Advancing low-trophic extractive mariculture (LTEM): Strategies for a thriving blue economy in Bangladesh

Bangladesh, with its diverse coastal and marine ecosystems , holds immense potential to harness low-trophic extractive mariculture (LTEM) as a key component of its sustainable blue economy. Considering the present national interest, this study provides a comprehensive assessment of the current status of LTEM in Bangladesh, identifying its challenges and offers strategic interventions for future development. Using a mixed-method approach, the research integrates an extensive literature review, key informant interviews, field research experiences, and stakeholder workshops involving policymakers, industry leaders, academia, NGOs , and community representatives. Based on the synthesized information, key challenges were broadly classified into four categories, which were further sub-divided into several thematic issues, including eight for technical, five for environment, five for socio-economic, and two for regulatory and policy constraints, revealing systemic inefficiencies such as poor suitability mapping, technological limitation, weak value chains, poor coordination among stakeholders, and insufficient research investment. These issues contribute to knowledge gaps, coastal hydro-dynamics conditions, inconsistent practices, and hinder the development of effective regulatory frameworks, limiting market access, product quality , and export potential. In response, twelve thematic intervention areas were identified, which were further refined during plenary discussions in the workshops to form a detailed roadmap for the period 2025–2035. The roadmap outlines a series of sequential actions and identifies key actors for each of the twelve thematic areas, with an emphasis on addressing the barriers to LTEM development. By shifting from a project-focused approach to a systems-oriented strategy, the framework integrates stakeholder perspectives and lessons learned to strengthen Bangladesh’s LTEM sector. • Cutting edge opportunities for low-trophic extractive mariculture (LTEM) for advancing blue food production in Bangladesh has been explored. • Ecological benefits including habitat services, biodiversity enhancement and coastal resilience of LTEM have been evaluated. • Multi-dimensional challenges that currently exists as barriers for the sustainable development of LTEM has been identified. • LTEM-based new frontiers along with a sequential implementation of action-based interventions for the next decade were recommended. • The journey from challenges to effective strategies in LTEM will help toward achieving a balanced and flourishing blue economy in Bangladesh.