Introduction
Shrimp culture is the most potential branch of agriculture sector
that could be consistent in contributing to the sustainable growth
to our Growth to our Gross National Product. Though in the
context of out export earnings shrimp is one of the leading
commodities but in reality the shrimp cultural effect on our
environment is increasing day by day.
Shrimp culture was initiated, practiced and encouraged in views of
its potential to utilize that vast barren water logged, unfertile, and
unproductive and salinity affected lands, which are otherwise
unsuitable for other productive uses as traditional practices for
several decades in Bangladesh. But the rapid growth of shrimp
culture in coastal areas in an unplanned manner and managed
without any scientific knowledge or technical input resulted in
closure of coastal shrimp culture due to environmental and socioeconomic problems. Much concern is now being expressed over the
environmental problems associated with rapidly expanding shrimp
farming whole over the world. The experience gained in Bangladesh
has shown that high density but unscientific coastal shrimp
culture change the environment adversely threatening the long
term sustainability of shrimp culture itself.
Since shrimp culture involves people environment and technology,
the prospective industry should strive to make it ecologically
sustainable, socially acceptable and economically profitable. Due to
the high profit, economic viability of the industry, low labor
requirement, suitable soil and environmental conditions and
encouraging market for the product, shrimp culture has expanded
rapidly in a very short span of time. But this expansion has led to
the encroachment of highly fertile agricultural lands and in some
instances unplanned and poorly managed development has caused
environmental degradation by saline intrusion, mangrove forest
destruction, enrichment and changes in bio-diversity of coastal
ecosystem.
The development of coastal shrimp culture in Bangladesh entails
socio-economic, environmental, bio-technical, institutional and
legislative constraints. For the industry to be eco-friendly and
sustainable over a long period it has to be practiced within the
environmental limits.
1
Objectives
The main objectives of this report are as follows:1. To evaluate the environmental and socio-economic effect of
shrimp culture in Bangladesh.
2. To determine the environmental loss and cost due to the
shrimp culture.
3. To depict the impact of shrimp culture on the production of
other agricultural commodities.
4. Developing a picture on cost and benefit analysis of shrimp
culture.
5. To find out the problems of sustainable shrimp culture in
Bangladesh and suggestive measures.
6. To identify the social, economical, technical and institutional
constraints.
7. To recommend some remedial measures to over come the
existing problems as for the sustainable development of
coastal shrimp culture.
Methodology
To prepare this report I had to rely on a methodology. This report is
based on observation of secondary data. Secondary data were
collected from the following sources:





The
The
The
The
The
daily newspapers and monthly magazines.
relevant websites in the internet.
teachers and students of Chittagong University.
magazines of the export-based shrimp farms.
relevant issues of several books.
2
Scope
The study on shrimp culture is important from an economical,
social and ecological point of view, though shrimp culture is
beneficial with economic returns and ecological count, it is feared
that along the coastal area is seriously badly affected by shrimp
culture activity due to unplanned, uncontrolled and uncoordinated
practices and rapid expansion.
Coastal shrimp culture has generated environmental, ecological,
economic and social problems. Sustainability of this type of coastal
shrimp culture is now under serious question following destruction
of very important mangrove forests diseases out break, social
tension and ecological imbalance. Saline intrusion would affect the
agricultural activities. During shrimp harvesting, draining, cleaning
of the ponds result in effluent discharge containing high load of
organic matter and nutrients which add up to the problems of
water quality. Therefore the materials, data, information’s collected
on the impact of shrimp culture on the environment, economy and
social structure will help in assessing the status of the environment
due to shrimp culture activity and suggesting suitable remedial
measures.
Negative environmental effects of shrimp farming and the mistakes
committed in the development process receive wide publicity. Not
much has been done to inform the general public of the coast about
the positive aspects of shrimp farming. So, attention should be
given to disseminate relevant information on these through media
accessible to the broadest segments of the population. The society
should be made aware about the concept of environment and
model of scientific strategies to be implemented for and eco-friendly
and sustainable farming in shrimp culture.
3
Limitations
Despite of my sincerest endeavour in preparing a perfect report,
some of the limitations are inescapable. These are as follows:
 Large-scale research was not possible due to some
constraints.
 Time frame for the research was very limited.
 Lack of sufficient data and information to complete the
report.
 Insufficient investigation for collecting the data.
 Short range of detailed data analysis of the collected data.
 Sources for collecting data were not sufficient.
 Limited technological support for preparing the project.
In spite of the limitations I had tried with all of my efforts to know
and find out the response pattern of the subjects and consultation
of relevant record and documents.
