Haider Sayeed Mahmood Belal

Experimental Cultivation of Seaweed on the Coast of Cox s Bazar, Bangladesh: Identifying the Effects of Environmental Parameters on Seaweed Growth

Simul Bhuyan, Sayeed Mahmood Belal Haider, Mrityunjoy Kunda, Abid Husain, Enam Chowdhury, Venkatramanan Senapathi, K. Sivakumar, Manickam Elangovan

ABSTRACT. The current study was carried out at Rezu Khal to determine the ideal area for seaweed farming. Additionally, this investigation uncovered species of commercially productive and lucrative seaweed. Temperature, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), conductivity, and Formazin Nephelometric Units (FNU) of surface water ranged from 20.9 to 26.2°C, 24 to 26.2‰, 6.45 to 8.5, 92 to 105%, 33,256 to 64,267 µS/cm, and 11.1 to 42.8, respectively. Phosphate-phosphorus concentrations in surface water were 2.6–7.6 mg/L, 0.04–0.12 mg/L for nitrate-nitrogen, 0.002–0.04 mg/L for nitrite-nitrogen, 0.15–0.83 mg/L for silica, and 0.13–0.28 mg/L for ammonia. Three seaweed species (Gracilaria lemaneiformis, Hypnea musciformes, and Sargassum oligocystum) were cultivated in the selected areas. Two methods (net and long-line) were used for the culture. In this study, 15–20 kg of G. lemaneiformis were harvested every 15 days using the net method. H. musciformes gained 4 to 12 kg every 15 days. Although S. oligocystum thrived nicely, it was challenging to maintain its viability. The findings of this study indicate that seaweed farming is feasible and coastal residents may participate in seasonal income-generating endeavours in coastal waters.

Keywords: culture; effects; physicochemical parameters; seaweed; Rezu Khal.

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Seaweed Culture, Post-Harvest Processing, and Market Generation for Employment of Coastal Poor Communities in Cox s Bazar

Asrafi Md. Farhaduzzaman, Md. Suzan Khan, Mohammad Hasan, Rashedul Islam, Mahadi Hasan Osman, Md. Neamul Hasan Shovon, Sayeed Mahmood Belal Haider, Mrityunjoy Kunda, Md. Tarikul Islam, Md. Simul Bhuyan

ABSTRACT. Seaweed farming is one of the aquaculture industries with the greatest growth rate worldwide, with an annual production of over 33 billion tonnes, and a value of USD$11.8 billion which is predicted to treble by 2024. The current study was conducted in the Bakkhali River estuary and set out to survey the seaweed cultivation, processing, marketing status of the seaweed farmers and evaluate its financial benefits. Gracilaria lemaneiformis and Ulva intestinalis were cultured using the rope methods. The yield of G. lemaneiformis and U. intestinalis was good (Ten 15 m long ropes were used in each of the 45 plots, produced 7770 kg of G. lemaneiformis in the first 15 days while using ten 15 m long ropes were in each of the plots of U. intestinalis produced 2300 kg). Water parameters viz. temperature, salinity, pH, DO and transparency were checked every 15 days. According to previous literature, winter was determined to be the most productive time for seaweed development in Bangladesh. Seaweed was processed by the sun drying method and sold to retail clients, neighborhood shops and markets, and representatives in Cox’s Bazar, Bandarban, Rangamati and Khagrachari district, where G. lemaneiformis attracting the higher price. The income of seaweed farmers has increased more than in the previous years to maintain their family. Most of the farmers used raw seaweed as traditional medicine for the treatment of gastric problem (80%), diabetes (5%), blood pressure (3%) and cancer (2%). They also used seaweed as an additive with other vegetables, mutton and chicken. Education for coastal people is very difficult, but after cultivating seaweed, about 60% of farmers can afford their children’s education cost and about 85% of the households had electric fans, while the majority had mobile phones. The cost-benefit analysis demonstrated that seaweed cultivation is highly profitable.

Keywords: coastal communities; employment generation; marketing; processing; seaweed culture.

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