Salinity Management in Shrimp Aquaculture

Salinity management is central to the health, growth and productivity of farmed shrimp, particularly Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) and other commercially important species. Shrimp are euryhaline crustaceans that employ osmoregulatory mechanisms to maintain haemolymph homeostasis across a wide range of salinities. Optimal salinity enhances feed conversion, growth rates and immune function, whereas deviations can induce oxidative stress, impair gut integrity and reduce survival. Modern approaches to salinity control include precise blending of artificial sea salts, selective breeding of low-salinity-tolerant strains and integrated culture systems such as bioflocs and recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). These strategies not only stabilise water quality—by regulating total dissolved solids, pH and nitrogenous wastes—but also reduce freshwater use, lower operational costs and mitigate environmental impacts. A multidisciplinary research effort has elucidated the molecular responses to hypotonic and hypertonic stress, informing protocols for gradual acclimation, salinity cycling and dynamic control of culture parameters. Globally, small-scale and industrial producers alike are adopting tailored salinity regimes to secure year-round production, expand inland shrimp farming and enhance resilience against climatic fluctuations and resource constraints.

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Salinity Management in Shrimp Aquaculture publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in salinity management in shrimp aquaculture across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

PSU: Practical Salinity Unit, a conductivity-based scale for expressing salinity without reference to mass fraction.

Osmoregulation: The physiological process by which aquatic animals regulate the balance of water and electrolytes to maintain internal homeostasis across varying salinities.

Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS): A closed or semi-closed culture system that treats and reuses water, minimising freshwater intake and effluent discharge.

Biofloc: A consortium of bacteria, algae and particulate organic matter that converts waste nitrogen into microbial biomass, enhancing water quality and serving as supplemental nutrition.

Euryhaline: Descriptive of species capable of thriving over a broad salinity range by modulating osmoregulatory mechanisms.

References

1. Osmoregulatory capacity of the shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei at different temperatures and salinities, and optimal culture environment. Revista de Biología Tropical (2006).
2. Using alternative low-cost artificial sea salt mixtures for intensive, indoor shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) production. Aquaculture Reports (2022).
3. Comparison of Growth Performance and Biochemical Components between Low-Salinity-Tolerant Hybrid and Normal Variety of Pacific White Shrimp (Penaeus vannamei). Animals (2023).
4. Effects of Low-Salinity Stress on Histology and Metabolomics in the Intestine of Fenneropenaeus chinensis. Animals (2024).