4
Shrimp Culture in Bangladesh
♦ Historical Background
Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries of the
world. The pressure of over increasing populated, lack of sound
national resources management and illiteracy of mass population
has accelerated the degradation of limited land resources. On the
other hand, the situation has been aggravated due to
geomorphologic and political instabilities, a high level of
dependence of foreign aid, donor domination in decision makings in
this alarming situation, when shrimp culture got world wide
economic consideration and popularity some people of Bangladesh
got oriented towards shrimp farming in the coastal area with the
intention of making quick profit and in doing so in absence of any
national strategy shrimp culture has expanded very quickly in an
uncontrolled, uncoordinated and unplanned way.
Bangladesh a small country lying in the subtropical belt is blessed
with a large coastline of 710 km. The total coastal area of
Bangladesh covers about 25000 square KM, which supports a
variety of lands use practices like shrimp farming. The extensive
traditional culture practices in south-western and south-eastern
regions of the country which is a quite old and started in late
1950s. The farmers traditionally used to culture shrimp and fish by
entrapping them in low lying coastal areas with construction of
embankments. Although the traditional Shrimp culture is quite old
but from early seventies when demand and price expanding in the
mangrove, pollard and even non pole red areas. From eighties
intensification of monotype shrimp culture begun particularly in
Cox’s Bazar and Satkhira.
5
♦ Present Status
Bangladesh has over 55000 marine shrimp farms with an average
size of three hectares, although some ponds as large as 40 hectares
exist. The farms cover about 170000 hectares in the coastal
districts. In 2007, 145000 farmers have produced 300000 metric
tons of shrimp by using traditional method. The following
information shows the present situation of shrimp culture in
Bangladesh:The districts where shrimps are cultivated:
Satkhira, Khulna, Bagerhat, Cox’s Bazaar,
Barguna
and Bhola.
Chittagong,
Types of shrimp spices:
Two major types of shrimp are cultivated in Bangladesh1) Penaeus monodon (Bagda Chingri)
2) Macrobrachium Rosenbergii (Galda Chingri)
Exporting countries:
The Bangladeshi shrimps are mainly exported to USA and EU
countries.
No. of shrimp hatchery:
105 shrimp hatcheries have produced 1200-1500 crore shrimp
fry in
the last year.
Unutilized land:
There are 100000 hectares of unutilized land for brackish
water
shrimp.
Shrimp exported in 2005-06:
Bangladesh has earned 83.80 million pounds by exporting
shrimp.
6
♦ Cultural system in Bangladesh
Generally four types of shrimp cultural systems are followed in the
coastal areas in Bangladesh. They are as follows:
a) Traditional: Traditional shrimp farming in Bangladesh is
practiced in Khulna Sundarban, open rice field in Satkhira,
Sonadia, Moheskhali and Chakaria in Chittagong. Traditional
practices require few inputs and have low yields. The
traditional form of production developed in these areas
because they had adequate water salinity year-round and
largely stable temperatures, an abundance of shrimp fry
(post-larvae), and readily available and cheap labor.
b) Extensive: It is also named as improved traditional system
and is considered as a simple culture method either
traditional pond is converted or new ponds are constructed
with minimal care, water is drown from the natural creeks
nearby through tidal fluctuation or pumping or both.
Supplementary feeding is done as per requirement.
c) Modified extensive: In modified extensive system a careful
management is practiced, culture ponds are constructed and
prepared with a pre-planning method and fry are stocked
with minimal stocking density taking into consideration the
carrying capacity of the pond with suitable fast growing
species from wild or hatchery. The stocks are fed with
supplementary feed.
d) Semi-extensive: Semi-intensive shrimp production requires
regulated water temperatures and water management. This
farm requires adequate supplies of saline water and
electricity. Semi-intensive production requires a greater
supply of wild and hatchery produced fry, high quality feed,
improved infrastructure, improved water and post-harvesting
management, and requires that farmers understand the
complexities of these processes. Semi-intensive shrimp
production requires an investment of funds, time, and
technical assistance Semi-intensive production is dependent
on an uninterrupted supply of electricity and technology.
7
Adverse effect of Shrimp Culture on
Environment in Bangladesh
Shrimp culture is causing a dramatic adverse impact on the
environment. The environmental impacts due to the unplanned and
unscientific shrimp culture are represented in the following:Impact
Impact
Impact
Impact
Impact
on
on
on
on
on
ecological environment
social environment
economic environment
agricultural environment
health and hygienic environment
Now the above points are discussed in the following sections with
different points of view:
A)
Impact on ecological environment
Shrimp culture put a wide range effect on the ecological
environment in Bangladesh. The impacts on the ecology due to the
shrimp culture are as follows:
1) Destruction of mangrove forest
Rapid destruction of mangrove is done in Bangladesh
through the expansion of coastal shrimp culture. In the
southeastern part unique mangroves trees have almost
totally disappeared from other things for the construction
of shrimp farms
2) Salinity in the land:
Since saline water is retained in the culture area for a
long periods, the underground water along with the
adjacent grazing land become Saline. Consequently
monsoon rains can not completely wash out salinity of
the topsoil only a thin top layer is desalinized.
