Analyzing the Spatio-Temporal Dynamics and Micro-Level Spatial Metrics of Coastal Aquaculture in the Cauvery Delta Using Sentinel-1 Time Series Data

Globally, the rapid expansion of the coastal shrimp aquaculture industry has contributed significantly to enhancing food security but caused a series of ecological and environmental issues. Sustainable management of coastal areas requires an explicit and efficient mapping of the spatial distribution of shrimp aquaculture ponds. Understanding the spatiotemporal dynamics of shrimp ponds will provide baseline information on the distribution of shrimp ponds and help us manage the resources efficiently. The micro-level spatial metrics will offer valuable insights into ecological, economic and environmental sustainability. Hence, our study aims to analyze the spatio-temporal dynamics and microlevel spatial metrics of coastal aquaculture ponds in Cauvery delta using the Sentinel-1 time series data. Comparing the object based Connected component segmentation (CCS), the manual extraction method offered enhanced accuracy and adaptability over for detecting shrimp aquaculture ponds of smaller dimension, particularly in complex or diverse environments where detailed contextual interpretation is crucial. The results show that Cuddalore and Mayiladuthurai experienced the recent expansion of shrimp aquaculture ponds between 2016 and 2023. Villages are categorized based on Total Aquaculture Pond Area (TAPA) and Pond density ratio, which are useful in identifying the potential aquaculture zones within the study area. Our study contributes to understanding the spatiotemporal dynamics of coastal aquaculture, providing valuable insights for policymakers, stakeholders, and researchers aiming to promote sustainable shrimp aquaculture practices in Cauvery delta regions.