Evaluation of coastal aquaculture ponds using remote sensing and GIS

摘要

Coastal aquaculture is one of the fast growing food production sectors worldwide, contributing to more than half of the total volume of aquatic foods for human consumption, and offering great potential for global food security. Remote sensing and GIS technologies contribute to the mapping and monitoring of changes in aquaculture providing essential information for coastal management applications. The present study investigates the growth and expansion of aquaculture and its spatiotemporal dynamics in Nagapattinam district (from Vedaranyam to Vettar River) over the last decade. Multitemporal IRS 1C and IRS P6 remote sensing data were analyzed for detecting and assessing land use and land cover (LULC) change in the Nagapattinam area (Tamil Nadu). Visual interpretations have been made with the help of field surveys, primary data collected on field, and secondary data from government departments. LULC maps were prepared to identify changes in aquaculture areas. The classified area for aquaculture in Nagapattinam is 4.02 km(2) in 2006 and 9.80 km(2) in 2016. Similarly, the salt pan areaincreased from 0.53 km(2) to 1.53 km(2) in 2016. The coastal wetlands and marshy lands were used for aquaculture and salt pan activities during 2006 to 2016, providing a livelihood for the people in that area. The study will assist to identify change dynamics in environmental sustainability in the context of livelihood option/development activities.