3) Alteration of weather in coastal area
Natural mangroves play an important role in reducing
intensity of storm, cyclones, over-raining, etc. Rapid and
mass destruction of mangroves make coastal areas ore
vulnerable to storm surges. Coastal shrimp ponds are
8
also devastated. Besides this, mangrove renewal may
cause coastal erosion, changes in patterns of
sedimentation and shore live configuration.
4) Sedimentation:
Smith mentioned about the setting of water born fine
grained suspect matter more rapidly near the outlet of
farms, so it reduces the water exchange potential and
eventually make it useless for the fish farming itself too.
It also alters the water flow to another direction which
may cause floods in the surrounding area. For example
sedimentation in the principal canal like Bakkhali also
affected the water drainage system of Inland area and
adversely affects agriculture production. Recently,
hundreds acres of lands in greater Khulna region affected
for sedimentation due to a shrimp production.
5) Interaction with the food web
The large scale extensive coastal shrimp culture can
interact with the marine food web in two ways.
 Firstly, by the removal of phytoplankton and
organic detritus, and
 Secondly, by competition with other plankton
herbivores.
6) Interaction between escaped farmed stock and
wild species
Farmed fishes are selected traits which make them
suitable for farming but these are less well adapted to the
natural ecosystem. Thus, escaped fish could initially out
compete native stocks, but than decline, or the progeny
resulting from interbreeding could be poorly adopted to
the ecosystem.
7) Enrichment and Eutrophication
The release of soluble in organic nutrients from shrimp
farms has the potential to cause nutrients enrichment
and so Eutrophication (increase in primary production) of
the water body. It has also been reported that the release
of dissolved organic compounds together with the
9
components of the diet could influence the growth or
toxicity of particular species of phytoplankton.
8) Impact on water quality
Impact of aquaculture on water quality has become a
national and international problem. The polluted water of
the shrimp farms affect the growth of culturing and
receiving
adjacent
water
bodies.
The
different
management practices of coastal aqua farming are likely
to produce considerable quality of effluents, which may
lead to ecological degradation in the receiving water
bodies and agricultural lands. The recent reviews lead to
the conclusion that negative impacts of aquaculture are
due to unplanned development, mismanagement and
poor knowledge of practitioners.
9) Destruction of plankton species
Since there is scarcity of hatchery produced fry in the
country, farmers have to depend on wild fry for selective
stocking. At the time of catching fry, more than one
thousand kinds of species are caught with the shrimp
fry. The fry catcher carefully sort out the shrimp fry from
the mixed catch and fest of the zooplankton including fry
and juveniles of other valuable shrimp and fin fishes are
just mercilessly discarded anywhere along the shore.
Thus causing a great loss to other valuable fishery
resource at plank tonic age. If this sort of industrial
fishing of zooplankton continues, it will certainly exert
adverse effects on the inland and offshore stocks.
10) Use of poisonous chemical
In the shrimp cultivation, a number of chemicals such as
therapeutants, disinfectants, water and soil treatment
compounds, algicides and pesticides, plankton growth
inducers (fertilizers and minerals) and feed additives.
Excessive and unwanted use of such chemicals results in
problems related to toxicity to non-target species,
development of antibiotic resistance and accumulation of
residues. Constraints to the safe and effective use of
chemicals include misapplication of some chemicals,
insufficient understanding of mode of action and
efficiency under tropical shrimp culture conditions.
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B)
Impact on social environment
Social environment is also adversely affected by the shrimp culture
and its operation in Bangladesh. The impacts are depicted in the
following:
1) Introduction of unfair competition
Shrimp culture introduces competition between the
producers of shrimps. And this competition is increasing
day by day in the social environment in the coastal area
in Bangladesh. But this competition gradually is turning
into an unfair and worse competition in the community.
To earn most profit than others, the producers are
growing greedy continuously. As a result, they don’t
think about the society as well as country. This is really a
very unfortunate matter for our country.
2) Raising of conflict in the community
Shrimp culture is now liable for creation of conflict in the
community in Bangladesh. It creates conflicts among the
different levels of people in the society. Recently, most of
the times in the southeastern part in Bangladesh the
conflict between shrimp gher owners and paddy producer
or fresh water fish has been raised due to the bad
cultural side of shrimp culture. The main cause is that
the paddy producer and fish cultivator face obstacles of
water salinity and soil erosion due to the shrimp culture.
3) Coercion of the poor
Most of the owners of shrimp ghers, shrimp farms and
processing plant are the outside rich people. They coerce
the poor people engaged in shrimp cultivation to work in
any condition.
4) Violation of land and human rights
Property rights are central to the analysis of the
consequences of external costs. Well defined property
rights potentially enable compensation to be effected. The
absence of well defined property rights ensures that few
external costs are addressed or compensated and, in
many cases, shifts these costs onto the landless and the
poor. Frequently, shrimp cultivation in Bangladesh has
11
occurred under leasing arrangements that privilege
producers from outside the communities who lease land
from absentee landlords. Shrimp farming can be highly
profitable and generate significant rents. Land lease
prices are bid up as a result of a shift to shrimp
cultivation,
and
landless
share-croppers
whose
livelihoods depend on the leasing of cultivable land are
deprived of access to paddy fields and fish ponds as well
as common property grazing lands. The customary
approach to shrimp farming requires consensus or
coordination. If at least 85 percent of the landowners
agree to lease out their lands for shrimp farming, the
owners of the remaining 15 percent are obliged to lease
out their lands for the same purpose or allow the current
lessee to inundate the entire area with saline water for
farming. This practice has led to documented
expropriations, evictions, coercion and human rights
abuses as small farmers have been displaced and
community activists threatened and killed. Similar
concerns arise where the land in question is khas land
or common property land reserved for the landless or
land poor. Khas land is public land that has been set
aside for the landless under low cost leasing
arrangements. Many landless families eke a precarious
living from fish and shrimp ponds located on khas land
and leased from the government. Yet despite the
allocation of khas land to the poor and landless, landgrabbing and eviction is widely documented. In a
situation where the victim has property rights
compensation can be devised. But when, lessees have no
property rights or common property rights are not
upheld, restitution and compensation is rarely
forthcoming.
5) Violation of labor rights
Social Activities for Environment (SAFE) an NGO that has
been in operation since 1998 is currently working with
shrimp workers and collaborating with the Solidarity
Center to improve the terms and conditions of work in
the shrimp sector. SAFE estimates that there are about
25,000 workers in shrimp processing factories in
Bangladesh. SAFE and the Solidarity Center has
12
documented a number of concerns about working
conditions in the sector including:






Violations of the 8 hour workday
Forced overtime
Unpaid overtime
Failure to provide adequate health-care
Failure to provide child-care and maternal leave
Failure to observe the right to organize and
collectively bargain
 Inadequate hygiene and health and safety
measures
 Insufficient bathrooms and toilet facilities
Unfortunately, labor laws and regulations are spotty and
confusing. Different acts, ordinances and rules apply to
different types of enterprises and workers. Some of the
general categories to which rules and regulations apply
are factories, shops and establishments, tea estates and
the public sector. The rights that workers have in the
shrimp sector depend on the size of the company, the
number of contracted employees, the location of the firm
and the local ordinances that apply. Much of the labor
that is contracted on shrimp farms and in processing
factories is informal. Few workers have contracts or
receive the statutory benefits. Many complain that they
lack ID cards. Furthermore, the minimum wages that
apply in the shrimp sector are those set for agriculture
and not those that apply to manufacturing. Yet, despite
the existence of these minimum wages, they are
frequently are not observed.
6) Marginalization in coastal community:
Shrimp farming employs thousands of people as shrimp
seed collectors, at hatcheries, farms, and during
processing and distribution. However, because modern
shrimp farming is capital-intensive, rather than laborintensive, employment of local people is often limited to
low-paying, unskilled jobs such as processors, guards or
temporary laborers during harvesting and pond
preparation. Processing is low-paid and precarious
13
employment done mostly by women and quite often by
children. Technical and managerial positions are
reserved for outsiders. Funds invested in commercial
shrimp culture are generated from outside; the economic
benefits to the community are minimal or even negative
due to the outflow of profits from the periphery to the
centre. In this context, the disparate opportunity costs
for the sectors involved should also be acknowledged.
The shrimp cultural entrepreneurs have alternative sites
and income sources, whereas municipal fishermen,
gatherers of forest products and farmers have no
alternative site. Shrimp farming has brought about social
displacement and marginalization of fishermen and
agriculturists instead of improved living standards.
Dispossessed and landless fishermen and farmers are
forced to seek work elsewhere, migrating to cities and
swelling the ranks of the urban unemployed. The
allocation of resources for shrimp farming and the
distribution of benefits will, however, depend on the
socio-economic context and institutional framework.
