Aquaculture Livelihood Analysis

Alternative Livelihood response to salinity intrusion

Here I discuss their livelihood response to salinity more specifically what is done by the coastal people in response to salt water intrusion which includes saline tolerant rice practice, shrimp cultivation, crab fattening, and gathering of mussel, clam and oyster.

6.1 Shrimp aquaculture livelihood and conflict of interest

Shrimp was introduced by an enterprising individual who wondered if shrimp could be raised in a small pond like water body locally known as gher as it was in the saline water in the river. The shrimp spends their post-larvae stage in brackish water, and then migrate up rivers to grow to adulthood before returning to the sea. After that other people did the same by raising

Some of these are: (a) non-resident entrepreneurs having no motivation to practice sustainable shrimp farming; (b) increased salinity leading to drastic decreases in soil fertility; (c) irreparable damage to traditional economic activities such as cattle grazing, poultry keeping; (d) damage to household vegetation and communal forests; (e) loss of common property rights; (f) increased income erosion and growing income inequality; (g) irreversible damage to the (Sundarban) mangroves and coastal vegetation; (h) irreparable damage to flora and fauna and

Many villagers depend on crab for their livelihood sources. In 2013-2014, Bangladesh exported 7707 t of hard-shell live crabs to international markets and earned US$ 21.1 million, as compared to US$ 6.7 million in 2010-2011 .Crab is collected from the river and cultivated in a special process specially in salt water to make them as fat. Many brackish water in pond and shrimp ghers are used for crab fattening. Traditional method with no scientific input of crab fattening in earthen pond started since 1993. Technologies of upgrading traditional method of earthen pond culture and cage culture of mud crab have been developed during the year 2003-2004. In this method crabs become sellable in size by 15 to 20 days in brackish water which ultimately increases the salinity in coastal areas of