The aquaculture sector is increasingly exposed to the impacts of climate change, including elevated water temperatures, unstable salinity levels, declining dissolved oxygen concentrations, and changes in overall water quality. These environmental disturbances may reduce the productivity and sustainability of blue food systems. Consequently, maintaining suitable water conditions has become a key approach to enhancing the resilience of aquaculture operations while ensuring consistent production outcomes. This study investigated the contribution of water quality management to climate adaptation in intensive culture systems of whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei).

The research employed a case study approach at Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, over a 120-day cultivation period. Information was gathered through direct observations and farm operational records. The assessment focused on several water quality indicators, such as temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, alkalinity, and ammonia concentration. Shrimp production performance was evaluated using Average Body Weight (ABW), Average Daily Gain (ADG), biomass yield, and Survival Rate (SR). The management measures examined included regular water quality assessments, aeration practices, probiotic use, mineral supplementation, feeding strategies, and wastewater handling.

The findings revealed that maintaining water temperature between 28 and 32°C, salinity within 15–30 ppt, DO levels above 4 mg L⁻¹, pH ranging from 6 to 9, alkalinity exceeding 80 ppm, and ammonia concentrations below 0.01 ppm created suitable conditions for shrimp culture. The use of aeration and probiotics contributed to more stable water conditions, whereas appropriate feeding practices helped minimize organic waste accumulation and lowered the likelihood of disease outbreaks. Collectively, these management interventions improved the farm’s capacity to cope with environmental variability and supported long-term production sustainability. Economic evaluation further showed that the farming operation was profitable, generating annual revenue of IDR 1.25 billion with an R/C ratio of 1.15.