50 MARCH 2014 • WORLD AQUACULTURE • WWW.WAS.ORG (Table 2). The culture period was 6 months and nutrition was provided by natural foods and on-farm feed of locally available ingredients, such as rice brain, mustard seed oil cake and dried goby (locally called cheowa). Small indigenous species recruited naturally in the hator ecosystem. Total production was 2850 kg, of which cultivable species was 1795 kg and SIS was 1055 kg (Figure 4) with a total value of US$2,454. Harvesting was completed by late November and the same land used for paddy cultivation. Marketing Network The existing marketing network was honored by the farmers, traders and consumers (Fig. 5), with smooth operations. The larger fish from grading (70 percent) was sold to the wholesaler at Maijdee and Chowmuhani by the bargaining process (locally called nilam). The remaining 30 percent of smaller fish were used for household consumption and given to the land owners. The wholesaler traded about 40 percent of the fish to the town, city and export markets, and the remaining 30 percent to retail markets for local consumers. Economic Return Revenue and expense calculations showed a net profit of US$782 from a 4.5 ha waterlogged area and the return on investment was 45 percent (Table 3), indicating cost-effective aquaculture development. Household consumption, fish given to land owners, and fish remaining in the culture ponds as over-wintering broodstock were not included in the ROI calculation. All other input costs were estimated and incorporated into the calculation. Local residents were engaged part-time in fish farming without being hampered by their primary occupation of agriculture labor, shopkeeping or jobs in NGOs field offices. Aquaculture Action Plan An action plan was made to summarize the activities to be completed within the specific time for successful aquaculture development. The plan includes the complete innovative guidelines for aquaculture practices in the waterlogged area, including site selection, mobilization, budgeting, implementation and monitoring, and which consisted of additional substeps or activities (Fig. 6). Site selection and community mobilization was completed before the rainy season (March-April). All possible sources of funds were identified, including itemized costs. In the implementation step, dike renovation and pond construction were completed before the rains started, where natural recruitment of SIS, stocking of cultivable fish fry and post stocking management needed to maintain a certain water depth. Harvesting period, fish size and market price were important indicators of profit that needed to be decided wisely. Monitoring with stakeholder groups (farmer, extension manager, researcher and policy maker) sustained the environment and the economic and social viability of aquaculture development. Discussion The community based aquaculture approach was effective in terms of environmental integrity, economic efficiency and social acceptance. Extensive methods of aquaculture were applied that could be further developed by intensification for more output. Successful farming depends on proper farm management including species selection, pond preparation, water quality and feed ration. Carnivores and predatory species need to be removed from the culture system for SIS conservation and selfrecruitment in the following year. A short marketing network was an advantage for better price and prior communication with FIGURE 5. Production and marketing channels for aquatic products from a community-based farming system in Begumganj, Noakhali. FIGURE 6. Action plan for community-based aquatic food production in Begumganj, Noakhali.
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