38 SEPTEMBER 2013 • WORLD AQUACULTURE • WWW.WAS.ORG • Adopt Good Management Practices (GMPs). • Develop and implement appropriate aquatic animal health management strategies. • Develop and implement effective and sustainable aquafeed formulation and feeding strategies for enhancing aquaculture production. • Develop and implement improved broodstock management and seed production strategies. • Develop and implement improved post-harvest technology and marketing in view of current and future needs and anticipated increases in aquaculture production. • Aquaculture, being a major rural farming activity akin to and often integrated with agriculture, should be treated on par with agriculture. • A long-term view of sustainable coastal and open-sea mariculture should be envisaged and appropriate measures taken in view of the long coastline of the country, which has a high population density and very high potential with its warm and fertile waters for increasing aquaculture production, employment generation and improving overall socio-economic status of coastal communities. • Diversify aquaculture by means of horizontal and vertical integration. • Promote resource-based ecosystem approach to aquaculture for enhancement of productivity and improved socio-economic and environmental conditions of coastal and inland communities. • Consider the rich aquatic biodiversity of the country and its geographical variation and recruit more new species for sustainable utilisation in various aquaculture systems. • Infrastructural and human resource development needs for effecting successful development of a healthy aquaculture sector should be reviewed periodically and appropriate projects and programs developed to fill recognized gaps. • Develop and implement appropriate aquaculture information dissemination mechanisms to collect, share and disseminate information related to aquaculture activities to facilitate sustainable development. This list of requirements for defining an aquaculture policy is partial, but perhaps helpful as a brief outline, subject to further additions and revision at the required levels. It is becoming more evident that the success of policymaking, planning and management can be facilitated through active stakeholder participation (Sevaly 2001). Aquaculture policies must be sensitive to the geographical and socioeconomic needs of our plural society. Closing Thoughts The role of sustainable aquaculture as a livelihood option for inland and coastal communities and as a harbinger of hitherto untapped benefits should be fully recognized, especially with awareness of the limitations of land-based food production systems and capture fisheries. An appropriate long-term policy followed by plans and programs for expanding and regulating aquaculture are yet to be in force. It is tempting to proceed by evolving seemingly simple regulations that are applicable uniformly over the country. The Coastal Marine Zone is a prime area for fishing. In view of the present stagnation of capture fisheries production globally, the area could be profitably used for ancillary aquaculture, adopting sustainable and socially acceptable methodologies. This would be beneficial to coastal communities and would also usher in new ways of increasing foodfish production to meet growing demand. Protection of the environment and biodiversity through adoption of sustainable methodologies pertinent to locations and stakeholder needs, subject to the authority of regulatory bodies is needed. Unless such built-in flexibilities are provided, regulations could jeopardize holistic development. More awareness and understanding, and inter-sectoral and participatory consultations leading to Good Management Practices, are required for the fisheries and aquaculture sector development to be effective. Notes Methil Narayanan Kutty, “Prasadam”, 10/389 Puthur, Palakkad – 678001, Kerala, India. Telephone: +91-491 2538882; Fax: +91-491 2526974; E-mail: kuttymn@gmail.com References Anonymous. 2003. “FISH FOR ALL: National Launch”, Kolkata, India, December 18-19, 2003. Organized by WorldFish Centre (ICLARM), Government of India, Government of West Bengal, M S Swaminathan Research Foundation, Chennai, India. Ayyappan, S. 2012. Indian fisheries on fast track, Economic Times, 29 Sep 2012, Kochi Edition, also in eprints.cmfri.org.in/9046/. DoF/GoK (Department of Fisheries/Government of Kerala). 2012. Report on Draft Aquaculture Policy for Kerala. Department of Fisheries, Government of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations). 2011. World aquaculture 2010. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Technical Paper 500/1, (FishStat plus) Rome, Italy. GoI (Government of India). 2005. Coastal Aquaculture Authority Rules, 2005. The Gazette of India, No. 528, 22/12/2005. Government of India, New Delhi, 2005. Kapetsky, J.M., J. Aguilar-Manjarrez and J. Jenness. 2012. A spatial assessment of potential for offshore mariculture development from a global perspective. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Technical Paper. No. 549. Rome, FAO. 2012. Kutty, M.N. 2003. Fish for All – through bounties of sustainable aquaculture. Pages 58-62 In: “FISH FOR ALL: National Launch”, Kolkata, India, December 18-19, 2003. Organized by WorldFish Centre (ICLARM), Government of India, Government of West Bengal, M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, Chennai, India. Kutty, M.N. 2011. India’s Coastal Regulation CRZ 2011 impedes sustainable development of the seafood sector: A commentary. World Aquaculture 42(3):2-3. Sevaly, S. 2001. Involving stakeholders in aquaculture policymaking, planning and management. In: Subasinghe, R.P. et al. editors. 2001. Conference on Aquaculture in the Third Millennium, Bangkok, 20-25 February, 2000, NACA, Bangkok & FAO, Rome. www.fao.org/docrep/003/AB412E/ab412e32.htm
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjExNDY=