Artemia, or brine shrimp, produced from commercially available dry embryos (known as cysts), is a vital part of hatchery-based aquaculture. It plays a key role in the early life stages of shrimp and fish, supporting the production of over 10 million metric tons of aquaculture products each year.
Despite its critical role, more than 90% of the global supply of Artemia cysts still comes from wild sources—mainly hypersaline lakes in the United States and Central Asia. This heavy reliance makes the aquaculture industry vulnerable to supply disruptions, price fluctuations, and environmental concerns.
The recent study by the World Bank Group’s PROBLUE program, “A Strategic Approach to Brine Shrimp Artemia Aquabusiness,” underscores the urgent need for reliable, sustainable, and climate-resilient Artemia production to keep pace with the growing global demand for aquaculture.
The study highlights significant untapped potential for Artemia farming—both for live biomass and cyst production—in various regions around the world. Expanding Artemia aquaculture can improve hatchery performance, reduce dependence on imported feed, create jobs, and advance broader blue economy goals. Successful and scalable farming systems already in place in China, Vietnam, Thailand, and Bangladesh provide practical models that can be adapted to other regions, helping make the industry more resilient as wild cyst sources decline.