India’s first open-sea marine fish farming project

India has launched its first open-sea marine fish farming project in the Andaman Sea, marking a major step in the country’s Blue Economy initiatives.

Launch and Inauguration
The pilot project was inaugurated by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences, Dr Jitendra Singh, at North Bay near Sri Vijaya Puram during a field visit to open waters.

Significance of the Project
The Minister described the initiative as a milestone in India’s Blue Economy journey, highlighting it as one of the first major efforts to harness the economic potential of India’s vast ocean resources.

Implementing Agencies
The project is being implemented through a collaboration between:

• Ministry of Earth Sciences
• National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), its technical arm
• Andaman and Nicobar Islands Union Territory administration

Focus Areas of the Pilot Project
The pilot focuses on open-sea cultivation under natural ocean conditions, combining advanced marine technology with livelihood generation:

• Marine finfish farming
• Seaweed cultivation

Livelihood-Oriented Interventions

• Marine flora component:
  Seaweed seeds were distributed to local fishers to promote deep-water seaweed farming in the open sea.
• Marine fauna component:
  Finfish seeds were provided for cage-based cultivation using NIOT-developed open-sea cages designed to withstand natural oceanic conditions.

Benefits for Local Communities
The initiative aims to create sustainable livelihoods for local fishing communities, while promoting scientific and environmentally responsible marine farming practices.

Related Development
During his visit, the Minister also toured the Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park near Wandoor.

About Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park

• Established in 1983
• One of India’s earliest marine parks
• Spread across 15 islands
• Known for rich marine biodiversity, including:
  • Coral reefs
  • Mangroves
  • Turtles
  • Diverse marine fish species