REPORT NO 11
SITE SELECTION FOR THE BRACKISHWATER FISHERIES RESEARCH STATION
SITE SELECTION FOR THE BRACKISHWATER FISHERIES RESEARCH STATION
FISHERIES RESEARCH INSTITUTE - BANGLADESH
PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF BANGLADESH
MINISTRY OF FISHERIES AND LIVESTOCK
FISHERIES RESEARCH INSTITUTE
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REPORT NO 11 SITE SELECTION FOR THE BRACKISHWATER FISHERIES RESEARCH STATION |
PREPARED BY DR M. KARIM
NOVEMBER 1986
FAO/UNDP TA-PROJECT BGD 83/010
IDA/WB AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH II PROJECT
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2.1 Criteria for site selection
2.2 Site searching
2.3 Supporting data
2.4 Site evaluation
2.4.1 General
2.4.2 Shiberbati-north site
2.4.2.1 Strong points
2.4.2.2 Weak points
2.4.3.1 Strong points
2.4.3.2 Weak points
2.4.4.1 Strong points
2.4.4.2 Weak points
Annex A - Location of 9 sites
B - Tide water levels
C - Calculated tidal inundation on site no 2 and site no 9
D - Salinity
E - Soil associations in the Greater Khulna District
F - Distribution of acid soils in the Greater Khulna
District
G - Distribution of saline soils in the Greater Khulna
District
H - Rainfall data for Rampal and Paikgacha 1981/82–1985/86
I - Temperature, humidity, wind velocity and evaporation
data for Khulna region
J - Sites surveyed for soil quality
I - Site no 1: Rampal R & H (Tangramari)
II - Site no 2: Rampal town
III - Site no 5: Kaliganj (Narayanpur)-DOF
IV - Site no 8: Paikgacha (Batikhali)
V - Site no 9: Paikgacha (North Shiberbati)
K - Soil texture, pH and nutrient levels
I - Rampal site, Tangramari
II - Rampal town site
III - Kaliganj site
IV - Batikhali site, Paikgacha
V - North Shiberbati site, Paikgacha
L - Proposed site for year-round shrimp culture at Munshiganj
Table 1 - Comparison of sites
2 - Ranking of 9 sites based on selected crucial factors
3 - Percentages of various soil associations in the Ganges
tidal floodplain area in Khulna region
4 - Distribution of Barisal-Pirojpur and Barisal-Dumuria
soil associations by upazilas
(a) In order to select a suitable site to establish a Brackishwater Fisheries Research Station in the Khulna region, a national consultant (Dr. M. Karim) was appointed for five months. During his consultancy, he identified nine potential sites. The distribution of the sites is indicated below:
| District | Upazila | No of sites |
| Bagerhat | Mongla | 1 |
| Rampal | 2 | |
| Khulna | Paikgacha | 3 |
| Satkhira | Satkhira | 1 |
| Kaliganj | 1 | |
| Shyamnagar | 1 |
(b) The nine sites were critically evaluated on the basis of a large number of technical issues and socio-economic infrastructure facilities. For evaluation purpose, a point and ranking system was applied. The results of this exercise appear in Table 1.
(c) The added values in Table 1 include a number of less important parameters which unduly rival and underweigh the crucial factors in certain instances, opening a scope for misjudgment about the relative suitability of the site. A set of seven crucial aspects was therefore identified in agreement with the local and international experts connected with the proposed research station. The sites were scored separately on the basis of these crucial aspects only. The results appear in Table 2.
(d) Three sites more or less fulfilled the requirements of the research station. A 72 acre (approximately) site in Paikgacha (site no 9 in Table 1 or 2) just behind and contiguous with the Fish Seed Multiplication Farm of the Directorate of Fisheries was rated to be the most preferred site. Site no 2, adjacent to the Rampal Upazila Parishad Office, ranked second in order of merit. Third in quality was site no 5 at Kaliganj.
(e) In order to be linked with the existing infrastructure facilities, about 10–15 acres of extra land over and above the approved project provision may have to be required if the best site is to be chosen for the research station *). Any extra cost on account of land may be more than balanced with various advantages that the site will enjoy by being contiguous with an established part of the town.
(f) No single site anywhere in the Khulna region (or in Bangladesh as a whole) appeared to fulfil conditions at sufficiently satisfactory levels for all the research activities proposed for the brackishwater sector (see Technical Assistance Report No 5, FAO/UNDP Project BGD 83/010). It may be necessary to conduct selected field investigations at places remote from the main station.
(g) Large areas of almost perennially high saline water exist in the southern parts of Satkhira, Khulna and Cox's Bazar Districts. Excellent opportunities are available there for research into intensive or semi-intensive culture of penaeid shrimp and selected fin fish throughout the year, with possible substantial increase in land productivity. Development of suitable culture techniques in the above line merits high priority. Accordingly, a 8 ha site at Munshiganj in Shyamnagar upazila has been identified for establishing a research sub-station; this could also be used as a supporting centre for survey and exploitation of shrimp and fish seed which are known to occur in the area in great abundance throughout most part of the year.
* Based on the infrastructure requirements for research these extra acres are also needed.
The site selection consultant gratefully acknowledges the whole-hearted co-operation and generous assistance received from the following persons of the Soil Resources Development Institute: Messrs. Rezaur Rahman (Director), S.M. Saheed (Deputy Director), Mahboobur Rahman (PSO), Abul Kalam (SSO), Anwar Hossain (SO) and Mojammel Hossain (SO). The SRDI regional office at Khulna extended their co-operation beyond limit.
Mr. A.H.A. Jalil (Deputy Director) of the Directorate of Fisheries, Khulna Division, Mr. Chatur Krishna, District Fishery Officer, Khulna, and the Upazila Fishery Officer, Paikgacha, were extremely helpful in establishing contacts with relevant persons in various places within their jurisdiction. Mr. Ashraf Ali Shaikh, District Fishery Officer, Bagerhat, helped in organizing the topographic survey and tidal data collection for the two sites in Rampal upazila.
Messrs. Khalilur Rahman Bhuiyan and Abdul Haq Sardar, Executive Engineers respectively of Khulna and Bagerhat Divisions of the Water Development Board, helped in topographic surveys.
Messrs. Abdul Jalil, Chairman, Rampal Upazila Parishad, and Mr. S.M. Babar Ali, Chairman Paikgacha Upazila Parishad, took special interest in the work and provided all the practical support to facilitate the technical investigations undertaken by the consultant in the said upazilas.
Of special help were the many advice and information received from Dr. Aftabuzzaman, a medical practisoner, and ex-minister of fisheries and, above all, a leading promoter of agro-aquafarming in the brackishwater region of the country.
The consultant received useful policy guidelines from the agriculture sector of the Planning Commission, the Ministry of Fisheries & Livestock and the Directorate of Fisheries.
Continuous exchange of views with Dr. A.N. Ghosh, the FAO shrimp culture expert always proved useful. Dr. J.C.J. van Zon, Teamleader of the FAO/Euroconsult consultant team for Fisheries Research Institute, promptly provided directives, advice, and all the logistic and moral supports to accomplish the given task smoothly. Dr. Asadur Rahman, Director of FRI, accompanied the consultant to the field on two occasions. For Dr. Rahman's personal interest in the present work, curiosity about the coastal aquaculture and his open-mindedness in technical matters the consultant found his present assignment very pleasant as well as productive.