7) Loss of draft power
In shrimp culture, the draft power of the farmers is
absent due to certain conditions. As the farmers are
poor, they are compelled to do different kinds of work in
the workplace. Sometimes, they have to work more than
their commitment because they are opposed by the
owners of the shrimp farms. With their limited income
living in such a miserable conditions, they are losing the
draft power day by day.
8) Neglecting the local consumption
Most of the shrimp farms and processing plants in
Bangladesh are established to meet the demand of the
foreign customer. Our total shrimp industry is basically
export oriented. The producers of the shrimps do not
think about the demand of the local customers. They are
busy to earn high profit from the foreign buyers by
selling at a high price. In such situations, the local
people are deprived of the consuming of this species and
they get less protein.
14
9) Competition among farmers
Competition between traditional fishermen and family
(peasant) farmers, and entrepreneurial shrimp farmers is
raised in the community for the use of good quality land,
fresh water, etc. Recently, in Bangladesh this competition
is continuously increasing with the expansion of the
shrimp cultivation day by day. This unfortunate matter
disrupts the harmony in the social community.
C) Impact on economic environment
Shrimp culture and its activities also adversely affect the economic
environment of Bangladesh in the following way:
1) Creating lower wage system
Typically, workers on a shrimp farm can get better wages
than with other employments. A global estimate from one
study is that a shrimp farm worker can earn 1.5 – 3
times as much as in other jobs; a study from India
arrived at a salary increase of about 1.6, and a report
from Mexico states that the lowest paid job at shrimp
farms was paid in 1996 at 1.22 times the average worker
salary in the country.
2) Unequal income distribution
In shrimp culture, income distribution is heavily biased
in favor of the owners or controllers of the field. Most of
the income or profit is taken by the owners and
controllers. More than sixty percent of the profit is being
gone to the pocket of the shrimp gher owners, farm
owners and owners of processing plant. By earning a
large amount of income, they are enjoying a welldecorated life with luxurious cars, palace, etc. On the
other hand, the farmers and workers of the shrimp farms
and processing plant are living in a poor society in a
miserable condition in spite of working hard for
producing and growing the shrimp from the post larvae
stage to the exporting stage. As a result an unequal
distribution of income in society is increasing
continuously.
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3) Tendency of maximizing profit
In shrimp culture, the shrimp producers and owners of
the farms and processing plant are leaving the ethics for
the tendency of maximizing profit. For earning more and
more profit through the business, they are committed to
do any illegal deeds in this culture. At present,
Bangladesh is faced a serious environmental loss for the
cultivation of shrimp in the coastal region which cannot
be measured in monetary terms.
4) Introduction of capitalistic & autocratic economy
Shrimp culture is also liable for introducing a well
developed capitalistic economy in our country. Through
shrimp farming few people formulate and accumulate a
huge amount of capital. Day after day they become a
large autocratic market leader in their business and do
the activities as their will. This is a great threat for the
economy of Bangladesh in future.
5) Less productive business
Shrimp culture and cultivation, in many cases, is a less
profitable and less productive business than the other
sector of agriculture. In many areas in our country, the
production of paddy is greater than the production of
shrimp. Moreover, other crops cannot be cultivated in the
lands where shrimps are cultivated. As a result the land
is turned into a one-sided production.
6) High cost in factory farming shrimp
The tendency of shrimp farming systems to be too profitoriented exacts a high social cost and creates a host of
new complex environmental problems. As with
agriculture and fishing, the rapidly growing world
demand for the products of modern aquaculture has
resulted in development of technologies and production
systems that accelerate increasing scale and intensity of
operations until they outstrip the carrying capacity of the
environment. Factory farming has led to depleted and
eroded soils, reduced genetic stock, and widespread crop
failures; Factory fishing has created global over fishing
and the collapse of several commercially important
fishery stocks, and even entire marine ecosystems; and
16
now "factory" aquaculture is headed in the same
direction. Shrimp aquaculture provides a particularly
disturbing example: as the intensity of operations and
the density of shrimp farms has exploded along tropical
coastlines, there has been degradation of coastal
ecosystems and hardships suffered by neighboring
communities; wild stocks of shrimp, and now even the
cultured stocks, are collapsing due to rampant disease
and other problems.
D)
Impact on agricultural environment
Shrimp cultural impact on the agricultural environment is very
wide. It affects adversely all other sector of the agriculture through
its operation. The impact of shrimp culture on agriculture is
represented in the following:
1) Interruption in the horticulture
The horticulture is an important branch of agriculture.
