STUDY OF THE INFLUENCE OF SHRIMP FARMING ON THE WATER RESOURCES
QUALITY OF GUARAÍRAS LAGOON REGION, RIO GRANDE DO NORTE: AN
ANALYSIS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL, AND ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE
ACTIVITY
Shrimp farming; water quality, eutrophication, cyanobacteria and
environmental impacts, social and economic.
The anthropogenic influence as a factor of environmental degradation has been widely
established. Shrimp farming is a lucrative activity promoting economic and regional
development, which can be pursued at various scales. However, few studies that link the
polluting nature of small-scale shrimp farming in the context of production have not been
deeply addressed in the state of Rio Grande do Norte. Thus, this dissertation will consist of two
chapters. The first chapter will aim to comprehend the state of shrimp farming in Brazil,
considering social, economic, and environmental aspects through a bibliometric review. In the
second chapter, the research aimed to understand the environmental impacts on the water
quality of effluent-receiving bodies in small-scale shrimp farming and their effects on the
physicochemical and microbiological quality variations of water in Guaraíras Lagoon, RN. The
water quality of Guaraíras Lagoon adhered to parameters within the CONAMA 357/2005
classification. However, after the shrimp production process, alterations were identified in
physicochemical parameters such as dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand,
temperature, pH, suspended solids, settleable solids, ammonia nitrogen, total phosphorus, and
nitrite, all still within the considered reference values. Phytoplankton levels were linked to
changes in physicochemical parameters during the state's dry season, describing an increase in
cyanobacteria, potentially related to available nutrient levels during this period. Analyzing the
relative abundances of different phytoplankton classes, significant differences were identified
for Dinoflagellates, Diatoms, and Cyanophytes, exhibiting higher relative abundance in the
effluent-receiving bodies compared to intake water, particularly for Dinoflagellates and
Cyanophytes. In the case of Diatoms, a specific decrease in their abundance in the effluentreceiving bodies of water was observed. Network analysis revealed a competitive pattern at the
expense of decreased diatom abundance. Furthermore, potentially toxin-producing genera were
identified, which could affect water quality for ecosystems, as well as areas utilized by tourists
and residents for recreation. Future studies linking quantitative analysis of cyanotoxin levels
will be imperative to comprehend the potential environmental impacts resulting from this
activity