Aqua farmers seek quarantine facilities to prevent marine diseases

Register their observations on the draft AADHM Bill 2019

Quarantine facility required to conduct tests on species like Pangasius fish before recommending the seed for cultivation in the ponds. Pangasius is the most preferred species in the aquaculture in Krishna district.

Stakeholders of aquaculture industry sought setting up fish quarantine facilities, and intense presence of Coastal Aquaculture Authority. They also lobbied for a serious check on indiscriminate usage and sale of antibiotics to prevent breakout of any aquatic diseases in future.

Threats and challenges

Nearly 75 stakeholders - progressive aqua farmers, fish seed suppliers, lab and feed technicians - on Wednesday registered their observations on the threats and challenges being faced by the aquaculture industry at a consultative meet on ‘The Aquatic Animal Disease and Health Management Bill 2019 (AADHM Bill)’.

The Bill was formulated by the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, aiming at controlling diseases of aquatic animals, prevention of outbreak, the inter-regional spread of aquatic animal diseases, regulation of quality and usage of inputs in aquaculture and others.

The meeting was convened by the Department of Fisheries under the aegis of Assistant Director (Fisheries-Kaikaluru) D.S. Sudhakar in Kaikaluru town in Krishna district.

Thriving inputs trade

The meeting exposed the thriving trade of aquaculture inputs - feed and antibiotics - for which at least 200 stores are in operation in and around Kaikaluru area.

The farmers have sought government action to set up hatcheries of Pangasius, Asian Sea Bass, Silver Pampano, Roopchand and other fish species, whose seed was being cultivated without undergoing the quarantine tests, to put a check on the possible outbreak of any disease. Scarcity of seed of different fish species is forcing the farmers to import them from neighbouring countries to continue to survive in aquaculture.

“The total acreage under aquaculture including brackishwater aquaculture in Krishna is above 59,000 hectares,” Mr. Sudhakar said.