But this sector of agriculture is eliminating day by day
due to the expansion of shrimp cultivation in the coastal
area. As a result, the supply of different of kinds of
vegetables is decreasing in the country. Moreover, the
people of coastal area are now purchasing these
vegetable from the outside area.
2) Elimination of the cultivation of paddy
Shrimp culture also puts a dramatic impact on the
cultivation of paddy. With the growing expansion of
shrimp culture in the unused land, the cultivation of
paddy is not growing. Moreover, the shrimp production is
taking place in the paddy cultivation. As the shimp
culture is becoming a profitable business, the people in
the coastal area is going to the production of paddy day
by day.
3) Destruction of fish culture
In the southwestern coastal area alternate fish culture is
reducing day by day. Because the fresh water fish culture
is not possible with the shrimp cultivation. Moreover, the
17
plankton that are used as the food of fish are destroying
with the rapid expansion of shrimp culture.
4) Decrease of agricultural land
The agricultural land is also decreasing day by day with
the rapid expansion of shrimp cultivation. At present
1700000 hectares of agricultural land are used for the
shrimp culture and cultivation. Moreover, more than
100000 hectares of unused land might be used to
cultivate the shrimp cultivation in the coastal area. This
continuous increase of shrimp cultural land is a great
obstacle to the alternate agricultural produces, such as
paddy, fish, vegetables, etc.
5) Decrease in milk production
The milk production is also decreasing in the coastal
area with the expansion of the shrimp culture day by
day. In the coastal area the land and soil are turned into
salinity for the rapid unplanned growth of shrimp
culture. And for this, the grasses are not grown in the
coastal regions. These grasses are the main food of the
cattle. For want of eatable grass in the land, the cattle
cannot grow up and fall in death day by day in the
coastal area. As a result the milk production is deceasing
with the decrease of cattle in the coastal area.
6) Decline in the production of poultry
The poultry is an important branch of the agricultural
sector for ant country. Bangladesh has a vast production
of poultry in every year. But the production of poultry is
decreasing day by day in the southeastern part of our
country with rapid expansion of shrimp culture. With the
expansion of shrimp culture, the supply of poultry feed is
decreasing in the coastal region which confronts the
growth of the poultry business.
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E) Impact on health and hygienic environment
The shrimp cultural effect on the health and hygienic environment
is also wide. It puts a dramatic impact by creating different kinds of
health problems. Shrimp culture creates the following impact on
the health and hygienic environment:
1) Introduction of shrimp diseases
With the rapid expansion of shrimp culture, various
kinds of shrimp diseases are also arisen in our country.
Generally, the diseases are arisen for the lower quality of
water and lack of awareness about the shrimp health. As
a result various diseases such as Necrotising
hepatopancreatitis, Taura syndrome, Whitespot syndrome,
Yellowhead disease, vibriosis, Infectious Hypodermal and
Hematopoietic Necrosis, etc. These diseases again create a
vast pollution in the community by polluting water and health
of the human beings. By taking the diseased shrimp, some
kinds of health problems are created in the human body.
2) Threatening human health
Shrimp culture is also liable for creating diseases in the
human health in the community of Bangladesh. The
workers, who work in the shrimp cultivation for a long
period, suffer from some diseases. Among these diseases,
certain water-borne skin diseases are common. These
skin diseases are resulting from stagnating and polluted
saline water. These diseases are ultimately a great threat
for the human health of the farmers and workers of the
shrimp farming.
3) Increase of undernourishment and malnutrition
With rapid expansion of shrimp farming in the coastal
area
of
Bangladesh,
the
malnutrition
and
undernourishment are increasing continuously. The
reason is that other sectors of agriculture which is the
major sources of nutrition and nourishment for the
health are hampered by the expansion of shrimp culture.
As a result the people in the coastal area suffer from
diseases that arise from malnutrition.
19
Sustainable Shrimp Culture and Constraints
of it in Bangladesh
♦ Sustainable Shrimp Culture
Shrimp culture should be developed in the coastal of wise
resources use and the environment. The ultimate goal of
sustainable shrimp culture is to develop natural resources in a
manner that ensures a sustained increase in the level of social and
individual welfare. Sustainable shrimp culture is the management
and conservation of natural resources in the coastal environment
and the orientation of technological and institutional change in
such a manner so as to ensure the attainment and continued
satisfaction of human needs for the present and future generations.
Such development conserves land, water, plant and animal and is
environmentally
non-degrading,
technically
appropriate,
economically viable and socially acceptable.
