New Paradigms in Freshwater Aquaculture in Coastal Ecosystems in India: Happiness and Hope

The 19-fold increase in fish production in the last seven decades in India, i.e., from 0.75 million metric tonnes (MMT) in 1950–51 to the present level of 14.2 MMT amply justifies the importance of the fisheries sector not only providing the protein and nutritional security of the masses but also its increasing contribution to the national economy. When the production from capture fisheries was stagnating, aquaculture has become a saviour for enhancing the targeted growth in fish production. From the meagre 0.37 MMT in 1980 to over 9.0 MMT at present, a 25-fold increase in aquaculture production in just four decades has placed the country as a forerunner on the global front. The freshwater sector that shares over 90% of total aquaculture production is largely contributed by carps and meeting the demand of the domestic front. The coastal ecosystem is contributing a significant share of the 8.2 MMT of freshwater aquaculture production with Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, and Odisha being the major producers. Increasing production of diversified freshwater species including those of exotic striped catfish, pacu, and tilapia again is largely contributed by Andhra Pradesh. While carp polyculture and monoculture of exotic striped catfish have been steering the freshwater aquaculture production, a range of other non-conventional culture systems, viz., sewage-fed fish culture, integrated farming systems, cage and pen culture, and the new technologies like RAS and biofloc systems has made freshwater aquaculture an increasingly growing activity across the country. As a backyard avenue, ornamental fish breeding and rearing have been proved to be highly viable activity especially for the areas adjoining cities/towns due to their assured market. The self-sufficiency in quality carp seed production through large-scale adoption of the technologies of controlled breeding, hatchery production, and seed rearing has been ensuring guaranteed seed supply and practically guiding the aquaculture development in the country. Success in the development of breeding and seed production technologies of over 40 cultivable freshwater finfish and prawn species is leading farmers to adopt new species for culture diversification. In this endeavour, it is the coastal ecosystem led by the state of West Bengal contributing the bulk of the seed production in the country. Availability of a host of farmers’-friendly technologies with varied production potential, execution of different technology transfer programmes through the institutional frameworks, increasing private investments, good temperature regimes, productive soil, good water availability, and above all, increasing demand for fish have been instrumental for the accelerated growth of freshwater aquaculture in the coastal eco-regions. The fisheries sector in India has been able to demonstrate a phenomenal average annual growth rate of 10.88% to the national GVA in the last five years. Freshwater aquaculture has been the principal contributor to this growth, and it is expected that the sector would continue to take the lead in meeting the projected production target of 22.0 million tonnes of fish by 2025 and also contributing to increased employment generation.