Present status of freshwater aquaculture in India – A review

Abstract

Aquaculture is a rapidly growing fisheries sector in India with an annual growth rate of over 7%. Freshwater aquaculture contributes over 95% of the total annual aquaculture production of 5.77 million t. Technologies of induced carp breeding and polyculture of the three Indian major carps (Catla catla, Labeo rohita and Cirrhinus mrigala) as well as ‘composite carp culture’ with the addition of three exotic carps (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, Ctenopharyngodon idella and Cyprinus carpio) in ponds and tanks brought about perceptible upward shift in freshwater aquaculture production. Of late, the sector has been witnessing diversification with the inclusion of medium and minor carps, catfishes and murrels. Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal are the top producers of freshwater fish through aquaculture. System diversification has resulted in optimum productivity of 3-6 t ha-1 yr-1. Public and private carp hatcheries produce around 40 billion fry. Fish requirement by 2020 is expected to touch 15 million t, of which around 9 million t would need to come from freshwater aquaculture. Input-related, social and environmental constraints of aquaculture in India need to be tackled through horizontal and vertical expansion, technology as well as climate change mitigation and adaptation, for sustainable development.