EMS still ravaging Mexican farmed shrimp industry

Farmed shrimp production in Mexico continues to dwindle as Early Mortality Syndrome (EMS) continues to plague the area.

The disease reduced production levels in 2013 by 70 percent across the country, according to Mexico’s Committee on Aquaculture Health of the State of Sonora (Cosaes), and this year isn't shaping up any better.

Producers in the states of Sonora, Sinaloa and Nayarit, racked up more than $154.4 million (€113 million) in losses due to the high mortality rate caused by EMS.

Earlier this year, Mexican officials said it appeared shrimp farms were not hit as hard by EMS as in 2013, but it is estimated between15,000 and 20,000 hectares were stocked with this shrimp, and a great number of them were either hit with or is still suffering through EMS.

Worse