AQUACULTURE IN INDIA

AQUACULTURE IN INDIA Aquaculture refers to pro­duction of aquatic animals and plants such as fish, shrimp, molluscs and sea weeds in water. It can be classified under two major heads-freshwater and coastal. The latter can again be subdivided into two categories, namely, sea farming and brackish water aquaculture. Sea farming refers to culture of organisms in cages, pens, rafts and longlines in the open coastal waters and bays, whereas brackish water aquaculture relates to land-based farming systems using salt water from the estuaries and creeks as also from the sea in coastal areas. Coastal aquaculture uses many common species of fish, shrimps and molluscs.

DEVELOPMENT OF INLAND FISHERIES AND AQUA­CULTURE The ongoing scheme of Development of Fresh­water Aquaculture and Integrated Coastal Aquaculture have been combined with four new programmes on development of coldwater fish culture, development of water-logged area and derelict water bodies into aquacul­ture estates, use of inland saline/alkaline soil for aquacul­ture and programme for augmenting the productivity of reservoirs. This scheme broadly has two components­Aquaculture and Inland Capture Fisheries. The government has been implementing an important programme in inland sector, viz., development of freshwater aquaculture through the Fish Farmers Development Agencies (FFDAs) with the objective of utilising the country's vast brackishwater area for shrimp culture. Brackishwater Fish Farmers De­velopment Agencies (BFDAs) has been set up in the coastal areas of the country. Presently about 50 per cent of the shrimp exported from the country is from aquaculture.

Specialised Institutes The Central Institute of Fisheries, Nautical and Engineering Training, Kochi, with units at Chelmai and Visakhapatnam, aims at making available sufficient number of operators of deep-sea fishing vessels and technicians for shore establishments. Integrated Fish­eries Project, Kochi, envisages processing, popularising and ~est marketing of unconventional varieties of fish. The Central Institute of Coastal Engineering for Fisheries, Bangalore, is engaged in techno-economic feasibility study for location of fishing harbour sites. Fishery Survey of India (FSI) is the nodal organisation responsible for survey and assessment of fishery resources under the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

Industrial aquaculture, however, has ecological dimen­sions, for maintenance of water quality and disposal of waste water are critical for this sector. The prawn culture taken up jointly between industry and the state in Chilka Lake came under fire on this issue. It is felt by environ­mentalists that large quantities of waste discharged into the lake is going to damage the ecology of this important wetland.

New Areas India is a newcomer to the field of shrimp farming but has progressed well: it is fifth among the major producers.
Mud crabs (Scylla serrata) are abundant in Indian estuaries, especially in Chilka Lake, Pulicat Lake and Vembanad Lake and the crab resources are getting over­exploited at present. A small quantity of mud cr~ is
exported in live form to Singapore from Chennai. No commercial culture has been taken up so far despite heavy demand and high price.

Oyster is eaten in raw, smoked and canned forms. it is a delicacy in many countries. India is endowed with rich natural resources of edible oysters in Tamil Nadu and Gujarat coasts. Pearl oysters are abundant in Gulf of Mannar and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Pearl produc­tion is already going on at Mandapam in southern Tamil Nadu in small a scale. If pearl oyster farming is developed in India, we will be able to meet our own domestic demand and also export to Japan and other countries.

Seaweed contributes nearly 30 per cent to world aquaculture production. About one-third of seaweed re­sources of the Indian Ocean is along the Indian coast. However, India has not done anything to exploit this resource.
India's potential for export of ornamental fishes and plants is unlimited but our export has so far been negligible. A survey has been conducted in Lakshadweep and Andaman islands and North-East hill states. About 100 varieties of marine ornamental fishes in Lakshadweep, 90 varieties in Andaman and 53 species in north-east hill states have been identified. The North-East hill states are found to hold very rich resources for freshwater aquarium, fishes and pla11ts.