Sri Vijaya Puram, July 8: The Andaman and Nicobar Islands has achieved a historic milestone in the field of sustainable mariculture with the first-ever registration in India of a commercial Open Sea Cage Culture Farm under the provisions of the Coastal Aquaculture Rules, 2024. The Open Sea Cage Culture Farm established by Islands Aquaculture & Marine Services (SHG) in the sea area leased by the Department of Fisheries, A&N Administration has been granted registration by the Coastal Aquaculture Authority (CAA), Chennai marking a landmark achievement not only for the Islands. This pioneering initiative reflects the Administration’s proactive efforts in promoting responsible and scientifically managed mariculture, facilitating private sector participation, and ensuring compliance with the newly introduced statutory framework governing coastal aquaculture. The achievement reinforces the Andaman and Nicobar Islands’ position as a frontrunner in sustainable marine aquaculture development and opens new avenues for investment, employment generation, and the blue economy.
The lease of notified sea area was granted to Islands Aquaculture & Marine Services (SHG) during 18th November, 2025 as per the approved Terms and conditions for the establishment of an open sea cage culture unit at North Bay. The firm with the technical support of ACOSTI-NIOT, Dollygunj commenced commercial farming of Asian Seabass (Lates calcarifer), a high-value marine fish species with good market demand.
The unit has established 04 grow-out cages, each measuring 10 metres in diameter, along with 04 nursery (happa) cages for rearing fish seed before stocking into the grow-out cages. Approximately 1,000–1,200 Asian Seabass seed measuring 2–3 cm were stocked, and the fish have now attained a size of 6–8 inches, indicating satisfactory growth under culture conditions. Feeding is being carried out using Skretting (Norwegian) floating feed, with feed size being progressively increased according to the growth stage of the fish to ensure healthy development and efficient feed utilisation.
The registration of two additional commercial open sea cage culture units at Chidiyatapu under the Coastal Aquaculture Authority (CAA) for the beneficiaries, M/s Aqua World Exports Pvt. Ltd. and M/s Canares Aquaculture LLP is currently under process at Coastal Aquaculture Authority, Chennai.
The Department of Fisheries, A&N Administration is actively promoting mariculture, particularly open sea cage culture, as a sustainable alternative livelihood for the fishing community and as an effective measure to reduce pressure on capture fisheries. To encourage entrepreneurs and fishers to adopt this technology, financial assistance is being extended under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) at 40% of the approved unit cost for General Category beneficiaries and 60% for Women beneficiaries, with a unit cost of Rs. 5 lakh per cage.