DALLAS, TX — NaturalShrimp Inc., the aquaculture company that developed and patented the first commercially-operational Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) for shrimp, announced today that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture/Animal Plant Health Inspection Services (USDA/APHIS) has officially lifted the quarantine at the Company’s facility in La Coste, Texas caused by the detection of infectious hematopoietic virus (IHHNV).
NaturalShrimp worked closely with both the TPWD and the USDA/APHIS for the last several weeks in order to quickly remove the IHHNV from the facility. Hatcheries are required to guarantee virus free post larvae (PL) shrimp supplies through their own independent laboratory testing. This is the first time that the Company has detected the presence of IHHNV infected shrimp indicated by a much slower than normal growth throughout its 18 years of receiving PL shrimp from hatcheries.
“Although this virus was not caused by NaturalShrimp or our systems, we are happy to help with the eradication of this virus at our facility,” said Gerald Easterling, CEO. “Our systems continue to operate at the highest levels of efficiency and safety. Because of our technology, the shrimp were able to survive despite the virus breakout. Although this virus does not affect people, we are still happy that no human consumption of the ill shrimp took place,” said Tom Untermeyer, Chief Technology Officer.
In the future, the Company’s isolated nursery tanks will add an extra measure of safety protocol through early detection of the IHHNV prior to the stocking of growout tanks in case this remote possibility happens again. The Company will begin restocking during the month of September with new PLs in its newly installed nursery systems.
ABOUT NATURAL SHRIMP: NaturalShrimp, Inc. is a publicly traded aquaculture Company, headquartered in Dallas, with production facilities located near San Antonio, Texas. The Company has developed the first commercially viable system for growing shrimp in enclosed, salt-water systems, using patented technology to produce fresh, never frozen, naturally grown shrimp, without the use of antibiotics or toxic chemicals. NaturalShrimp systems can be located anywhere in the world to produce gourmet-grade Pacific white shrimp and other fish species.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements.” The statements contained in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements give the Company’s current expectations or forecasts of future events. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that are often difficult to predict and beyond the Company’s control and could cause the Company’s results to differ materially from those described. In some cases forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “may,” “should,” “potential,” “continue,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” and similar expressions. These statements include statements regarding moving forward with executing the Company’s global growth strategy.
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Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which such performance or results will be achieved. Important factors that could cause such differences include but are not limited to the Risk Factors and other information set forth in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on March 30, 2015, and in our other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
