AGRICULTURE AND BIOLOGY JOURNAL OF NORTH AMERICA ISSN Print: 2151-7517, ISSN Online: 2151-7525, doi:10.5251/abjna.2016.7.3.134.139 © 2016, ScienceHuβ, http://www.scihub.org/ABJNA Pond Farming and Livelihood Status of Fish Farmers in Subarnachar, Noakhali, Bangladesh Md. Golam Sarwer1,*, Md. Yusuf Ali1, Shuva Bhowmik2, Md. Asadujjaman3 and Mst. S. Sharmin1 1Department of Aquaculture, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh 2Department of Fisheries Technology, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh 3Department of Fisheries Management, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh *Corresponding author: Md. Golam Sarwer, Mobile: +8801712729011 and E-mail:
[email protected] ABSTRACT The present study was conducted in Subarnachar upazila under Noakhali district of Bangladesh to know the livelihood status of fish farmers with emphasis on pond fish culture. The survey was conducted on 50 fish farmers from April to November 2011. Data were collected through personal visit and questionnaire interview. Secondary data was collected from Upazilla Fisheries Officer. Pond size of the area was 0.24 ha where 64% of the farm operators having ponds of single ownership, 32% having ponds of multi-ownership and 4% having of lease ponds. Percentages of small, medium, large and very large ponds were 26, 38, 28 and 8 respectively, whereas 48% of the ponds were seasonal and 52% are perennial. Polyculture of Indian major carps and exotic carps have been practiced by most of the farmers. Average stocking density was 14,171 fry/ha and the average annual yield of fish was found to be 2,233.18 kg/ha. The average fish production cost was BDT 54,309.6/ha/yr.