Sustainability in and it’s and itself can be viewed from at least
three perspective.
a) The first relate to all of the technical components of shrimp
culture development. This must be set in framework,
which promotes economical production, consider social
obligation and ensures environmental sustainability.
b) The second aspects of sustainability relate to the policies
and legislation that are created to support the scientific
and technical development. The establishment of regional,
environment, fish health, transportation and other criteria
for shrimp culture operations are only truly useful if the
are given some effect in low.
c) The Third aspect of sustainability relates to its
international profile. Most nations within a region share
similar problems and opportunities in shrimp culture
development. The bilateral approach is now viewed as
economically inefficient, as well as being too timed
consuming if one considers sequential nation by nation,
project by project shrimp culture development.
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♦ Constraints of Sustainable Shrimp Culture in Bangladesh
The ecological conditions of Bangladesh are relatively favorable for
the development of coastal shrimp culture. However, if analyzing in
no detail, the scientists will also recognize certain limitations that
force the suitable sustainable shrimp culture. The unfavorable
conditions are as follows:















Lack of coastal management and utilizing guidelines
Poor management in shrimp cultivation
Problems of pollution in the environment
Problems with hatchings
Lack of suitable site selection for shrimp cultivation
Lack of quality foods that are environment friendly
Diseases out break in culture stock
Social limitation, Conflicts, fighting for resources etc.
Poorly developed infrastructure in shrimp culture
Lack of investment for sustainable growth
Limitations in marketing for sustainable development
Lacks of technical know how
Lack of Govt. incentives and training to the small farmer
Lack of local live food production for hatchery
Lack of proper implementation of existing legislation.
21
Recommendations
Several recommendations are represented in the following section
for releasing from the above discussed adverse effect of shrimp
culture on the environment on Bangladesh:
1) Regular monitoring of the ecological effects of coastal
shrimp culture wastes:
Solute inorganic and particulate wastes from coastal
shrimp culture farms make the local aquatic
environment unsuitable for other organisms and
increase the toxicity of water quality. To prevent the
unacceptable change the environment, potential impact
should be assessed for which monitoring effort is a
necessary steps to be given as a part of regulatory
process which ensures that ecological changes
associated with shrimp culture wastes is kept within
predetermined acceptable levels. Monitoring programs
may provide the information base for decisions to allow
for further expansion or development. Accordingly
information from monitoring can be essential for
deciding whether or not to allow the expansion of
existing shrimp culture operation for sustainable
coastal shrimp culture development. For monitoring
Eutrophication sedimentation can be analyzed.
2) Formulate
shrimp
cultural
development
and
management plans:
The allocation of production sites must be preceded by
an adequate survey of the relevant area with a realistic
appreciation of its potentials and limitations. Involve
local residents in decisions concerning aquaculture
development policies
3) Use environmental impacts assessment process:
The environmental impact assessment is a process
whereby the potential impacts of a proposed action can
be evaluated. These impacts include effects on the
biological, social, physical and economic environments.
Once this has been done attempts can be made to
mitigate the negative effects. For example environmental
22
impacts on mangroves and the extent of their
destruction can be documented. The effect of mangrove
conversion to shrimp ponds had on local artisinal
fishermen can then be acknowledged and its social
effect mitigated.
4) Biological treatment of shrimp culture waste water:
Fish farms without treatment management would lead
to serious pollution of the receiving water bodies and
environment. Unless proper treatment and remedial
measures are taken in the right perspective, the
industry will face heavy losses and even disappear from
the scenario. Today various management practices of
coastal shrimp farming are arising which are likely to
produce some negative impact on coastal and
environment. The impact of untreated shrimp pond
effluent suggested that improper effluent management
might lead to Eutrophication and diseases out break in
coastal water biotopes. But among different methods
applied, biological treatment is the best, which is easier
and cheaper too.
5) Application of remote sensing in cultural site selection:
Remote sensing can play a vital role in the better
management of coastal areas for coastal shrimp culture
development. This technique can be used as a powerful
technique to know the extent, condition and location
suitable for shrimp farms development. The infrared
bands of solar radiation of spot/landsite data can
differentiate between the shrimp farm water and other
surrounding objects and it is also possible to classify
the different farms on the basis of their spatial, spectral
and temporal conditions. Many developing countries are
using remote sensing for the shrimp culture site survey,
management and development.
6) Integration of shrimp culture in to coastal management:
GESAMP working group drew attention to the
classification of different types of coastal management
and to the different models or from works for
approaching integrated coastal management. Any
attempt at planning and management of shrimp culture
23
should be participatory, iterative and adaptive. Zoning
and environmental capacity should be particularly
included with this management. Although complete
integration may be difficult, much more effective
coordination is quite possible and the philosophy of
integrated coastal management may be applied to many
of the individual components.
