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Salt in Aquaculture

Where do you believe most of the fish we consume originate from? The Ocean? That's incorrect. Rivers and lakes? That's also not the case. The truth is, they come from fish farms. Fish and fish products have emerged as the leading category in India's agricultural exports, with a total quantity of 10.5 lakh tonnes and a value of 33,442 crores. Over 50 different varieties of fish and shellfish products are exported to 75 countries worldwide, making up approximately 10% of the country's total exports and nearly 20% of its agricultural exports. The fisheries and aquaculture sector plays a crucial role in food production, providing essential nutrients. In the 2018-2019 budget, the former Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley, expanded the benefits of the Kisan Credit Card to farmers involved in fisheries, aquaculture, and animal husbandry. He allocated a special fund of Rs. 10,000 crore for the sector's development. Fish production contributes about 1% to India's gross domestic product and over 5% to the agricultural gross domestic product. India's aquaculture resources include 2.36 million hectares of ponds and tanks, 0.798 million hectares of floodplain lakes, in addition to 195 210 kilometers of rivers and canals, 2.907 million hectares of reservoirs, and more that could be utilized. In India, two main types of aquaculture are practiced: freshwater aquaculture and brackish water aquaculture. Freshwater aquaculture involves the breeding of freshwater fish such as carp, catla, rohu, magur, freshwater prawns, freshwater pearl culture, and ornamental fish. Catla is cultivated in tanks and reservoirs in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Brackish water aquaculture, on the other hand, focuses on breeding fish that live in brackish water habitats, including sea bass, grey mullet, tiger shrimp, and mud crabs. This practice is common in states like West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Goa. Fish farmers prepare a mixture of oil cakes, rice bran, locally available snail, clam, or mussel meat, and buffalo meat to feed the fish. This mixture can be combined with tapioca paste to form small balls, which are then placed in pottery bowls at designated feeding spots. The quality of the water is crucial for a successful harvest. Farmers must monitor the water's hardness, acidity/alkalinity, contaminants, industrial chemicals, and pesticides. Additionally, they need to ensure there is sufficient dissolved oxygen in the water for the survival of aquatic life. Common chemicals used in aquaculture include EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetate) disodium salt for reducing water hardness, sodium nitrate for promoting algae growth, ammonium chloride for enhancing water fertility, and formaldehyde, a bactericide. Andhra Pradesh leads the way in coastal aquaculture and freshwater aquaculture, ranking first in both. It is second in the production of freshwater fish and the overall value of fish and prawn production. The state contributes nearly 40% of the country's total marine exports. Its inland resources include 102 reservoirs, of which 7 are large, 26 are medium, and 69 are small. In Andhra Pradesh, there are two significant water bodies: Kolleru Lake, a freshwater lake, and Pulicat Lake, a brackish water lake. Additionally, the state is home to 74,000 permanent, temporary, and long-term water storage areas, fish ponds, and freshwater prawn ponds for aquaculture purposes. The brackish water areas cover 0.78 lakh hectares dedicated to shrimp farming, boast a coastline of 974 kilometers, and are home to 508 fishing villages. Chhattisgarh boasts approximately 1.549 lakh hectares of water resources for aquaculture, including rivers, reservoirs, ponds, and tanks. The state is also characterized by two major river systems – Mahanadi and Godawari, along with their tributaries, which span a network of 3573 kilometers. Fishing in rivers is available to members of scheduled tribes and scheduled castes without cost. The C.G. Rajya Matsya Mahasangh operates six fish seed hatcheries, each with a total water area of 60 hectares. These facilities are responsible for producing 30-35 crores of fish spawn and 4.5 crores of fry each year. Two hatcheries, located in Demar (25 hectares.) and Salud (10 hectares), received support from the World Bank (External website that opens in a new window). In West Bengal, fishing harbors at Sonarpur and Frasergunge cater to the needs of sea-based fishermen. Training Centers are established across all districts to provide education to fishermen, youth, women, service officers, and college students. The government fish farms at Juneput (East Midnapore), Kalyani (Nadia), and Barasagardighi (Malda) engage in the production of fish seed and table fish, which is then distributed to local fish farmers at a government-set price. Haryana is the primary region for capture fisheries in the state, with its rivers, lakes, and dams serving as the main sources. It is noted that 55 fish species inhabit these natural water bodies. The state ranks second in the country for average annual fish production per unit area. The average annual fish production in Haryana is 4209 kgs. Himachal Pradesh is a state where aquaculture is predominantly practiced in the Gobind Sagar and Pong Reservoirs. It is a popular destination for adventure sports enthusiasts, particularly angling and game fishing. The state offers a variety of fish species, including brown trout, rainbow trout, golden mahseer, and carp.

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Salt in Aquaculture

Salt in Aquaculture

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