Coastal fisheries land use zoning and its potentials of Maheshkhali Upazila, Cox’sBazar, Bangladesh

Maheshkahli Upazila under Cox’s Bazar District is located between 21°28' and 21°46' north latitudes and between 91°51' and 91°59' east longitudes. Total area of this upazila is 36,234 ha. Land use in coastal Bangladesh is diverse, competitive and conflicting. Agriculture, shrimp farming, salt production, forestry, ship-breaking yards, ports, industry, settlements and wetlands are some of the uses. Land uses have gone through major changes. Land use in the 1950s had been mainly for paddy cultivation, but salinity intrusion and tidal flooding prevented further intensification. The detailed fisheries study has been carried out up to union level to collect all kinds of relevant data, maps, reports and information from field survey using proper tools and techniques. The relevant secondary data on fisheries land uses, satellite image classification and information pertinent to present status of fisheries had also been collected from Department of Fisheries (DoF), BBS and SPARSO suitability and assign it to one or a few specific uses for which the land will technically most suitable and economically viable. To determine present fisheries land use situation detailed experiment study has been conducted through PRA tools like Key Informant Interview (KII) with the related fish farmer, local people.