GuideLines for Sustainable Aquaculture

GuideLines for Sustainable Aquaculture

Aquaculture entails managed farming or culture of organisms in freshwater or saline or brackish water areas for the purpose of enhancing production, both for domestic and export markets. Aquaculture product is also put into good use in other industries/activities such as pharmaceutical or cosmetics.

The choice of technology, scale and Intensity of aquaculture operations vary to a great deal and hence would determine the environmental and socio-economic impacts of aquaculture. Planned development of aquaculture also results In development of several ancillary/associated activities such as seed production, feed production and processing units.

Aquaculture is a viable means of diversification of fisheries, to increase fish production both for domestic consumption and export, rural upliftment, employment and income generation to a large section of the people.

In some of the tropical and sub-tropical countries, uncontrolled development of intensive and super-intensive fish/shrimp culture has resulted in environmental side effects.

It is realized that over-concentration of a large number of shrimp ponds and other related support facilities .In a particular area might adversely affect the environment in the long run, if adequate steps are not taken to make the shrimp farming activities environmentally sustainable.

The experience gained by a number of Asia- Pacific countries has shown that intensive shrimp aquaculture in these countries has led to environmental degradation, threatening the long-term sustainability of shrimp aquaculture itself. The main Impacts are destruction of coastal mangroves, degradation of land resources and deterioration of water quality. Organic enrichment of ponds and the surrounding environment with shrimp pond wastes has also been linked to out break of diseases. poor productivity and hyper-nutrification.

Government of India in 2006 set up the Coastal Aquaculture Authority (CAA)at Chennai which formulated guidelines for sustainable aquaculture with support and assistance of MPEDA and other related Institutions. The Coastal aqua farms  are to be registered with CAA and should follow the guidelines as specified by  CAA  based on  the provisions of the  Coastal Aquaculture Authority (CAA) Act 2005, The farms and hatcheries functioning in  the coastal area are registered as per provisions of the Act. Farmers can contact CAA and avail the services by viewing its  web site athttp://www.caa.gov.in.As per the CAA Act 2005, and the guidelines thereof, the Marine Products Export Development Authority is registering shrimp hatcheries operating in the coastal area.  Entrepreneurs can contact the Regional Centres of MPEDA  functioning in the different maritime states for registration of the hatcheries. The list of registered shrimp hatcheries as per CAA Act 2005 is given separately. The  registered farms should follow the guidelines prescribed by CAA  which covers the entire gamut of shrimp farm management and measures to reduce the environmental Impact of the waste water discharged from shrimp farms, treatment of such wastes and mitigation of the adverse impact of such wastes on the environment.

Under  extensive (upto 5/m2 stocking density )and modified extensive  shrimp farming (upto 14/m2), the shrimp aquaculture activity in the country is slowly gaining momentum and with adequate precautionary measures  for sustaining the production for exports.

Extensive culture

Traditional  extensive culture systems are characterized by low stocking densities of Post- Larvae and little or no supplementary feeding or fertilizer in farming operations and as such, are unlikely to increase the organic load of the coastal Eco-systems. The extensive systems would also help In the utilisation of excess nutrients from the coastal waters through the food chain. So far no reports are available where extensive fish/shrimp culture has deprived the aquatic Eco-systems of nutrients. It is further corroborated by the fact that extensive ponds in some areas have been used for sustainable aquaculture of fish/shrimp.

Modified Extensive culture

Transition from extensive to modified extensive shrimp farming is characterized by increased inputs such as  seed and feed, consequently leading to an increase in the nutrients and organic matter. The potential for increasing the nutrients and organic loads from extensive to modified extensive  culture tends to be higher. Scientific  modified extensive  farming of shrimp alone should be encouraged, as a means of Integrating more effectively the use of land and water resources. The maximum yield from scientific extensive farming would be around 2t/ha/yr. and from semi-intensive shrimp farms, around 5t/ha/yr in two crops.

Impact of mangrove clearance and adverse effect of their destruction.

Mangroves play an important role in soil binding, as a source of nutrient cycling. as a breeding ground and nursery areas for many important fin fishes and shellfishes. There is evidence that removal of mangroves leads to a decline in Finfish and shellfish recruitment to the open waters through reduced availability of post larvae.

Large concentration of shrimp farms in mangrove areas has not proved sustainable elsewhere in the world. Poor soils and deteriorating water quality have led to abandonment in several areas.

Impact on land resources

The conversion of agriculture land for aquaculture should be discouraged  and construction of shrimp ponds in the coastal area  within 2 km  from the High tide Level  where  saline water of 5parts per thousand is received during the driest period of the year is  permitted by CAA.

Site selection and culture management

A vast majority of problems affecting the shrimp cultur as well as the environment could be avoided by better site selection and improved culture management. Site selection process should include proper environmental impact assessment. The existing criteria for site selection also needs to be reviewed and consideration should be given to long-term capacity of the area to sustain aquaculture development.

GIS database and master plan for development

In order to implement the Government programmes in an effective manner, lack of data base of shrimp and scampi farms in the country has been found to be major drawback. To improve the effective implementation of the policies and programmes for the aquaculture sector, a project on digitizing the details of the aquaculture farms and farmers using the satellite details and Geographical Information System in the country has been initiated by MPEDA. The project presently implemented with the technical assistance of the state Remote Sensing Agencies in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Orissa, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Gujarat and Maharashtra with the technical support from the National Remote Sensing Centre, Hyderabad is under progress and likely to be put into operation by the year end. Necessary training for MPEDA staff is being provided for overseeing the operational aspects of the project.

Completion of this project in the above states will enable  to help to develop master plans for shrimp aquaculture development and traceability  of the produce upto the pond level.

Environment  Management Plan EMP

The low dissolved oxygen, higher organic matter, increased sedimentation load  of discharged water from farms will affect the  assimilation capacity of the environment  and the potential impact in the ecosystem. Such impacts depend on the quantum of waste water outflow. It is, therefore, desirable to match loads by treating them with effective  ETS system so that it could be assimilated easily in the  environment.  Hence the shrimp culture units with an area of above 5 ha requires ETS facility by demarcating at least 10% of the area and have facilities for settlement, treatment and discharge  the water as per the prescribed parameters presented below. Further it is advisable to let ponds dry between harvest rather than removing sediment accumulations from the pond bottom

Sl.No	Parameters
1	pH
2.	suspended solids.mg/l
3.	dissolved oxygen
4.	free Ammonia(as NH3-N) mg/l
5.	Biochemical oxygen Demand- BOD(5 days @ 20 c)
6.	chemical Oxygen Demand-COD mg/l max
7.	Dissolved Phospate(as P) mg/l max
8.	Total Nitrogen(as N) mg/l
*****- Creek or estuarine courses when the same inland water courses are used as water source & disposal point
As per the prescribed norms farms proposed above 10ha water spread area and  40 ha. or more shall have EIA  and EMP programmes before commencement of the project. The  EIA and EMP should be carried out based on the approved guidelines of Pollution control Boards.