Seaweed Aquaculture: An Alternative Income Generation Option to Improve the Livelihood of the Southeast Coastal Communities of Bangladesh- Juniper Publishers

 

Juniper Publishers- Journal of Oceanography

Abstract

Coastal communities are blessed with abundance of natural resources nevertheless, they remain poor especially in developing countries. The livelihoods of the inhabitants of coastal areas are deficient in proper economic growth. To improve sustainable ways of earning from various income sources using their existing resources, approaches to develop alternative livelihood is a common practice. Coastal communities of Bangladesh occupied on southeastern coasts, known to have a significant number of commercially valuable seaweeds grown seasonally. The communities here are aware of the value yet have no idea how to use it. The current study elucidated the response of coastal inhabitants' on potentiality of seaweed farming as an alternate income generation (AIG) activity to improve the livelihood of the coastal community in Bangladesh.

Keywords: Seaweed; Alternative income generation (AIG); Bangladesh; Coastal community

Introduction

Bangladesh possesses one of the largest coasts in South Asia including Cox's Bazar beach, Teknaf and St. Martin's Island. The livelihoods of the inhabitants of these areas are based primarily on the coastal resources. Coastal aquaculture predominantly oriented by freshwater prawn and salt water shrimp farming [1]. Nevertheless, the community is underprivileged compared to the other part of the country in education, employment and medical sectors advances [2]. Proper economic progression of the community hampered due to increased population, competition on insufficient employment, and alternative earnings opportunity only from tourism season. The problem often confounded with natural hazards affected the community with nearly no definite source of regular income. Developing alternative livelihood commonly used as an effective strategy to ensure sustainable development and economic boost of the coastal communities globally [3].

Rich biodiversity on the coasts of Bangladesh previously reported with seaweed flora along with a variety of fauna grown from December to May every year [4-6]. So far, 95 red, 47 greens and 60 brown macro- and micro-algal species recorded from this area [7]. These seaweeds are valued greatly for their diverse applications worldwide. The whole plant body used as food, fodder, and fertilizer or as a source of commercially significant hydrocolloids, such as, agar, alginate and carrageenan used in processing of food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries [8,9]. Seaweed aquaculture already substantiated economically viable and commercially sustainable way to improve the livelihood of the coastal communities in several countries of Asia and Africa, like, Philippines, Indonesia, India and Tanzania [10,11]. Although, the coastal communities in Bangladesh knows the value of seaweed, they lack understanding of how to harness it. Our findings recommended local communities in this area are well aware of potential use of seaweeds and are willing to involve seaweed farming if this would turned into a practical income generating activity in future.

Methods

Study area encompassed Cox’s Bazar, Teknaf and St. Martin’s Island at the southeast coast of Bangladesh. Sampling method was snowballing or chain referral sampling [12]. Hundred native inhabitant participants had been made randomly via the researchers on study sites who could potentially participate in the questioners or contribute to the study.

Results and Discussion

Of hundred respondents, over fifty percent were familiar with various usage of seaweeds and agreed it could possibly be a good option of alternative income source for them (Figure 1). Seventy percent of them acknowledged seaweeds can be a potential income source along with their regular earnings; however, most of them (47%) were doubtful on seaweed farming perhaps establishes future industries in Bangladesh. Conceivably, as there is no seaweed farm developed here yet, the local community had no clear idea about the labor or prospective benefit from the farm.

Conclusion

Seaweed farming could contribute to the coastal aquaculture sector, create new occupations and improve poverty circumstances, to develop coastal livelihoods in Bangladesh. The prospective of the farm can be experienced through a pilot venture with the help of the local community. The challenges and success of this venture would help to establish commercially valued sustainable income generation activity from seaweed farming in future.

To Know More About Journal of Oceanography Please Click on: https://juniperpublishers.com/ofoaj/index.php

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bioluminescence in Fishes: Diversity and Functions- Juniper Publishers

                  Juniper Publishers -  Journal of Oceanography Introduction Bioluminescence is a amazing biological phenomen, which can be found in terrestrial and oceanic environments. Numerous bioluminescent taxa were described from the marine environment [ 1 - 2 ]. Bioluminescence is especially abundant in the deep-sea. The majority of luminescent taxa are invertebrate animals. In contrast to the high diversity in invertebrates, vertebrates lack bioluminescent light organs, with the exception of an amazing diversity in teleosts and some shark species. A recent paper reported that bioluminescence appeared in ray finned fishes in 27 independent evolutionary events [ 3 ]. Bioluminescent light is generated in spezialized light organs based on a oxyidation of a light emitting luciferine in the presence of oxygene and the enzyme luciferin [ 1 , 4 ]. Most of the bioluminescent species produce blue green light in the wavelength range around Xmax ~475nm [ 1 ]. Luminescence in fishes c
Read more

SDS-PAGE Electrophoresis of Ocypode rotundata Miers, 1882 and O. ceratophthalma Pallas, 1772 using Muscle Tissue along the Coast of Pakistan

Image
  Oceanography & Fisheries Open Access Journal Juniper Publishers Authored by Sahir Odhano Abstract Electrophoretic studies for the identification of ghost crabs (Ocypode rotundata and Ocypode ceratophthalma) using the SDS-PAGE were performed on protein patterns along the Sandspit coastal areas. The muscle tissues were used to estimate the molecular mass of proteins through SDS-PAGE electrophoresis. Electrophoretic settings were standardized to use 10% acrylamide resolving gel and 5% acrylamide stacking gel. A discontinuous buffer system was used following the protocols of Laemmli (1970) to observe the relative mobility and molecular weight of proteins. In O. rotundata total of 6 protein bands were resolved among them band-5 was found similar in size to the marker used (BSA = 66 kDa MW). Whereas in O. ceratophthalma total of 8 protein bands were resolved among them three protein bands (band-6, band-7, and band-8) were found to be higher in size than the molecular mar
Read more

Environmental Perception of Recreational Fishers in Urban Beaches

Image
  Oceanography & Fisheries Open Access Journal Juniper Publishers Authored by:  Jacqueline S Silva-Cavalcanti Abstract Recreational fishers depend on the good quality of those environments. The assessment of the environmental perception of social actors who show a sense of belonging to the landscape can better describe the impacts on the environment. This study aimed to assess the recreational fishers’ perception of the environmental quality in four urban beaches. 170 recreational fishers agreed to participate in the research. They were required to respond to questions about their fishing strategies and their perception of the environmental quality of the beaches and the possible impacts on the fishing activity. Based on the responses presented, a description of both local fishing activities made, as well as an analysis of the perception of the beaches’ environmental quality for fishers. On average, the recreational fisher ones have been working for 16.2 years. Pollu
Read more