Aquaculture is the breeding, raising, and harvesting of fish, shellfish, algae, and other species in numerous aquatic settings. Mariculture is the farming of marine creatures for use in nutraceuticals, cosmetics, jewelry (such as cultivated pearls), food additives, pharmaceuticals, and other products. This can be done in cages, ponds, or other land- or water-based habitats, similar to those seen in marine environments.
Expansion in the past of Mariculture
After 1971, Bangladesh had a slow but steady rise in the culture of shrimp. The export-focused shrimp industry boomed in the 1980s when large-scale shrimp farms in higher-income East Asian countries like Thailand, Indonesia, China, the Philippines, and Taiwan began to suffer from environmental and social impacts. The rising fishing pressure on the ocean’s natural shrimp populations and the necessity to capture shrimp as much as possible gave rise to the concept of large-scale shrimp farming in coastal areas. The southwest coastal low-lying area and the mangrove area in the southeast region, including Chakaria Sundarbans, seemed to be a gold mine in terms of economically valuable species of shrimp. Shrimp farming was swiftly established in the coastal areas of Shatkhira, Khulna, Bhagerhat, and Cox’s Bazar. One of the major exporters of shrimp (P. monodon and M. rosenbergii) worldwide is Bangladesh.
The long-standing tradition of Bangladesh’s P. monodon (old shrimp) involves restocking ponds with wild seeds. Traditional shrimp farming is thought to have started in the Sundarban (mangrove) region in 1829. The “Bheri” culture was the main shrimp-growing technique at the time. In the “Bheri” culture, dikes are used to catch and raise shrimp in tidal and low-lying locations.
By blocking the dikes, shrimp farmers are progressively catching and stocking PL as well as snaring PL from tidal waterways. This cultural framework is referred to as the gher chash locally. While salt and some rice are occasionally produced along with shrimp (P. monodon) in the Southeast, only shrimp are farmed in the most salinized areas. Recently, there has been some small-scale commercial polyculture of marine and brackish water species such mullet (Liza spp.) and mud crab (Scylla serrata).
On the other hand, between the late 1970s and the middle of the 1980s, a few pioneers established the first freshwater shrimp (M. rosenbergii) farming in low-lying cropland and paddy fields. The farming method began to be widely used in the first location in the Bagerhat region, where freshwater shrimp (M. rosenbergii) have been raised alongside carp, rice, and other crops, in the late 1980s. Since 1990, freshwater shrimp production has grown significantly, and consumer acceptance has accelerated. These are only a few of the southern locales where this practice has become more prevalent: Khulna, Satkhira, and Jessore.
Development of Mariculture
Bangladesh’s objectives for prosperity are deeply embedded in the building of a blue economy. Due to advancements in freshwater aquaculture, Bangladesh is currently the fifth-largest producer of fish globally. The expansion of marine aquaculture, or mariculture, is nevertheless well suited to Bangladesh’s marine resource base, which is now significantly larger as a result of the recent settlement of disputes regarding maritime boundaries with neighboring countries.
The most promising fish species are the grey mullet (Mugil cephalus), seabass (Lates calcarifer), and hilsa shad (Tenualosa ilisha). The most promising shrimp species (Scylla serata) are the mud crab, Indian white shrimp, and black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon). Seaweed, microalgae, shellfish (like mussels and oysters), and sea cucumbers are just a few of the marine species that have a lot of potential but aren’t generally found there.
However, there are still considerable challenges that must be overcome before mariculture can flourish and support Bangladesh’s growing blue economy. To promote food security and economic growth through export opportunities, ministries, departments, and research institutions must collaborate with interested private businesses to develop and implement programs.
Potentiality binds with challenges
Marine animals are particularly vulnerable to disease and predators because of their susceptibility to water quality parameters such as salinity, temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, nitrate, and ammonia. However, the unpredictability of mariculture operations is also due to cyclones and manmade activities like pollution caused by the metal frame and netting material that make up the cage. Significant initial investment and working capital are needed for several species since they take a while to reach a size that is acceptable for selling. The suitability of the site, the availability of seed and broodstock, the cost and accessibility of feed, the availability of skills, markets, financial resources, logistical issues, environmental concerns, and biosecurity are the main challenges and obstacles to the development of mariculture in Bangladesh.
In Conclusion, Although Bangladesh lacks the necessary tools and procedures to form, it has a strong potential for mariculture, and its expansion is progressing well. Therefore, the country should move on with the necessary measures, and caring for those marine species is equally crucial. The vast area can contribute a lot to expanding mariculture over coastal areas.
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Writer
Atika Afia Broty
Intern, Content Writing Department.
YSSE