Ecuador shrimp industry and communities join forces to restore mangroves. SSP and CNA launch a pilot project with Promarisco, Vitapro, and Manglares Porteños aimed at developing a collaborative, replicable, and scalable model for mangrove restoration in Ecuador.

The Sustainable Shrimp Partnership (SSP) and Ecuador’s National Chamber of Aquaculture (CNA) announce ‘Manglares en Común’, a pilot project developed in collaboration with Promarisco, Vitapro, and the Manglares Porteños cooperative. The initiative brings together stakeholders from across the shrimp value chain and local communities to restore one hectare of mangrove forest and develop an intervention model that can be replicated at a larger scale.

The project is being unveiled as part of its first planting event, held at Promarisco’s Quiñonez farm in the Gulf of Guayaquil. The process combines natural regeneration with direct planting to restore approximately 1,600 native mangrove trees. It includes site preparation and seedling production, followed by maintenance, monitoring, and replanting activities to support their growth and survival.

“Manglares en Común is part of a broader agenda led by CNA and SSP to safeguard natural ecosystems through actions focused on the protection and conservation of mangroves, as well as monitoring mangrove cover across the country. This initiative adds a restoration component to these efforts, bringing together value chain stakeholders and communities that know, live alongside, and depend on this ecosystem to create an impact that can endure and grow over time,” said José Antonio Camposano, Executive President of CNA.

Meanwhile, Pamela Nath, Director of SSP, noted: 

“The project is based on the recognition that each stakeholder brings different capabilities to mangrove regeneration. We are starting with a pilot because we want to learn from the experience, measure what works, and develop a methodology that can be replicated at a larger scale. The goal is not to stop at one hectare, but to turn these learnings into a tool that can help other producers identify opportunities on their own farms and support new restoration efforts alongside local communities.”

Similarly, Alejandro Ruiz-Cámara, Country Manager of Promarisco, shared:

“We decided to join Manglares en Común because we believe sustainability must move from commitments to concrete action. Mangroves are a vital ecosystem, and as part of the shrimp industry, we have a responsibility to contribute to their conservation. That is why we made one hectare of our farm available for this initiative. We see this as a pilot project that we can learn from, so that this first hectare can ultimately be replicated across many more.”

Building on this, Paul Simball, Corporate Head of Sustainable Development at Vitapro, emphasised:

“Being part of Manglares en Común means actively contributing to the responsible development of an industry that creates value for the country while protecting key ecosystems. Every stakeholder across the value chain has a role to play. When we join forces, we can multiply our impact.”

Likewise, Manglares Porteños brings local knowledge and experience to the project while also creating economic opportunities linked to ecosystem restoration. The seedlings used in the planting are grown at the cooperative’s nursery, while its members also participate in site preparation, planting, and subsequent monitoring, generating income for the community at different stages of the project.

For Víctor Morocho Carbo, a member and former leader of Manglares Porteños and founder of the community’s mangrove nursery, this collaboration demonstrates the value communities can bring to restoration efforts, as well as the benefits these initiatives can generate for them:

“Mangroves have always been important to our community because they provide the resources that support our livelihoods. The project is already generating benefits for our members and their families through seedling production. I would encourage companies to look to communities and work with us. We are ready to support one another, because mangroves are a source of life for us.”

Manglares en Común complements other initiatives led by SSP and CNA to protect and conserve mangrove ecosystems. These include an agreement with WWF-Ecuador to promote aquaculture free from the conversion of natural ecosystems; a multi-temporal analysis developed with Clark University to assess changes in mangrove cover along Ecuador’s coast between 1999 and 2022; and a partnership with Conservation International Ecuador (CI-Ecuador) to expand mangrove protection and restoration efforts. By 2030, this latest collaboration aims to restore 250 hectares of mangroves within shrimp farms, representing a reduction of 112,870 metric tons of CO₂, while supporting the adoption of certified production practices across 20,000 hectares of shrimp farming. Together, these efforts provide insights into how the ecosystem is evolving and establish a baseline inventory for ongoing monitoring that can also track progress in mangrove restoration.

About SSP

The Sustainable Shrimp Partnership (SSP) is a group of leading companies committed to transforming the future of shrimp aquaculture. As pioneers in Ecuador, SSP members are dedicated to achieving and promoting products of the highest quality, produced under the highest social and environmental standards, through increased collaboration and transparency.

About CNA

The National Chamber of Aquaculture is a non-governmental organisation that has been uniting and representing the Ecuadorian shrimp sector for over 30 years. One of its objectives is to promote knowledge exchange and drive innovation through its AQUAEXPO program, a technical-commercial event held since 1995 in several provinces of the country dedicated to shrimp production.

About Promarisco

Promarisco shrimp is farmed in harmony with nature. The company follows best practices to help preserve ecosystems and ensure food safety, while supporting the well-being of local communities and employees. This commitment is reflected in its multiple certifications, including ASC, SSP, and BAP. Promarisco is part of a group of leading companies committed to the sustainable production of premium-quality shrimp in Ecuador.

About Vitapro

Vitapro is a leading company in Latin America’s aquaculture industry, with more than 35 years of experience driving the sector’s sustainable development across the countries where it operates. Through its brands and specialized nutritional solutions, Vitapro contributes to the production of high-quality food while creating economic, social, and environmental value for its stakeholders.

Its Latin American roots and deep understanding of regional markets enable Vitapro to develop solutions tailored to the needs of aquaculture, establishing the company as an internationally recognised industry leader. Vitapro combines experience, innovation, and strong corporate backing to support the sustainable growth of aquaculture and contribute to global food security.

image: Representatives from SSP, CNA, Promarisco, Vitapro, and Manglares Porteños during the first planting event of ‘Manglares en Común’. SSP