Status of the Research Components of the Project

Component 1
Profile of Key Aquaculture Technologies and Fishing Practices

Bangladesh

Freshwater Aquaculture
The fisheries sector comprises of i) inland capture, ii) inland culture, iii) brackishwater culture, iv) marine industrial fishing (trawl) and v) marine artisanal (small-scale traditional gears). Inland capture fisheries is made up of 4,947,256 hectares of water area which is composed of river and estuaries (1,031,563 ha), beels (114,161 ha), Kaptai lake (68,000 ha), floodplain (2,832,792 ha), and polder and enclosures (873,000 ha). Inland culture fisheries covers 361,841 ha of water area consisting of ponds and ditches (215,000 ha), ox-bow lakes (baors) (5,488 ha) and (shrimp farms 141,353 ha). The total area of inland water is 4,337,690 ha.

Total fish production of Bangladesh is 1.61 million tons coming from open water capture fisheries (0.67 million ton), closed water culture (0.65 million ton) and marine fisheries (0.34 million tons) (DOF, 2001a). In general, fish production over the last decade (1991-92 to 1998-99) grew at a rate of 7.09% per annum. Annual growth of production has been highest for the ponds (15.32%).

Carps are by far the most important species in cultured fish production. Total carp production accounted for 88% of the total freshwater fish production in the country. About 88% of all fish species in pond culture are carps. Three major Indian carps namely, rohu (Labeo rohita), catla (Catla catla), mrigal (Cirrihinus mrigala) and one exotic carp, silver carp (Hypopthalmichthys molitrix), together account for more than 78% of pond production. Other species include grass carp and common carp.

Polyculture of carps and monoculture of Thai pangus and catfish in ponds are the most widely practiced culture systems in Bangladesh. In 1995, total production from ponds culture reached 307,974 mt, which constitute about 81% of total fish production. Other culture systems include polyculture and monoculture of fish in cage, ox-bow lake (baors), ricefield and integrated polyculture in conjunction with poultry. In general, fish culture in Bangladesh is characterized by extensive to moderate or semi-intensive.

Carp polyculture in pond is more productive, capital intensive and is a profitable activity compared to the other culture systems. On the average, the yields for carp polyculture, tilapia monoculture and integrated rice-fish culture are about 4,000 kg/ha, 4,050 kg/ha, and 1,440 kg/ha, respectively. With a corresponding operating cost of US$ 1,840/ha, US$ 453/ha and US$ 453/ha, estimated net returns are about US$ 2,241 /ha, US$ 1,420 /ha, and US$ 400 /ha for carp polyculture, tilapia monoculture and integrated rice-fish culture, respectively. Feed and labor costs were the two most important components of the total cost in most of the culture systems in Bangladesh, each accounting for about 20% and 17%, respectively of the total costs. Among integrated culture systems however where natural feeds are readily available, the contribution of feed cost is the lowest, which constitute about 0.6% of the total cost (Table 2.1.1.1).

 View Table 2.1.1.1.

Brackishwater Aquaculture
The brackishwater aquaculture is initiated as an important economic activity in the early 1980's with shrimp as the dominant species. Shrimp farming contributes about 18% of the total production from various culture systems in the country and contributes about US$ 285 per year to export earnings. Three different type of culture systems prevailed in the coastal area, namely traditional/extensive, improved extensive and semi-intensive. Shrimp farming is a capital-intensive business with total production costs of US$ 735 per ha/crop for traditional/extensive system, US$ 1,837 per ha/crop for improve traditional system and US$ 9,184 per ha/crop for semi-intensive system with the corresponding net benefit of US$ 1,275, US$ 2,204 and US$ 153,061, respectively (Table 2.1.1.2.).

 View Table 2.1.1.2.

Marine Capture
Bangladesh possesses a vast marine environment of 1.66 lakh sq. km. having abundant fisheries resources including 475 fish and 36 shrimp species. The main species caught are Spanish mackerel, tuna, India salmon, anchovy, croaker, snapper and grouper. The marine fishery subsector includes both industrial and artisanal fisheries. Most of the fishers are small-scale fishers who use both motorized and non-motorized boats. Trawlers are used in the deep sea by some commercial firms. In 1997, there were about 3,317 mechanized boats, 10,014 non-mechanized boats and 23,810 fishing gears (Khan and Haque 2001). The total investment, running cost and income in trawl fishing is much higher compared to other types of fishing gears. The total investment cost and running cost of trawl fishing (Tk.38, 089,580 and Tk.15, 761,000 per annum, respectively) are more or less 20 times higher than that of large motorized boat (Table 2.1.1.3). On the other hand, the annual net income of trawl fishing (Tk 3,236,800) is only 8 times higher than that of large motorized boat. Fuel cost is a major expenditure item, which constitutes about 25% - 35% for all type of gears. On the average, the annual expenditure on food is about Tk 0.50 million for trawlers and Tk 135,000 for large motorized boats. The trawler owners spent on an average of Tk 1.54 million per annum on salary of crews and officers (Table 2.1.1.4).

 View Table 2.1.1.3.

 View Table 2.1.1.4.

On the other hand, the average net income from operating tong nets and setbag nets from a survey in North Salimpur and Peshkar Para is around Tk 50,000 and Tk 41,000, respectively. In Peshkar Para, average profit from another local variant of purse seine called floating nets was Tk 195,000, which is more than four times the average profit made from two local variants of gillnet, Pomfret nets (Tk 49,000) and Lakkha nets (Tk 41,000) (Table 2.1.1.5).

 View Table 2.1.1.5.

•  Bangladesh
•  China
•  India
•  Indonesia
•  Malaysia
•  Philippines
•  Sri Lanka
•  Thailand
•  Vietnam