Diversify your fish basket, Union govt. advises States, Pg10

Key Highlights:

• The Union Fisheries Ministry is urging states to diversify seafood production due to tariff uncertainty and climate change impacts.
• States are encouraged to cultivate a wider range of species and adopt advanced farming practices like integrated multi-trophic aquaculture.
• A meeting was held, chaired by Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, with envoys from over 40 countries to explore new export markets.
• Government scientists are working to improve indigenous varieties like Penaeus indicus and Penaeus monodon to reduce reliance on Litopenaeus vannamei.

Detailed Insights:

• The over-reliance on single species poses risks, as demonstrated by the 2006-2007 white spot syndrome virus outbreak that devastated black tiger shrimp farming.
• The Ministry is advocating for the promotion of species like scampi, tilapia, and pangasius in inland aquaculture, as they possess greater global market potential.
• The government aims to establish production and processing clusters to facilitate value addition and export, generating local employment opportunities for farmers.
• There is significant international demand for finfish like seabass and regional favorites such as Kerala's karimeen (pearl spot), prompting efforts to cultivate them in brackish water areas.
• The Centre plans to assist states in promoting seaweed marine cage culture, drawing inspiration from practices in countries like China and Norway.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Aquaculture: The farming of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, and aquatic plants.
• Species Diversification: Cultivating a variety of aquatic species to mitigate risks and cater to diverse market demands.
• Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture: A farming practice that cultivates multiple species together to maximize space utilization and resource efficiency.