Lok Sabha Question No. 3946 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-25
Subject: Aquaculture and Marine Export
Ministry: FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING
Asked by: Shri Balashowry Vallabhaneni

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 3946 TO BE ANSWERED ON 25 th March 2025

## Aquaculture and Marine Export

## 3946.Shri Balashowry Vallabhaneni:

Will the MINISTER OF FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING be pleased to state:

- (a) the  number  of  projects  aimed  at  promoting  sustainability  in  aquaculture    and marine exports did Marine Products Exports Development Authority (MPEDA) implement during the last year;
- (b) the details of these projects and their outcomes, project-wise; and
- (c) the measures MPEDA has taken to ensure environmentally sustainable practices in shrimp farming and seaweed cultivation?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING

## (SHRI GEORGE KURIAN)

(a) to (b) The Government of India, Ministry of Commerce and Industry has established the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) as a dedicated agency to facilitate  export  of  seafood.  MPEDA,  through  its  field  offices  in  maritime  States  and registered societies like NaCSA (National Centre for Sustainable Aquaculture), NETFISH (Network for Fish Quality Management & Sustainable Fishing) and RGCA (Rajiv Gandhi Centre for  Aquaculture)  is  taking  various  activities  to  promote  sustainable  aquaculture and  marine  exports.  In  aquaculture,  MPEDA  focused  on  capacity  building  for  better management practices, antibiotic reduction through initiatives like "SHAPHARI" certification and ELISA labs, and disease control through Aqua One Centres and mobile labs. MPEDA also supported sustainable shrimp farming through NaCSA and operated seven technology transfer projects via RGCA. In the marine sector, MPEDA, primarily through  NETFISH,  conducted  workshops  and  trials  for  Turtle  Excluder  Device  (TED) implementation, supported marine mammal stock assessments for US Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) compliance, promoted eco-friendly fishing gear like square mesh cod  ends,  and  organized  numerous  coastal  clean-up  drives  and  plastic  collection projects and hands-on training programs and meets. The details of these projects and their outcomes, project-wise is furnished as Annexure-I and II.

(c) MPEDA has implemented several measures to promote environmentally sustainable shrimp farming by encouraging eco-friendly practices, responsible resource management,  and  disease  prevention  strategies.   MPEDA  also  ensure  quality  and traceability  through  farm/hatchery  enrollment  and  SHAPHARI  certification   programs, which include geographical mapping  and  unique  identification  numbers.  MPEDA supports infrastructure development by providing financial assistance for nursery-rearing units  and  shrimp  handling  centers,  all  aimed  at  enhancing  sustainable  practices  and ensuring  high-quality,  safe  shrimp  production  for  export.  Additionally,  through  various training programs, MPEDA promote sustainable shrimp farming. With regard to seaweed cultivation,  MPEDA-RGCA  signed  MoU  with  Department  of  Fisheries  and  Fisheries Welfare, Government of Tamil Nadu for supplying the quality germplasm of seaweeds and technical consultant for establishment of Multipurpose Seaweed Aqua Park under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampda Yojana (PMMSY) assistance.

******

Statement  referred  to  in  reply  of  part-(a  and  b)  of  Lok  Sabha  unstarred  Question No.3946 put in by Shri Balashowry Vallabhaneni, Hon'ble Members of Parliament, Lok Sabha for answer on 25 th  March, 2025 regarding  Aquaculture and Marine Export.

