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Coastal Aquaculture Should Not Harm Environment

by Dr Nuruzzaman
In a country like Bangladesh with high population densities,coastal aquaculture opens up a new frontier without putting more pressure on the limited land resources.
TiiK magnitude and im portance of coastal aquaculture produr lion tn Bangladesh ta seldom cm tsi oned correctly, due Io the usually not loo broad a view of aquafarmers Recently, how ever the rapid growth of shrimp culture focused the attention on the coastal areas and a new perception appea red. which retards coastal aquaculture as a new. socially contradictory and environmentally incompatible phenomc-•on While semi-intensive pond fish culture blends well with the rice-baaed rural economy of Bangladesh negative environmental imparts of our coastal aquaculture systems arc beyond doubt. Especially harmful are those pond systems which are constructed in mangrove areas altering Irreversibly I he original rich ecosystem
It is important to realize that the aspiration of coastal aquaculture is not to produce more fold for local consumption. Coastal communities always have a reasonable supply of cheap captured/collected seafood with which no cultured* product can compete in price. Therefore, tn coaslal areas the dominant function of aquaculture is income genera tfon. the production of cash-crops usually sold al the foreign markets This Is as legit Imate an ambition as cheap food production In Inland waters. The real problem is that coastal communitles/farmers arc seldom direct bene fie iartes o( shrimp cuhtvaUon. Benefits of shrimp culture, for instance, trickle down to coastal fishing communities only by generating some additional employment and by enhancing the overall rural development of hitherto neglected, impoverished coastal areas. However. In u country like Bangladesh with high population densities coastal aquaculture opens up a new frontier without putting more pressure on the limited' land resources. This is the reason why China and Taiwan turned towards this type of
aquaculture and gave high pri-oriti to Its development over tlx past decade. It Is also Important In Bangladesh context to realize now. that out of the broad range of coastal aquaculture systems pond culture of marine fish and shrimp or shrimp with paddy. Is Incompatible environmentally but controversial socially
Coastal aquaculture can be considered as a potential area for development because of Its financially lucrativeness to prl vale investors. It would however has to be socio-economi cally sound form society's point of view Private Investors usually use profitability as a measure of financial feasibility
while public agencies should use social benefit-cost analysis along with some qualltathv Judgements. Economic study however plays an important role in the development of coastal aquaculture because it provides a basis not only for decision makers among existing and potential farmers but also formulating public aquaculture policy. A well conducted economic analysis and a comparison of different culture systems practised in Bangladesh and in neighbouring countries, will provide sub slantlvc direction for our coastal aquaculture development. Farm operators and policy-makers can avail themselves of different options tn coastal aquaculture as result of such studies.
In order to Identify the problems of the needs for development. or acceptability of a new project, a socio-economic
survey of existing uquafarms and its potential areas for up coming projrrts. are neces vary Such a survey always aims at solving problems because II directs research and initiates public action through a variety of disciplines. Government programmes in research, training extension, legal and regulation, credit, etc. are all Important factors affecting coastal aquaculture development. generally speaking While emphasis ta being placed on coastal aquaculture development In Bangladesh, the current level of people's support and their spontaneous Cirttcipatlon observed during
st decades are very inslgnlli-
cant. Therefore more fanners participation tn training, extension and research is needed to realize the potential for development. Immediate research tn the field of reproduction. feed formulation, disease control and economic analysts and market potential arc prerequisite for the success of a shrimp project.
As for credit, more than 90 per cent of our farmers and 100 per cent of fishermen still rally on non-institullonal sources. Institutional credit from the Krishi Bank, the Grameen Bank and other banks is needed for aquafarm* development, especially for small-scale farmers and fishermen. It is very unfortunate that most of the existing Institutional and commercial credit programmes have been carried out in the names of the poors, in reality tin- bepefits only go lo some fashionable elites of
the high society.
Since the fish farm-i-rs/lishermen In the coastal areas are extremely poor and are small-scale operators, tlanr needs Itou Id be streamlined for institutional lending. There arc also Institutional weak nc*se» that usually facilitates I he conversion of mangrove arcs in to pond aquaculture under private use-rights Mangroves are the unique resources for breeding and nursery grounds for many aquatic species and therefore should not be destroyed by Issuing lease from the government department*
The strategies for coaslal aquaculture development
should conform lo the objectives of natural development plan lo Increuse Income and employment opportunities for small-scale farmers' substa-fence — level operations to meet Immediate local needs by Involving them In food production activities. To realize it* potential, however, various step* have lo be taken such a* resource assessment. law* and regulation to ensure property or use-tights, regulation* to prohibit pollution, training and extension services lo Improve production practice*, preserv Ing and processing facilities lo improve quality and add value, market potential analysis lo guide production and improvement of technology. All of tlicse measures have to be pursued In an Integrated fashion for efficient development and u collaborative exercise should control all concerned government organs for a manageable
enterprise leading toward* development‘of shrimp aquu culture In coaslal area* of I ku igladesh.
tn fact rediscovery of shrimp farming in Bangladesh nwiy provide hope for the rural p*sr. particularly as an option to the displaced fi*liermen and fishing communities In our coastal district*, for whom the culture of flnfish. shellfish and other aquatic organisms ranks among those occupations which have the greater poteti Hal of contributing lo diet* and higher income with the least disruption of their traditional lifestyle However, transfer of technological Innovation* to them for adoption appears to be one of the most Important constraint* tn changing their traditional methods of farming. Extensive, semi Intensive and intensive shrimp culture systems presumably will exist side by side for a long lime in Bangladesh fbuduclfon. how ever, will continue lo shift toward* higher intensities, which Is beneficial for both producer and society as a whole. In view of the high population densities and scatre land resource In the country, extensive pond* pro during only In Insignificant amount of production per hectare must be phased out soy wwy
Shrimp culture 1s commonly regarded a* the most obdurate destroyer of mangroves. which arc now acknowledged a. highly valuable coaslal resources beyond doubt. Introduction of pond culture eradicate* the natural vegetation of the selected area* and the construction of canal* and dyke* alter* irreversibly the hydrological char •cieristic* of the area too 1l Is sl»true that much damage was done In the past lo the mangrove*, particularly the Chakarta Mangrove
Dr Nurustaman t* Member-Director iFmberit), Bangladesh Agmulture Research Council ARC