Changes of shrimp farming in southwest coastal Bangladesh

Shrimp (Penaeus monodon) farming is a traditional aquaculture in southwest coastal Bangladesh. Changes in both the farming practice and yield of shrimp since the advent of commercial production in this area are evident in scientific studies. We assessed the historical perspective of shrimp farming indicating the major phase changes and present situation of the shrimp farming practice including recent changes in yield and cost-benefit. A systematic random sampling method was employed to conduct a total of 240 questionnaire surveys, 24 focused group discussions, and 60 key informant interviews in six sub-districts (upazila) from southwest coastal Bangladesh. We identified four major phase changes in the history of shrimp farming in southwest coastal Bangladesh and found that shrimp mixed culture is the…