MARINE FARMING : COUNTRY ANALYSIS – INDIA

Among the Asian countries, India ranks second in culture and third in capture fisheries production and is one of the leading nations in marine products export. The present marine fisheries scenario is characterized by declining yields from the inshore waters and increasing conflicts among different stakeholders, whereas the increasing demand for fish in domestic and export markets indicate good prospects for large scale sea farming and coastal mariculture.

Contribution of fisheries to Indian GDP is about 1.2 % (2002-03) which forms about 5.2 % of the agricultural GDP. The mariculture potential of India is vast as there is great scope for developing farming of shrimps, pearl oysters, mussels, crabs, lobsters, sea bass, groupers, mullets, milkfish, rabbitfish, sea cucumber, ornamental fishes, sea weeds etc. Although about 1.2 million ha is suitable for land based saline aquaculture in India, currently only 13 % is utilized. In India till date mariculture activities are confined only to coastal brackishwater aquaculture, chiefly shrimp farming. Shrimp is the most demanded product from coastal aquaculture and India is the 5th top most shrimp producer from culture. Farmed shrimp contributes about 60% by volume and 82% by value of India’s total shrimp export. Share of cultured shrimp export is 78, 700 t valued at INRi . 3,3000 million. The area under shrimp farming is about 135,000 ha and average production is about 80,000 t /year. In recent years, the demand for mussels, clams, edible oysters, crabs , lobsters, sea weeds and a few marine finfishes is continuously increasing and brings premium price in the international market. The other activities which can be categorized as artisanal mariculture include green mussel farming, lobster fattening, crab farming, edible oyster culture, clam farming and seaweed culture. Farming of green mussel yields about 4500 t and farmed oysters 800 t, farmed seaweeds about 1000 t while quantities produced are not significant for crabs, lobsters, mullets and milkfish. A flourishing international trade of marine ornamental fishes is also in vogue which offers scope for the culture of marine ornamental fishes.

The farming of shrimp is largely dependant on small holdings of less than 2 ha, as these farms account for over 90% of the total area utilized for shrimp culture. Coastal aquaculture is mainly concentrated in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Orissa and West Bengal. The long coast line of 8129 km along with the adjacent landward coastal agro climatic zone and the sea-ward inshore waters with large number of calm bays and lagoons offer good scope to develop mariculture in the country. Although the techno economic feasibility of several mariculture technologies are already available, lack of adequate infrastructure and lacunae in legislation block their take off.