The Central Government has issued a notification amending the Coastal Aquaculture Authority Rules, 2024. The amendment aims to introduce a comprehensive regulatory framework for various aspects of coastal aquaculture. This notification was published on December 4, 2024.
Key Provisions of the Amendment
The amended rules introduce guidelines for regulating:
- Hatcheries and Farms:
- Seed production and culture of crab
- Seed production and culture of marine finfishes
- Seed production and culture of indigenous shrimp species
- Seedling production and farming of seaweed
- Cage and pen culture of marine/brackish water species
- Live feed culture units and management
- Bio-floc, Recirculatory Aquaculture Systems (RAS), and Nursery-based Aqua Farming Systems
- Aqua Zone Notification and Mapping: Guidelines for notifying aqua zones and creating aqua maps will be established.
- Bivalve Aquaculture: Regulations for the seed production and farming of bivalves in marine and brackish water environments will be implemented.
- Environmental Impact Assessment: Guidelines for assessing the cost of environmental damage and the cost of demolition and utilization of the environment monitoring fund will be formulated.
