Lok Sabha Question No. 2881 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-18
Subject: Coastal Aquaculture Farms
Ministry: FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING
Asked by: Shri Sribharat Mathukumilli, Shri G M Harish Balayogi

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2881 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18 th  MARCH, 2025

## Coastal Aquaculture Farms

## 2881. Shri Sribharat Mathukumilli:

Shri G M Harish Balayogi:

Will the Minister of FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING be pleased to state:

- (a) the steps taken by the Government to promote and expand coastal aquaculture farms and the  number  and  total  area  of  coastal  land  under  coastal  aquaculture  farms  in  Andhra Pradesh, district-wise;
- (b) the  details  regarding  aquaculture  processing  centers  and  export  agencies  in  Andhra Pradesh, district-wise;
- (c) whether the Government has formulated regulations to govern coastal aquaculture, if so, the details thereof, if not, reasons therefor;
- (d) whether  the  Government  has  created  an  environment  protection  fund  for  coastal aquaculture, if so, the details thereof, if not, the reasons therefor;
- (e) whether  the  Government  has  conducted  any  survey  of  coastal  regions  to  assist  in formulating strategies for sustainable and eco-friendly coastal aquaculture development and if so, the details of the findings for Andhra Pradesh;
- (f) whether  the  Government  has  established  guidelines  for  discharge  of  wastewater  from aquaculture farms, if so, the details thereof; and
- (g) whether the Government provides financial or technical support to aquaculture farmers for treatment of wastewater, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING (SHRI GEORGE KURIAN)

(a) The Department of Fisheries, Government of India (DoF, GoI) has taken various steps for promotion of coastal aquaculture in the country. The Coastal Aquaculture Authority Act, 2005 was  enacted  with  an  aim  to  protect  coastal  environment,  while  promoting  orderly  growth  of coastal aquaculture in coastal areas of the country. The said Act has recently been amended and notified as the Coastal Aquaculture Authority (Amendment) Act, 2023 to promote ease of doing  business  including  decriminalizing  the  offences  under  the  Act  and  ensured  continued operation of coastal aquaculture units. The sector has facilitated creation of millions of jobs, selfemployment  opportunities,  enhanced  incomes  to  coastal  aquafarmers,  catalyzed  growth  of businesses and entrepreneurship in aquaculture including development of a vibrant aquaculture support  industry.  The  coastal  aquaculture  sector  has  also  been  promoted  under  various government  schemes,  such  as  Blue  Revolution  Scheme,  Pradhan  Mantri  Matsya  Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF), wherein activities are supported such as establishment of Brood Stock Multiplication Centres (BMCs), Hatcheries to ensure availability of good quality seeds, construction of brackish water ponds and support for inputs, development of infrastructure for cold chain & marketing, etc. Besides, the DoF, GoI has also approved four BMCs for shrimp in private sector. The Coastal Aquaculture Authority (CAA) is responsible for regulating and promoting sustainable coastal aquaculture units and activities in coastal areas, ensuring harmony with the environment. As informed by the CAA, the total number of 22,744 farms covering the area of 33,270.84 hectares, with a water-spread area  of  23,174.03  hectares  are  there  in  Andhra  Pradesh.  The  district-wise  details  of  CAA registered coastal aquaculture farms in Andhra Pradesh is provided at Annexure.

The Government of Andhra Pradesh has informed that certain areas in the state have been designated as Aqua Zones to promote sustainable aquaculture and prevent unauthorized land conversion. So far, 4.22 lakh acres of area has been notified as Aqua Zones out of the state's total 4.68 lakh acres of aquaculture land.

(b)   As informed by the State Government, there are 118 processing plants in Andhra Pradesh, which are registered with the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) serving to export markets. Out of 118 export oriented processing plants, 43 are located in Vijayawada, 37 in Bhimavaram, 18 in Visakhapatanam, and 20 such plants are located in Kakinada.

