Coastal shrimp aquaculture is an age-old practice in the State of West Bengal and Kerala. More than 50,000 ha is under traditional and improved traditional methods of shrimp farming. As per the classification mentioned in Alagarswami’s Report and adopted by the Honorable Supreme court, the traditional system of culture is fully tide-fed; salinity variations according to monsoon regime: seed resource of mixed species from the adjoining creeks and canals by auto-stocking; dependence on natural food; water intake and drainage managed through sluice gates depending on local tidal effect; no feeding; periodic harvesting during full and new moon periods; collection at sluice gates by traps and bag nets; seasonal fields alternating paddy crop (monsoon) with shrimp/fish crop (inter-monsoon). The improved traditional system is different from the traditional system only in stock entry control and supplementary stocking with desired species of shrimp seed (Penaeus monodon and P. indicus). The average production levels in these types of systems range between 300 and 500 Kg/ha/season. However, with the adoption of improved environment-friendly technology, the production and productivity of the system can be increased with the yield levels varying between 1000 and 1500 Kg/ha/ crop, resulting in optimum utilization of the resources available with the farmer. The Supreme Court, while permitting the traditional and improved traditional systems within the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ), has also permitted improvement in technology for these systems to increase production, productivity and returns.