bridge communication gaps across the value chain. When global standards and local knowledge align through a landscape approach, it creates lasting benefits for farmers, communities, and the environment. We appreciate ASC’s efforts to bridge these gaps and look forward to being part of this approach and seeing this approach translate into real impact.”

A roadmap to landscape-level aquaculture improvements

A Roadmap for the Future of Responsible Aquaculture

Beyond showcasing the current state of the industry, the tour also served as a platform to explore the implementation of the Roadmap for Landscape-Level Improvements in Aquaculture, an initiative aimed at strengthening the sustainability, resilience, and long-term productivity of shrimp farming in Andhra Pradesh.

The roadmap proposes a framework for applying a landscape-based approach—coordinating improvements across entire farming regions rather than focusing solely on individual farms.

Participants visit Devi Seafoods feed mill to understand transparency and quality measures in place to deliver responsibly sourced feed. Photo: ASC

If successful, the model developed in India’s shrimp heartland could provide a blueprint for aquaculture regions around the world.

Through the initiative, ASC, SFP, and their partners reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the continued development of responsibly produced shrimp, ensuring the sector can grow while protecting the environment, communities, and global seafood supply chains that depend on it.