Eliciting stakeholder preferences: An application of qualitative and quantitative methods to shrimp aquaculture in the Indian Sundarbans

The Sundarbans region of West Bengal in India is inhabited by small-scale farmers and traditional rice paddy-cum-prawn cultivators. Recent policy initiatives by the Government of India may facilitate expansion of commercial shrimp aquaculture in the future, setting the stage for potential conflicts between local stakeholders. We used qualitative and quantitative methods to analyse the preferences of local stakeholders for alternative management options related to shrimp aquaculture development in the region. We then derived management recommendations for the development of shrimp aquaculture in the region that would minimize the environmental impacts of shrimp aquaculture, distribute the economic benefits of shrimp aquaculture more equally and develop alternative opportunities for income generation, especially for shrimp Fry Collectors.