Abstract
Mariculture is gaining importance in India supporting the enhanced seafood production and coastal livelihoods, but its sustainability depends on scientifically identifying suitable sites. Earlier studies in the Indian Ocean, including GIS-based multi-criteria evaluations, have highlighted the role of physical, chemical, and hydrodynamic parameters in determining site suitability. Building on these efforts, the present study proposes an integrated methodology for mariculture site suitability assessment along the Indian coast using services from the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS). Operational datasets on water quality and ecological indicators, together with wave, current, and tide forecasts, will be utilized to evaluate environmental conditions. Physical (depth, slope, distance from shore), chemical (temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH, chlorophyll, nutrients), and hydrodynamic factors (wave height, current speed, tidal range) can be monitored against mariculture thresholds. Multi-criteria evaluation with Analytical Hierarchy Process can be applied to assign weights, and a weighted linear combination in GIS produced a Site Suitability Index (SSI). Boolean constraints excluded ecologically sensitive and navigational zones, while disaster risk factors such as cyclone-prone regions and storm surge vulnerability can be incorporated to ensure resilience. The resulting suitability maps, classified into high, moderate, and low categories, will be validated with existing mariculture practices. This integrated approach will help in demonstrating how earlier Indian Ocean studies, when combined with operational ocean services from INCOIS, can provide robust and risk-aware decision support for sustainable mariculture development along the Indian coastline. Thereby enhancing the mariculture production and significantly contributing towards Blue Economy.
Keywords: Mariculture, Blue Economy, Site suitability analysis