History of BAL

Belize Aquaculture Ltd. (BAL) was formed in 1996 with a stated purpose to focus on the research and development of shrimp culture practices with three goals:

1. A sustainable farm with minimum impact on the Environment
2. Zero Water Exchange
3. 10,000 lbs. of production per acre per crop

The set up of the farm was undertaken by Barry Bowen, an ardent environmentalist, with the expectations of developing a shrimp farming method ensuring Belize's mangroves and coastal habitats would not be devastated by growing shrimp.

The original facility consisted of eight (8) one (1) acre ponds and sixteen (16) quarter (1/4) acre ponds. This site was built with the sole purpose of Research & Development and Proof of Concept.

By August 1997, BAL had built a shrimp breeding center and a commercial-scale pilot farm as the cornerstone of its R&D in the sector. By early 1999, BAL had demonstrated that the Pacific White Shrimp (Litopanaeus vannamei) can be cultured under intensive bio-culture conditions. Particular attention was paid to minimizing the risk of crop failure from disease, by separating the farming activities from the surrounding environment.

Since 1999, after achieving the three aforementioned goals, BAL expanded its production facilities into a commercial operation. In early 2001, production levels reached 1.04 million pounds of shrimp using twenty (20) four (4) acre ponds. By the end of 2004, BAL had forty (40) four (4) acre ponds, and production was increased to 5.5 million pounds of shrimp. By the end of 2010 the yearly production will be eighteen (18) million pounds of shrimp, with one hundred twenty (120) four (4) acre ponds.

BAL's expansion will continue at the original site of pine savanna land on Blair Atholl Estate in the Stann Creek District of Belize, just west of the Placencia lagoon. The complete plan consists of the following:

• One hundred and twenty (120) four (4) acre HDPE plastic lined ponds,
• Two (2) sixteen (16) acre salt water reservoirs,
• Eight (8) settling ponds,
• And, upgraded filtration of all incoming water.

These developments will give BAL an annual production of 300 harvests and eighteen (18) million pounds of whole shrimp. The BAL method of shrimp farming is a steady year round technique offering a consistent steady supply of the highest quality shrimp.