WWW.WAS.ORG • WORLD AQUACULTURE • JUNE 2017 63 • Manage fish health in cages through use of nutraceuticals for stress mitigation and immunomodulation, • Apply Geographical Information System (GIS) for spatial planning and site selection, • Perform environmental impact assessments of cage culture and estimate carrying capacity, • Implement environmental management to avoid eutrophication in reservoirs, • Manage impacts through Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA), • Reinforce infrastructure and support services for cage culture, • Take a cluster approach or PPP mode of management, • Develop ancillary sectors such as processing and marketing facilities, • Strengthen the value chain through development of market links, • Intervene to enhance profitability (B:C ratio), • Build capacity of stakeholders and develop skilled labor, • Strengthen institutional and governance instruments, and • Develop a national policy framework for cage culture in inland open waters. New National Guidelines for Cage Culture Recently, to manage reservoir resources in a systematic and scientific way, the National Fisheries Development Board, Hyderabad, in collaboration with ICAR-CIFRI, Kolkata, and the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Aquaculture, Tamil Nadu, formulated guidelines for cage culture in inland open waters of India (DAHDF 2016). These are intended to guide farmers and entrepreneurs for practicing responsible cage culture in the country. Aspects covered under the guidelines are: relevance and scope for cage culture in inland open waters, definition of cage and cage culture, cage size, shape and materials, site selection, cage maintenance, species selection, stocking density, feeds, feeding and FCR, fish health monitoring, safety measures, market, post-harvest facilities and infrastructure, environmental precautions and impact assessment, carrying capacity, ownership, beneficiaries, governance and, social relevance. Notes U.K. Sarkar*, P. Mishal, Vikash Kumar and G. Karnatak, ICAR- CIFRI, Barrackpore, Kolkata-700120, India. * usarkar1@ rediffmail.com References Das, A.K. and A.P. Sharma. 2015. Cage aquaculture in inland open waters of India, Pages 39-41 In: Boby Ignatius and Imelda Joseph, editors. Souvenir of 5th International Symposium on Cage Aquaculture in Asia - CAA5. Jha, B.C., A.P. Sharma and A.K. Das. 2013. Status, scope, and potential of enclosure fish farming in reservoirs and floodplain wetlands. Pages 157-168 In: V. V. Sugunan, A. P. Sharma, B. C. Jha, editors. Recent advances in culture based fisheries in India. Manna, R.K. and M.A. Hassan. 2004. Cage culture of fish, CIFRI Bulletin No.132, pp.26. DAHDF (Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries). 2016. Guidelines for Cage Culture in Inland Open Water Bodies of India. National Fisheries Development Board, Hyderabad, India. Sharma A.P., U.K. Sarkar, P. Mishal, G. Karnatak and A.K. Das. 2016. Potential and prospects of cage culture for fisheries enhancement in Indian reservoirs. Pages119-137 In: A. Gopalakrishnan, I. Joseph, B. Ignatius, S. Kuriakose, G. George, R. J. Nair, M. Karthivelpandian and J. Modayil, editors. Proceedings of the 5th International Symposium on Cage Aquaculture in Asia CAA5. Asian Fisheries Society, Malaysia, Kochi. Sugunan, V.V., A.P. Sharma and B.C. Jha. 2013. Recent advances in culture based fisheries in India. Pillai Aquaculture Foundation, India. Sugunan, V.V. 2015. Enclosure aquaculture in inland waters of India. Pages 41-54 In: Boby Ignatius and Imelda Joseph. Souvenir of 5th International symposium on cage aquaculture in Asia - CAA5. A view of fish harvest by self-help group members. Considering India’s rich and varied open-water resources, culture of fish in cages offers enormous scope for increasing fish production. Using only a modest fraction of their surface area, large and medium reservoirs can make a substantial contribution to inland fish production through cage culture. Although cage culture has not yet reached the desired commercial proportions capable of making a meaningful contribution to production, it is growing at a very fast pace, giving hope but also cause for some concern.
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