WWW.WAS.ORG • WORLD AQUACULTURE • SEPTEMBER 2013 37 (CONTINUED ON PAGE 36) to be related to the boom in coastal aquaculture, mainly land-based marine shrimp culture, followed now by a few other commodities, such as freshwater prawn. The later recognition of aquaculture is abetted by foreign exchange earnings and wealth increase amidst some popular reports of environmental and social conflicts. To meet the growing demands of India’s increasing population, augmentation of India’s fish production though intensification and expansion of aquafarming is needed. The expanding role of aquaculture as a major component of the global and national food sector, especially in view of its role in achieving food and nutritional security, is now well recognized. A good example of intensification in freshwater aquaculture is the success of Pangasius farming in Andhra Pradesh. Although the high production levels and profits are indeed commendable, it is worthwhile to study the global situation and look at the history of shrimp farming and the lessons learned there to refine aquafarming so as to assure sustainability. The Need for Aquaculture Policy A policy to ensure sustainable and responsible aquaculture development is a global need, affecting all aquafarming countries. Action plans for implementation, including regulations based on formulated policies, are mainly the responsibility and function of national governments. This paper mainly refers to the need for and relevance of an aquaculture policy for India. There is no declared aquaculture policy at the national level in the country, although certain states, notably Kerala (DoF/GoK 2012), have initiated measures for the formulation of an aquaculture policy. The need for a well-defined aquaculture policy in the context of present and anticipated increases in aquaculture production is essential. This policy can function as a guide for providing directives and for formulating means and measures that would ensure sustainable aquaculture development. It would help in avoiding the pitfalls of haphazard development and consequent social and environmental conflicts. Lessons learned from the boom, collapse and presently more responsible approaches in shrimp farming, nationally and globally, are instructive. In view of the major role of aquaculture in ensuring food and nutritional security to people, a relevant aquaculture policy is needed to lead to harmonious, eco-friendly and socially acceptable development of aquaculture at all levels. Aquaculture Policy Institutions in India Aquaculture or the entire fisheries sector, for that matter, does not appear to receive its proportional importance in government policies and plans in India. In spite of the recommendations of several expert meetings, such as the “Fish for All” National Launch in Kolkata (Anonymous 2003, Kutty 2003, 2011), fisheries remains an adjunct to the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries of the Ministry of Agriculture at the Centre. The formation of the Costal Aquaculture Authority and the National Fisheries Development Board, with its incentives for aquaculture development, are indeed welcome developments. However, the process should move up to the formation of a separate Ministry of Fisheries, so the sector can be holistically managed under one umbrella. The fisheries sector has no recognized right for sharing water in India, while it is the source of the largest globally traded food commodity and assures food, nutritional and livelihood security. These show the need for an appropriate national fisheries policy that would safeguard aquatic food production systems for ensuring food, nutrition and livelihood security for India’s burgeoning population. The Aquaculture Authority (AA), which became Coastal Aquaculture Authority (CAA) more recently, was set up originally as a body under the Ministry of Agriculture, Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries as per directives of the Supreme Court of India to mitigate environmental degradation and social conflicts from shrimp farming (GoI 2005). Although the CAA is now concerned with coastal aquaculture in general, to begin with AA was concerned with shrimp farming only. Need for Offshore Aquaculture Policy The CAA restricts its functions to coastal aquaculture (onshore, land-based and nearshore), not making any notable application to offshore or open-sea aquaculture. The latter new avenue has tremendous scope for further development in the warmer and more productive tropical warm waters, but is little utilized for this purpose in South Asia presently (Kutty 2011, Kapetsky et al. 2012). The scope for aquaculture development in these waters is now recognized, but appropriate policies for development are not yet in place. With an impressive two million km2 Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), India should include, in addition to exploitation of oceanic and deep-sea fisheries, vigorous expansion into open-sea aquaculture as well, especially to overcome anticipated deficits in land-based food production systems. In spite of the great leaps in ocean administration and expeditions reaching the Polar Regions, India’s exploitation of marine resources through oceanic and coastal aquaculture is still meager; mariculture production in India is about the lowest among countries with active aquaculture sectors. Marine institutions have highly skilled professionals and have excelled in research and the commercial sector. They should take the up challenge of enhancing mariculture production from nearshore and offshore waters as a thrust area for short-term and long-term development. There is a need for permitting new aquaculture ventures in inshore and offshore areas within the EEZ, through available existing and/or new technologies and if necessary through acceptable technology transfer. Elements of Aquaculture Policy A complete list of policy requirements is a large task and is not attempted, but some selected policy elements, illustrative in developing an aquaculture policy, are indicated here. To meet the growing demands of India’s increasing population, augmentation of India’s fish production though intensification and expansion of aquafarming is needed. The expanding role of aquaculture as a major component of the global and national food sector, especially in view of its role in achieving food and nutritional security, is now well recognized.
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