(c)   The Coastal Aquaculture Authority Act, 2005, regulates the coastal aquaculture activities across the country's coastal regions. The said Act was amended and notified as the Coastal Aquaculture Authority (Amendment) Act, 2023. In alignment with this amendment, the Coastal Aquaculture Rules,  2024  have  also  been  notified  on  8 th January,  2024.  In  order  to  promote sustainable  and  eco-friendly  coastal  aquaculture  practices,  and  in  accordance  with  the  CAA (Amendment) Act, 2023 and CAA Rules, 2024, seven guidelines have been notified by the DoF, GoI  in  March,  2024  covering  various  aspects  of  coastal  aquaculture  including  regulation  of hatcheries, farms, seed production, disease management, compliance for aquaculture inputs, establishment and operation of Nucleus Breeding Centres (NBCs) and Broodstock Multiplication Centres (BMCs) in India, solid waste management in coastal aquaculture units or activities, etc.

(d)  The  provision  related  to  creation  of  an  environment  protection  fund  exist  under  the Environment (Protection)  Act,  1986.   Whereas, for  coastal  aquaculture,  there  are  provisions under the Coastal Aquaculture Act, 2023 and the Coastal Aquaculture Rules, 2024 to address the manner of assessing cost of damage to the environment and related matters.

(e)   The Coastal Aquaculture Authority Rules, 2024 [Rule 5(iii)] outlines the functions of the Coastal Aquaculture Authority to survey the entire coastal area of the country and advise the Central  and  State  Governments  on  formulating  suitable  strategies  for  achieving  eco-friendly coastal aquaculture development. The Department of Fisheries, Government of Andhra Pradesh has informed that the State Government has designated certain areas as Aqua Zones to promote sustainable aquaculture and prevent unauthorized land conversion. So far, 4.22 lakh acres have been notified as Aqua Zones out of the state's total 4.68 lakh acres of aquaculture land.

(f)   Yes, sir. For coastal aquaculture farms, the DoF, GoI, in Notification vide S.O.1496(E) dated 20.03.2024, has issued the guidelines, in pursuance of the Section 3 of the CAA Act 2005, read with clause (a) of rule 3 of CAA Rules 2024, for regulating coastal aquaculture. In this notification, the guidelines, among others, were laid down for waste management including standards for the discharge of the waste water from the coastal aquaculture units.

(g) The Coastal Aquaculture Authority provides technical support to farmers in maintaining the Effluent Treatment System (ETS) for wastewater management, as outlined in the Guidelines for Regulating Coastal Aquaculture [S.O.1496 (E), dated 20.03.2024]. The standards for wastewater discharge are specified in paragraph 10 of these guidelines for environmental protection, and all coastal  aquaculture  unit  operators  across  the  country  are  required  to  comply  with  these provisions.

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Statement  referred  to  in  reply  of  part  (a)  of  Lok  Sabha  Unstarred  Question  No.  2881 regarding Coastal Aquaculture Farms for answer on 18 th  March, 2025: The district-wise registration data of coastal aquaculture farms in Andhra Pradesh

| Sl. No.   | District                     |   No. of Farms |   Total Farm Area (ha) |   Water Spread Area (ha) |
|-----------|------------------------------|----------------|------------------------|--------------------------|
| 1         | ANAKAPALLE                   |            117 |                 492.85 |                   377.1  |
| 2         | BAPATLA                      |           4088 |                5675.78 |                  4310.85 |
| 3         | DR. B. R. AMBEDKAR KONASEEMA |           4183 |                5103.03 |                  3527.78 |
| 4         | GUNTUR                       |              2 |                   1.72 |                     1.42 |
| 5         | KAKINADA                     |           1252 |                1737.49 |                  1260.04 |
| 6         | KRISHNA                      |           3918 |                4689    |                  3041.11 |
| 7         | PRAKASAM                     |           1783 |                3202.52 |                  2431.41 |
| 8         | SPSR NELLORE                 |           4348 |                8826.22 |                  5400.13 |
| 9         | SRIKAKULAM                   |            876 |                1042.76 |                   832.84 |
| 10        | TIRUPATHI                    |             91 |                 160.32 |                    98.44 |
| 11        | VISAKHAPATNAM                |             72 |                 229.97 |                   187.3  |
| 12        | VIZIANAGARAM                 |             18 |                  51.96 |                    39.65 |
| 13        | WEST GODAVARI                |           1996 |                2057.23 |                  1665.97 |
|           | Grand Total                  |          22744 |               33270.8  |                 23174    |