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Europe's prawn obsession devastating local communities in Bangladesh
Campaign group calls for a consumer boycott of tropical prawns to stop environmental pollution and human rights abuse in Bangladesh.
The popularity of tropical shrimp — often marketed as scampi, giant shrimp, gambas or tiger prawns - is having a devastating impact on local communities in Bangladesh, reveals a new investigation produced in conjunction with the Ecologist's film partner. Sales of frozen prawns have soared in recent years, eaten deep-fried, in stir-fries or as sushi.
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Global production now exceeds 1.3 million tonnes a year and on the face of it provides much-needed trade for the poor exporting countries, such as Bangladesh.
But a new investigation reveals that far from being of economic benefit to Bangladesh, shrimp farming causes pollution, degradation of agricultural land and loss of mangrove ecosystems protecting coastal communities against storm floods.
For further information: http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_analysis/1070713/europes_prawn_obsession_devastating_local_communities_in_bangladesh.html
