Applicability of water reuse for coastal shrimp ponds in southern Bangladesh

Coastal aquaculture is the most productive export earning sectors of Bangladesh. South-Eastern coast of Bangladesh is the most productive region of coastal aquauculture and millions of people depend on this sectors for livelihood. Three categories of tidal water exchange system based ponds of canal connected, river connected and pond connected pond were selected to study the nutrient loading and existing health management in the shrimp ponds. The aims of the study were quantified the hydrology of ponds, health evaluation test with the gut content investigation of shrimp body and nutrient loading from the shrimp ponds. It was found that higher nutrient load in the river connected pond also carried the higher growth and survival rate, feed conversion ratio and the highest production of shrimp. Although unplanned expansion and slightly improved traditional system of shrimp culture exists there is still no risk of environmental degradation in the aquatic environment of shrimp farming in Cox’s bazaar region. It was concluded that reuse water or connected pond system for coastal shrimp ponds should not be practiced anywhere in Bangladesh, due to the uncertainity associated with water productivity in such regions.