Most shrimp stocks in this region are intensively fished or overfished, which pressures the stocks. Catch data are unreliable and it is unclear whether the existing management measures are being followed. Illegal fishery plays a big part in this.
Trawling fisheries have generally much bycatch, including young, undersized fish. 20-80% of the catch is bycatch, of which much is discarded. At some places everything is landed. Furthermore, there is incidental bycatch of protected species, like sea turtles, rays and sharks. Fishing with trawls touches the bottom and there is a direct disruption of the bottom life. Intensive fishing with bottom trawls leads on the long-term to a change in species composition in the sea. This is especially the case for vulnerable habitats like coral reefs and sea grass fields that occur in this region.