Aquaculture prospects in Andaman and Nicobar islands, India

Abstract

Andaman and Nicobar group of Islands has a coastline of 1,962 km, about one fourth of the total coastline of India with the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of 0.6 million km2, about 30% of the Indian subcontinent. It has an estimated annual fishery potential of 1.48 lakh tones which is about 3.8% of the national fishery potential (39 lakh tones). After post-tsunami earthquake, an area of about 1,300 ha got permanently inundated of which 830 ha suitable for brackishwater aquaculture wherein primarily shrimp culture is being advocated. In inland waters, freshwater fishes like the Indian major carps (Catla catla, Labeo rohita and Cirrhinus mrigala) are cultivated in ponds. Pangasius suticki has been introduced in the Bay Inlands in 2010 and the scope, demand and potential of this species are very high. Breeding techniques of the catfishes are being standardized for diversification of freshwater aquaculture. The details of water bodies for aquaculture development, expansion and diversification have been enumerated for socio-economic development of the people of the Bay Islands.