Get started
Work

Assessing shellfish harvesting and stakeholder perspectives on trade in Bangladesh’s largest wetland

Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The trade of freshwater shellfish is growing but has received insufficient attention from researchers. In this study, we examined various aspects of shellfish harvesting (catch amount and composition, socio-economic profiles of shellfish collectors, distribution channels and perceptions of major stakeholder groups) over a six-month period (October 2023 to March 2024) in the largest wetland of Bangladesh, the Chalan Beel. The daily shellfish catch was higher during the low-water period (October – December; 10.7 ± 3.3 kg person–1) than during the dry period (January – March; 0.6 ± 0.2 kg person–1) (t-test: t = –32.4, p < 0.001). Catch composition varied significantly across groups (ANOVA: F = 10823, p < 0.001). Freshwater snails (primarily Pila globosa) contributed the most (70.1%) to the total catch, followed by mussels (primarily Lamellidens marginalis; 19.7%) and crab (Cancer pagurus; 10.2%). Three key actor groups involved in shellfish distribution were crab collectors, traders and consumers. Most collectors (65%), traders (54%) and consumers (89%) disagreed that shellfish are an important component of the aquatic environment. All traders and 96% of collectors agreed that shellfish collection and trade are profitable, whereas all consumers maintained a neutral standpoint. All consumers agreed that shellfish are good food, while the majority of collectors (93%) and traders (93%) remained neutral. Additionally, all consumers and most collectors (67%) and traders (73%) supported harvesting shellfish from other aquatic ecosystems. The results of this study are expected to be useful in formulating appropriate policies for wetland and resource management.
DOI: 10.17017/j.fish.1076
Authors: Goutam Singha, M. Nazrul Islam, Shams M. Galib
Language: English
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4416135535
FWCI:
Cites:
Cited by:
Related to: