The Coastal Aquaculture Authority (Amendment) Bill 2023

Why in news?

The Government has recently introduced the Coastal Aquaculture Authority (Amendment) Bill 2023 to promote ease of doing business.

What is Coastal Aquaculture?

• Coastal aquaculture refers to culturing or cultivating, under controlled conditions in ponds, pens and enclosures or in coastal areas of shrimp, prawn, fish or any other aquatic life in saline or brackish water.
• Coastal aquaculture does not include freshwater aquaculture.

India is the 3^rd largest fish producing country in the world accounting for 8% of global production and contributing about 1.09% to the country’s Gross Value Added (GVA) and over 6.7% to the agricultural GVA.

What is the Coastal Aquaculture Authority Act 2005?

• Coastal Aquaculture Authority - The Act introduced the Coastal Aquaculture Authority (CAA).
• The main objective of the Authority is to regulate coastal aquaculture activities in coastal areas in order to endure sustainable development without causing damage to the coastal environment.
• The authority consists of a Chairperson who is a current or former HC judge being an expert in coastal aquaculture.
• The members will be nominated by the
  • Central Department of Ocean Development
  • Ministry of Environment and Forests
  • Ministry of Agriculture
  • Ministry of Commerce
  • 4 members representing coastal States on a rotation basis and one member secretary.
• Coastal area - It refers to the area declared as the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ), and includes such other area as the Central Government may notify under Environment Protection Act 1986.

What are the new provisions of the amendment bill 2023?

• Definition - It broadens the definition of coastal to include rearing and cultivation of any life stages of fish including crustacean, mollusc, finfish, seaweed or any other aquatic life.
• Environment friendly - It encourages environment friendly aquaculture such as cage culture, seaweed culture, bi-valve culture, marine ornamental fish culture and pearl oyster culture.
• It has the potential for creating employment opportunities for coastal fisher communities especially fisherwomen.
• Brood stocks - It encourages the establishment of facilities in areas having direct access to seawater to produce genetically improved and disease-free brood stocks and seeds for use in coastal aquaculture.
• Brood stock or brood fish are a group of mature individuals used in aquaculture for breeding purposes.
• Brood Stock Multiplication Centre - The center will be used to rear marine organisms under strict biosecurity and disease surveillance.
• Usage of antibiotics - The Bill seeks to prevent the use of antibiotics and pharmacologically active substances which are harmful to human health in coastal aquaculture.
• Biosecurity - It introduces measures for analyzing and preventing the risk of introducing or spreading harmful organisms like viruses and bacteria within the coastal aquaculture unit.

Quick facts

References

1. The Indian Express│ Coastal Aquaculture Bill, 2023
2. National Fisheries Development Board│About NFDB
3. Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying│About AH&D