| Sl.No.                                      | Name of the project                                                | Name of the produce/ services                                                                                                                                                                      | No. of Beneficiaries                        | Quantity supplied                           |
|---------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------|
| 1                                           | Asian Seabass Hatchery, Thoduvai, Tamil Nadu                       | Seabass fingerlings (nos.)                                                                                                                                                                         | 4300                                        | 49.8 million                                |
| 2                                           | Mud crab Hatchery, Thoduvai, Tamil Nadu                            | Crab instar (nos.)                                                                                                                                                                                 | 919                                         | 11.27 million                               |
| 3                                           | GIFT Tilapia Hatchery Vijayawada, Andra Pradesh                    | GIFT seed (nos.)                                                                                                                                                                                   | 581                                         | 50.48 million                               |
| 3                                           | GIFT Tilapia Hatchery Vijayawada, Andra Pradesh                    | GIFT brood-fry (nos.)                                                                                                                                                                              | 50                                          | 84,295                                      |
| 4                                           | Marine Finfish Hatchery, Pozhiyoor, Kerala                         | Cobia fingerlings (nos.)                                                                                                                                                                           | 95                                          | 1,25,091                                    |
| 4                                           | Marine Finfish Hatchery, Pozhiyoor, Kerala                         | Pompano (nos)                                                                                                                                                                                      | 115                                         | 5,02,250                                    |
| 5                                           | Aquatic Quarantine Facilities for L. vannamei, Chennai, Tamil Nadu | L . vannamei Broodstocks (nos.) quarantined                                                                                                                                                        | 4,175                                       | 25,26,607                                   |
| 5                                           | Aquatic Quarantine Facilities for L. vannamei, Chennai, Tamil Nadu | P . monodon broodstocks (nos.) quarantined                                                                                                                                                         | 4,175                                       | 28,128                                      |
| 5                                           | Aquatic Quarantine Facilities for L. vannamei, Chennai, Tamil Nadu | P . monodon PPLs (nos.) quarantined                                                                                                                                                                | 4,175                                       | 1,84,077                                    |
| 5                                           | Aquatic Quarantine Facilities for L. vannamei, Chennai, Tamil Nadu | L . vannamei PPLs (nos.)                                                                                                                                                                           | 4,175                                       | 9,19,431                                    |
| 6                                           | Artemia Demo Farm at Tharuvaikulam&Uppoor, Tamil Nadu              | Artemia biomass (kg)                                                                                                                                                                               | 725                                         | 9400                                        |
| 6                                           | Artemia Demo Farm at Tharuvaikulam&Uppoor, Tamil Nadu              | Artemia cyst (tins)                                                                                                                                                                                | 725                                         | 4,673                                       |
| 7                                           | Multispecies Aquaculture Complex (MAC) Vallarpadam, Kerala         | GIFT Seed (nos.)                                                                                                                                                                                   | 8,704                                       | 15.68 million                               |
| 7                                           | Multispecies Aquaculture Complex (MAC) Vallarpadam, Kerala         | Seabass fingerlings (nos.)                                                                                                                                                                         | 1,484                                       | 14,12,018                                   |
| 7                                           | Multispecies Aquaculture Complex (MAC) Vallarpadam, Kerala         | Etroplus suratensis seed (nos.)                                                                                                                                                                    | 690                                         | 12,12,425                                   |
| 7                                           | Multispecies Aquaculture Complex (MAC) Vallarpadam, Kerala         | P. monodon seed (nos.)                                                                                                                                                                             | 185                                         | 89,69,455                                   |
| Contribution from RGCA Central Laboratories | Contribution from RGCA Central Laboratories                        | Contribution from RGCA Central Laboratories                                                                                                                                                        | Contribution from RGCA Central Laboratories | Contribution from RGCA Central Laboratories |
| S.No                                        | Laboratory                                                         | Testing (by samples)                                                                                                                                                                               | Samples (Nos)                               | No. of Beneficiaries                        |
| 1                                           | Mobile Aquaculture Disease Diagnosis Laboratory                    | Molecular diseases diagnosis (PCR) Microbiology & water parameters                                                                                                                                 | 4,570                                       | 1,094                                       |
| 2                                           | Central Aquaculture Pathology Laboratory                           | Molecular diseases diagnosis (PCR), Microbiology & water parameters,Histology Disease surveillance / NSPAAD, Seed health, PCR-based species identification,Sequencing-based species identification | 30,635                                      | 4,532                                       |
| 3                                           | Central Aquaculture Genetics Laboratory                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                    | 24,897                                      | 555                                         |

Statement  referred  to  in  reply  of  part-  (a  and  b)  of  Lok  Sabha  unstarred  Question No.3946 put in by Shri Balashowry Vallabhaneni, Hon'ble Members of Parliament, Lok Sabha for answer on 25 th  March, 2025 regarding  Aquaculture and Marine Export.

|   Sl.No. | Hands on Training Program/ Meets                                                                                                                                   |   No. of Trainings/ Events | No. of Beneficiaries   |
|----------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------|------------------------|
|        1 | Best Management Practices of nursery, grow-out and cage culture in earthen ponds for Asian Seabass                                                                 |                         95 | 1,814                  |
|        2 | Best Management Practices of nursery, grow-out and Softshell culture of Mangrove Mud crab                                                                          |                        106 | 1,909                  |
|        3 | Breeding, Seed Production and Grow - out farming of Genetically Improved Farmed Tilapia (GIFT)                                                                     |                         79 | 1,165                  |
|        4 | Artificial Insemination Technique used for SPF Black Tiger Shrimp, Penaeus monodon with special reference to Broodstock Management, Maturation and Seed Production |                          4 | 22                     |
|        5 | Hatchery Production of Marine Finfish                                                                                                                              |                          2 | 3                      |
|        6 | Artemia Production & Processing of Cyst and Biomass                                                                                                                |                          8 | 265                    |
|        7 | PCR and its Application in Aquaculture Pathology                                                                                                                   |                         44 | 945                    |
|        8 | PCR and its Application in Aquaculture Genetics Research                                                                                                           |                         37 | 773                    |
|        9 | RAS ( Re-circulatory Aquaculture System)                                                                                                                           |                          1 | 23                     |
|       10 | Training at MAC, Vallarpadam                                                                                                                                       |                         13 | 203                    |
|       11 | Farmers Meet/ Program for SC/ST beneficiaries: on Diversified Aquaculture/                                                                                         |                        558 | 17563                  |