WWW.WAS.ORG • WORLD AQUACULTURE • SEPTEMBER 2017 49 After carps, tilapias have become the second most important farmed fish globally (Fitzsimmons and Watanabe 2010). Tilapias are farmed commercially in over 100 countries and are second in sales and volume in international trade after salmonids. Tilapias, especially the Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus, are frequently referred to as the aquatic chicken, in recognition of the similarities to chicken as a farmed animal. In many countries, tilapia has become the basis of aquaculture, just as chicken forms the base for many poultry industries. Growth of the Tilapia Industry in India M. Menaga and K. Fitzsimmons The FAO State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (2016) reports that global tilapia production has exceeded 5 million t per year since 2014 (Fig. 1) with a steady growth rate of 5-8 percent per annum. The majority of these farms are producing Nile tilapia, while a minority are producing hybrid red tilapia, blue tilapia (O. aureus) and Mozambique tilapia (O. mossambicus). (CONTINUED ON PAGE 50) Currently, the government of India has authorized importations of only O. niloticus and red hybrids. The major intent of these introductions was to develop a tilapia farming industry, but none of these early introductions led to significant production or commercial success. The Indian government recognizes tilapia farming to be a key sector in aquaculture, especially considering the success of other tilapia industries in tropical and subtropical regions around the world. Tilapia cultured in raceways managed to produce biofloc.
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