Abstract
Small-scale bivalve fisheries in coastal Bangladesh constitute a vital yet highly informal sub-sector that is largely neglected in national fisheries governance frameworks. This study investigates the value chain performance, market dynamics, and socioeconomic contributions of artisanal bivalve fisheries across two distinct coastal systems in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh: Chawfaldandi (a well-connected mainland site) and Moheshkhali (a geographically isolated offshore island). A cross-sectional comparative field survey was conducted during the peak harvesting season (November 2025–April 2026). Employing a multi-stage purposive and snowball sampling strategy, primary data were gathered through face-to-face interviews from 150 stakeholders of each site across three specific nodes: harvesters/collectors (n=50), traders/retailers (n=50), and consumer households (n=50). The study focused on three economically important wild bivalve species: the Indian backwater oyster (Crassostrea madrasensis), the green mussel (Perna viridis), and the Asiatic hard clam (Meretrix meretrix). Despite substantial latent export and domestic tourism-driven potential, the sector remains constrained by its informal nature, wild stock dependence, and monsoon-driven seasonality. Implementing targeted strategies, such as community-based depuration systems, insulated ice storage, formal marketing cooperatives, certification of bivalve products, can significantly improve product safety, optimize income distribution for vulnerable coastal communities, and integrate these "hidden" small-scale fisheries into the broader blue economy framework.