Ecohydrology: A framework for overcoming the environmental impacts of shrimp aquaculture on the coastal zone of Bangladesh

Coastal ecosystem of Bangladesh has experienced notable degradation due to shrimp farming during the last two decades. This shrimp farming industry has been heavily criticized because of its devastating ecological and socio-economic impacts and requires major changes in practice to become environmentally sustainable. Therefore, this study proposes an ecohydrology based shrimp farming (ESF) approach to management practice which has the potential to reverse the degradation of coastal ecosystems. To make such as strategy successful, a change in present practice is needed and must be accepted by the farm owner (e.g. national and multinational investors) as well as supported by the policy makers. Shrimp farming will continue to degrade coastal ecosystems as well as the farms themselves unless change is made to current management and practices. So, there is therefore, an urgent need to develop a better understanding of the interaction between biota and water of this coastal ecosystem, which is the core concern of ecohydrology. Then to develop ecohydrology based shrimp farming (ESF) system that includes the introduction of a sequential ponds, buffer zone with halophytes, and constructed wetland. This would enhance the carrying capacity of the shrimp farm and the local coastal ecosystem, thereby increase overall resilience against anthropogenic pressure. This approach could be highly successful and effective by finding out the suitable salt accumulator halophytes, the width of buffer zone, the size of fish-bivalves pond, sediment trap pond and constructed wetland. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.