National conclave to draw road map for brackish water aquaculture begins today

Surat: Over 700 aqua farmers, researchers and government officials from across the country, will gather in Surat from Wednesday to chalk out the roadmap for brackish water aquaculture sector in the country.
The two-day conclave has been organized by Central Institute of Brackish water Aquaculture (ICAR-CIBA) in association with the Society of Coastal Aquaculture and Fisheries (SCAFi), Chennai, and Navsari Agricultural University (NAU) at the International Exhibition and Convention Centre in the city.
The conclave is intended to bring together, brackish water aquaculture farmers from all the coastal states to provide a cross-learning platform.
“The focus of the conclave is to develop a road map for the development of brackish water aquaculture on the west coast in general and Gujarat in particular as the state has hardly utilized 1% of its estimated potential. Gujarat with 1,600 km long coastline has vast stretches of brackish water area (approximately 3.76 lakh hectare), which is ideal for shrimp culture. We have hardly utilized 5,000 hectare of the potential area,’’ sad a one of the scientists.
The conclave would also focus on ground level issues and requirements to establish a communication mechanism among policy makers, researchers and ecosystem conservators for providing sustainable development of brackish water aquaculture, coastal ecosystem and markets.
Tanveer Hussain, scientist at Navsari Gujarat Research Centre, at NAU said that the farmers will be taken to shrimps farms, nursery and processing plants in Gujarat to give an exposure to the standard operating protocols followed in the scientifically managed systems.
“On Thursday, in-house presentations of success stories and innovative approaches by the farmers from all over the country and interactions between the researchers, farmers, industry and inputs will be held,” said Hussain
Gujarat’s minister of fisheries and tourism Jawahar Chavda will be inaugurating the conclave on Thursday. Fisheries secretaries of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa too are expected to participate in the deliberations which would culminate with development of an action plan for brackish water aquaculture on west coast.