report of the expert committee on coastal regulation - Iczmpwb.org

popular farmed species in India, most hatcheries raise tiger shrimp. However, some hatcheries
also breed P. indicus and freshwater prawn – also known as scampi (Macrobrachium
rosenbergii). The state–wise details <strong>of</strong> shrimp/ scampi hatcheries is given in Table 3.
It is estimated that <strong>the</strong>re are about 33 feed mills producing shrimp feed in <strong>the</strong> country
with an installed production capacity <strong>of</strong> 1 50 000 metric tonnes. Besides, <strong>the</strong>re are a large
number <strong>of</strong> small-scale feed manufacturers, mostly located in Andhra Pradesh. The current feed
requirement <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> sector is about 1 35 000 metric tonnes. Shrimp farming provides direct
employment to about 0.3 million people and ancillary units provides employment to about 0.6 –
0.7 million people.
The Supreme Court’s delivered its judgment on shrimp aquaculture in December 1996.
The judgment said that that aquaculture is an industry and hence covered by <strong>the</strong> prohibition in
<strong>the</strong> CRZ Notification, 1991. The Court permitted traditional and improved traditional practices
within <strong>the</strong> CRZ. It fur<strong>the</strong>r directed that farming practices outside CRZ were to be regulated to
ensure that <strong>the</strong>re was no impact on <strong>the</strong> environment. As setting up <strong>of</strong> shrimp hatcheries is a
permitted activity in <strong>the</strong> CRZ Notification, 1991, <strong>the</strong> Court maintained a status quo on <strong>the</strong>
setting up <strong>of</strong> shrimp hatcheries in its above-referred judgment.
The Aquaculture Authority has been set up under Section 3 (3) <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Environment
(Protection) Act, 1986 to perform <strong>the</strong> functions indicated in <strong>the</strong> Supreme Court judgment
delivered on 11 December 1996. Constituted vide Ministry <strong>of</strong> Environment and Forests’
Notification No SO 88 (E) dated 6 February, 1997, <strong>the</strong> Authority is functioning under <strong>the</strong>
administrative control <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Government <strong>of</strong> India in <strong>the</strong> Ministry <strong>of</strong> Agriculture, with its
headquarters at Chennai. Justice G. Ramanujam, a retired Judge <strong>of</strong> Madras High Court, heads
<strong>the</strong> Authority, which has seven-member composition.
The Aquaculture Authority is mandated to exercise powers under section 5 <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>
Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 for issuing directions and for taking measures with respect
to matters referred to in clauses (v), (vi), (vii), (viii), (ix) and (xiii) <strong>of</strong> subsection (2) <strong>of</strong> Section
3 <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> said Act. The Authority is fur<strong>the</strong>r responsible to ensure that agric ultural lands, salt pan
lands, mangroves, wet lands, forest lands, land for village common purposes and <strong>the</strong> land
meant for public purposes should not be used (or) converted for construction <strong>of</strong> shrimp farms
and it shall also implement <strong>the</strong> “Precautionary Principle” and <strong>the</strong> “Polluter Pays Principle” in
sustainable development <strong>of</strong> coastal shrimp farming activities.
There are few economic activities, which have globally witnessed high growth rates as
shrimp farming in a large number <strong>of</strong> countries, situated both in <strong>the</strong> eastern and western
hemispheres during <strong>the</strong> last two decades. In India, commercial-scale shrimp culture started
gaining roots during <strong>the</strong> mid-eighties. It was a relatively late start in India; by this time, shrimp
farming had reached peak in most <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> neighbouring Asian countries, especially China and
Taiwan. The boom period <strong>of</strong> commercial-scale shrimp culture in India started in 1990 and <strong>the</strong>
bust came in 1995-96, with <strong>the</strong> large -scale outbreak <strong>of</strong> white spot disease (w.s.d). The fact that
some States in India were new to commercial-scale shrimp farming, <strong>the</strong> general ignorance <strong>of</strong>
good farming practices, and <strong>the</strong> lack <strong>of</strong> suitable extension services, led to a host <strong>of</strong> problems.
Presently, <strong>the</strong> repeated occurrence <strong>of</strong> w.s.d and <strong>the</strong> lack <strong>of</strong> good quality shrimp broodstock are
<strong>the</strong> major constraints faced by <strong>the</strong> shrimp aquaculture sector.
Sustainable shrimp farming entails issues ranging from farm level management to
integration <strong>of</strong> shrimp farming into coastal area management, shrimp health management and
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