Wild Shrimp: Supply Depletion and the Sustainability Challenge

MSC notes a growing trend of shrimp fisheries entering its sustainability certification system, highlighted by progress in the Argentine red shrimp fishery, which has boosted the market supply of certified wild-caught shrimp.

Nevertheless, the industry’s overall picture still faces numerous bottlenecks. Camiel Derichs, MSC’s Program Development Director, warned that the use of bottom trawls and small mesh sizes continues to threaten marine ecosystems and increases the risk of unwanted bycatch. Notably, nearly 77% of global wild-caught shrimp production remains uncertified by MSC, alongside a lack of baseline data needed to establish safe harvesting levels.

Environmental pressures are becoming increasingly severe as climate change, ocean warming, ocean acidification, and shifting food sources and distribution patterns continuously exert negative impacts on shrimp stocks.

From a market perspective, the Argentine red shrimp industry faces major challenges regarding labor, logistics, and seasonal risks. For instance, in 2026, despite record-breaking production for two consecutive months, the sector risks an early end to the season and a steep drop in prices—a stark contrast to the supply shortages that drove prices up in 2025.

In the United States, the Gulf of Mexico shrimp industry is struggling with operating costs, labor shortages, and commercialization capabilities. An NFI representative noted that while this is a premium product for which the market is willing to pay a higher price, relying solely on tariffs will not solve these underlying internal constraints,

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