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Environmental Assessment of Shrimp Farming in Relation to Livelihoods in the South-west Coastal Bangladesh

M. Mizanur Rahman
Planning Cell, Ministry of Fisheries & Livestock

M. Flitner
Faculty for Biology & Chemistry, University of Bremen, Germany

G. Krause
Faculty for Biology & Chemistry, University of Bremen, Germany

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The study was designed to assess the environmental impact of shrimp farming and implications on local livelihoods at the south-west coastal area of Bangladesh. All the stakeholders reported that shrimp farming negatively affected on the environment at the coastal area. The soil and water, fish habitation, agricultural cropland, grazing land, indigenous fish, household vegetations, trees and plants, land fertility and mangroves are affected negatively by the shrimp farming in the coastal area. About 44 percent stakeholders agreed that mangroves were destroyed by the extension of shrimp farming in the study area. In the case of positive impact of shrimp farming on environment about 16 percent stakeholders agreed that the household vegetations increased due to alternate rice and shrimp-prawn farming.

Keywords: Shrimp farming, Environment, Mangrove

Location: Satkhira, Khulna, Bagerhat and Patuakhali districts.

Start Date: 00-08-2007

End Date: 00-12-2007

Program Area: Socio-economic and Policy

Commodity: Social status

Objectives:

To report on the perceived environmental impact of shrimp farming and its implications for local livelihoods in the south-west coastal Bangladesh.

Methodology:

Study area and selection of the shrimp farming stakeholders: The study areas were selected from the south-west part of Bangladesh, mainly in Satkhira and Khulna districts where the majority shrimp farming activities are concentrated. According to their involvement in different activities of the shrimp industry, nine categories of stakeholders were selected for data collections. Simple random sampling techniques were applied for selecting the respondents of rice farmers, shrimp farmers, and alternate rice and shrimp-prawn farmers. For applying the technique, at first the list of rice farmers, shrimp farmers and also the alternate rice and shrimp-prawn farmers were collected from the Upazila Agricultural office and Upazila Fishery Office of the selected upazila and then random number table was used for selecting the sample units. The sample of shrimp farm laborers, depot owners, depot workers, shrimp seed collectors and land lessors were selected by purposive method. Questionnaire design and survey of the study area: One draft questionnaire was designed to survey the environmental issues due to shrimp farming and implications on local livelihood. During August-December 2007 the data were collected by the pre-tested draft questionnaire from the two respondents. of each category. Then the questionnaire has been finalized for collecting the necessary data through interview method. The survey method was followed through direct interview from the different stakeholders. For determining the environmental impact of shrimp farming "before and after" and also "with and without" methods were applied. The respondents were asked about what were the environmental situations were before and after the shrimp farming practice at the study areas. Data was collected through direct observation and transect walk (informal surveys and this participatory studies known as a walk over the transect of an area for the observation and documentation of the similarities and differences of environmental and bio-physical features. The data were also collected by oral history method. Oral history is an interview method by which the researcher collects about the past events and ways of life. The beginning history of the shrimp farming, the mangroves were present at the shrimp farming area or not and also the agro-ecosystem gradually destroying or not were obtained from the very old aged people at the coastal areas by this oral history method. In this case the respondents were more than sixty years old. The selected respondents were different categories like shrimp farmers, shrimp seed collectors and shrimp farm laborers and land lessors of very near the mangroves region of the coastal area. The effect of cyclone Sidr on the study area: In every year the coastal villagers are facing cyclones, storms and over flood. The cyclone Sidr struck at the South-west coastal part on November 15, 2007. It was the middle time of the author's research data collection from the Sidr struck area. At that moment the respondents were not interested to provide the information. After the Sidr attack author had collected data from the stakeholders by giving them some money so that they could get food in exchange for the interview. The shrimp farming stakeholders were facing their uncertain future after the Sidr. Bangladesh government estimates that around 8.5 million coastal people were affected of which 3400 people had died. Around 10,000 shrimp farms and hatcheries were washed away from the Satkhira, Khulna, Bagerhat and Patuakhali districts and about 36 million US Dollars lost due to the devastating Sidr. Data analysis: The data from the questionnaire were grouped and categorized according to the different stakeholders of the shrimp farming. The whole data were entered into the MS Excel program and in the tabular form in the computer. Mainly the tabular and graphical methods were used for analyzing the data.

Source of Information: Bangladesh J. Fish. Res., 13(1), 2009: 47-54

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Shrimp farming negatively affected on the environment at the coastal area. The soil and water, fish habitation, agricultural cropland, grazing land, indigenous fish, household vegetations, trees and plants, land fertility and mangroves are affected negatively by the shrimp farming in the coastal area. About 44 percent stakeholders agreed that mangroves were destroyed by the extension of shrimp farming in the study area. In the case of positive impact of shrimp farming on environment about 16 percent stakeholders agreed that the household vegetations increased due to alternate rice and shrimp-prawn farming.

Knowledge Management: Journal