SAIME Initiative in Sundarbans

SAIME Initiative in Sundarbans

A fresh shrimp farming effort in Sundarbans raises the prospect of mangrove regeneration.

What does SAIME stand for?

Farmers in West Bengal have started growing shrimp on 30 hectares as part of the Sustainable Aquaculture In Mangrove Ecosystem (SAIME) initiative.
Farmers are planting mangrove trees around the shrimp ponds. Earlier farmers had to buy shrimp feed, now the mangrove leaf litter provides nourishment for the crustaceans
NGOs like Naturland, Bangladesh Environment and Development Society (BEDS), Global Nature Fund (GNF), and Nature Environment and Wildlife Society (NEWS) are spearheading the community-based effort of sustainable shrimp cultivation, which was launched in 2019.
Shrimp farming and the mangrove ecology are intertwined, unlike the earlier fisheries cultivation which were expanded inward and the mangrove ecosystem was left out.
Farmers are cultivating indigenous varieties of shrimps such as black tiger shrimp (P. monodon) and giant freshwater prawn (M. rosenbergii ).
One of the main industries in the Sundarbans,( a complex system of rivers and low-lying islands that experience twice-daily tide surges,) is fishing, notably shrimp farming.
About 15,000 to 20,000 hectares of India's unique ecology are used for shrimp farming.

What is the Sundarbans Delta's Significance?

The Sundarbans, located on the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna River deltas on the Bay of Bengal, are home to the biggest mangrove forests in the world.
The mangrove ecosystem is a highly specialised environment that can be found in tropical and subtropical areas between the land and the sea.
Many animal species have their natural homes in the Sundarbans, where a huge number of species have been observed to feed, breed, and find shelter.
Numerous rare and endangered wildlife species, including the estuary crocodile, water monitor lizard, Gangetic dolphin, and olive ridley turtle, call this region home.
India has (40% ) and Bangladesh has (60%) of the area of the Sundarbans. In 1987 (India) and 1997 (Bangladesh), Sundarbans received the UNESCO World Heritage designation.
In January 2019, India's Sundarbans Wetland received Ramsar Convention recognition as a "Wetland of International Importance."

Source: The Hindu

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