7) Assessment and evaluation on the true consequences:
Transportation of exotic species beyond their natural
range to new habitats for shrimp culture and stocking
purposes should be carefully and rigidly controlled. The
codes of practice, standard guidance’s and protocols
governing the introduction of exotic species developed
by ICES and EIFAC should be strictly followed and
implemented. Adequate inspection services and
quarantine facilities should be make available in both
the exporting and importing country before any transfer
and importation is authorized.
It should be emphasized that every movement of species
to and from shrimp culture sites, even within the same
general area, should be strictly controlled through
inspection and certification.
8) Regulation on discharges from land based shrimp culture
through the enforcement of effluent standards:
The accumulating effects of discharges on the coastal
environment could be greatly reduced by the
enforcement of site and contaminant specific effluent
standards (e.g. for suspended solids, nutrients and
BOD). Levels to adopt should be within the assimilative
capacity of receiving ecosystems.
9) Establishment of quality control measures for shrimp
culture products:
All shrimp culture products should conform to safety
standards for seafood before they are allowed for human
consumption. It is essential to ensure an adequate
sanitary standard for water in areas supporting shrimp
culture. Improved water treatment techniques and
effluent standards would help to minimize human
24
health risks. Monitoring by the health authority should
be established to ensure that the growers comply with
such requirements. Depuration and appropriate storage
and preservation facilities need to be established to
ensure the adequate quality of products.
8) Introduction of Artemia production in the country:
Artemia cysts are used as one of the most important
food in both finishes and shellfish’s hatcheries for mass
production of fries. As for the fulfillment of requirement
of the existing hatcheries about 94 tons of Artemia cysts
have to be imported, which cost 50 crore of taka every
year. But several successful experimental productions
by some workers at the IMSCU clearly demonstrated the
feasibility of producing Artemia cysts in our country
during dry period as a byproduct of Artemia should be
commence at least to minimize costly importation and
total dependence on foreign source.
9) Training of personnel, research support and extension
services:
Successful shrimp culture involves skillful management
of the stock and the environment in which it is raised.
This calls for sound knowledge of the requirements of
trained manpower. The failure of aqua farming can be
traced to lack of necessary expertise and trained
personnel. Adequate research support is essential to
over come the sudden problem. It may be long or short
term research to test the environmental consequences
or socio ecological facts or even health or growth of the
species. Besides extension services from the govt. or
aiding agencies should be extended in view of the
encouragement of the rural people to shrimp culture
activities.
10) Increase of public awareness:
Better public awareness of the need for seawater quality
in the production of Marine shrimp culture product will
provide pressure for the control of undesirable inputs to
the local environment. Knowledge of the specific risks
associated with handling, processing and consuming
seafood including shrimp culture products could help in
25
reduction of food poisoning and infection from food born
organisms.
11) Formation of coastal shrimp culture development and
Management:
The essential and first step for achieving the above
objectives, a coastal shrimp culture management and
development plan at national or local level is to be
formulated considering all sorts of facts and factors. The
allocation of potential sides and the selection of farms of
coastal shrimp culture practices must be preceded by
adequate survey and evaluation. Not all the sites found
to be technically suitable will be utilized for shrimp
culture since they will also need to be economically
viable and socially and culturally acceptable and their
impacts must be within the assimilative capacity of the
particular ecosystem. Such planning procedures provide
the framework for an orderly development of shrimp
culture practices including the use of species and
culture systems reflecting the physical, chemical and
biological characteristics of the site.
26
Conclusion
Financially strapped national governments have, often with the
assistance of international donor agencies, promoted the
development of export-oriented shrimp aquaculture regardless of
the environmental and socio-economic consequences. Increased
globalization has enabled producers to transfer production among
countries in the event of unacceptable social conflicts,
environmental degradation or epidemic disease outbreaks.
The adoption of better farming practices can to a large extent be
self-regulated by the shrimp industry. For instance, abandoning
shrimp ponds after only a few years due to inappropriate location
or poor pond and water management, not only cause considerable
environmental and socio-economic damage, it also proves
needlessly costly from an economic perspective. Integrated
aquaculture, ”closed” systems and other practices that would make
shrimp farming more sustainable are already used by some
progressive farmers, although there are still hundreds of thousands
of farmers that need to adopt more sustainable practices. It is also
important to understand that not all investments required for
improved environmental and socio-economic sustainability, will be
compensated by boosted income for the shrimp farmer. The
polluter-pays principle has to be applied so that farmers that do
not comply with environmental standards are charged for their own
environmental impact. Some sustainability costs will also have to
passed on to consumers, who are, after all, the ultimate polluters
in the economic system.
27
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