Aquaculture in India Aquaculture is the cultivation of the natural produce of water (such as fish or shellfish, algae and other aquatic plants). Mari culture is specifically marine aquaculture, and thus is a subset of aquaculture. Some examples of aquaculture include raising catfish and tilapia in freshwater ponds, growing cultured pearls, and farming salmon in net-pens set out in a bay. Fish farming is a common kind of aquaculture. India offers a huge potential for aquaculture development. The country has a coastline of 7,517 km and an extensive river and canal system of about 195.210 km, consisting of 14 major rivers, 44 medium rivers and numerous small rivers and streams. In addition, pond and tank resources are estimated at 2.36 million ha.1 India experienced an eleven fold increase of fish production in the past six decades. This growth continues as is demonstrated by figure 1. In the freshwater, brackish water and the marine aquaculture sector there exist challenges and opportunities to which Dutch companies can respond. History Aquaculture was used in China circa 3000 BC. When the waters lowered after river floods some fishes, namely carps, were held in artificial lakes. Their broods were later fed using nymphs and feces from silkworms used for silk production. The Romans were quite adept in breeding fish in ponds. …show more content…
Organic wastes from fish cages can have a significant effect on water quality and the population structure of organisms, beyond the boundaries of the fish pens, increasing the occurrence of toxic algal blooms. Scotland, as well as Chile and China, has had serious toxic algae blooms. Algal blooms can cause the death of huge numbers of wild fish and other species, and great harm to wild fisheries. However, even a month of fallow time can return the area to pristine