Carbon Footprint of Hilsa (Tenualosa Ilisha) in The Lower Meghna River of Bangladesh

Abstract:

Carbon footprint, which indicates the carbon dioxide emissions generated by an activity, a product system or supply chain per unit of output, provides a quantitative index of potential adverse impacts with respect to climate change. Compared to a century ago, the world’s f ishing crafts as well as hilsa fishing crafts are larger and more powerful, are travelling further and producing higher quality products. These developments come largely at a cost of high-fossil fuel energy inputs whereas this fuel consumption is typically the largest contributor to overall carbon footprint. This study presents the carbon footprint and associated fuel use intensity for fishing vessels, calculated per kg of hilsa landed by f ishermen in Chairmanghat, Noakhali. There was three types of boat mainly employed for hilsa fishing, which fuel use intensity depended on the total fuel consumption and the total catch. According to respondent data the small tempo boat showed a high fuel use intensity than the others which increase the overall average fuel use intensity. The fuel use intensity of small tempo boat, large tempo boat and fishing boat were 923.93 ± 577.104 L / MT, 542.31 ± 293.004 L/MT and 748.844 ± 557.945 L/MT respectively. Regardless of boat type the average fuel use intensity was found 738.362 ± 191.026 L/MT. The carbon footprint was subsequently changed with the fuel use intensity. Among all the boats the large tempo boat gives the lowest carbon footprint, while the small tempo has the largest footprint. The carbon footprint of small tempo, large tempo and fishing boat were 2.5743 ± 1.4649 Kg 𝐶𝑂2-e / Kg hilsa, 1.5305 ± 0.8289 Kg 𝐶𝑂2-e / Kg hilsa and 2.2095 ± 1.5913 Kg 𝐶𝑂2-e / Kg hilsa respectively. Regardless of boat types the average carbon footprint was determined as 2.1047 ± 0.5297 Kg 𝐶𝑂2-e / Kg hilsa. The energy demands of hilsa fishery is tangible and hilsa appear to be relatively higher energy-efficient than many other aquaculture and fisheries derived sources of protein. Findings of this study provide hilsa fishermen, fisheries managers and other stakeholders a first order estimate of the fuel use intensity and carbon footprint of contemporary hilsa fishing, a baseline against which future performance can be measured. ii