Over 350 shrimp hatcheries along the coastal region of Andhra Pradesh have been spared from potential demolition as the Union Government amends the Coastal Aqua Authority (CAA) Act. The amendment exempts hatcheries from the previously enforced distance rule under Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) guidelines.
Under the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) rules, establishments were prohibited within 500 meters of the CRZ zone. However, the recent amendment grants an exemption for hatcheries and aqua-related units.
The Coastal Aqua Authority (CCA), established in 2005, had faced a recent National Green Tribunal judgment calling for the demolition of establishments within 200 meters of the CRZ limit to protect the environment. In response to representations by hatchery owners facing this threat, the central government amended the law, providing the much-needed exemptions.
Sunkaranam Harinarayana, the General Secretary of the All India Shrimp Hatcheries Association’s Kakinada chapter, stated that the Union Government has relaxed the 250-meter zone restriction, permitting aquaculture and seed production of prawns, crabs, etc., within CRZ limits. He emphasized that India’s aqua production has reached 10 lakh metric tonnes, contributing significantly to foreign currency earnings through large-scale exports. Out of the 550 hatcheries in the country, 450 are located in Andhra Pradesh.
With the previous reliance on brood stock from the Pacific Ocean, the industry has now shifted to local production under the ‘Make In India’ initiative. The president of the association, Sathi Veerreddy, expressed relief within the hatcheries industry following this rule change, highlighting the significant direct and indirect employment opportunities it provides for lakhs of people.
Source: Deccan Chronicle
