Guidelines for regulating coastal aquaculture

2147 GI/202 4 (1) EXTRAORDINARY PART II —Section 3 —Sub-section ( ii) PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY No. 1427] NEW DELHI, WEDNES DAY , MARCH 20 , 2024 /PHALGUNA 30, 1945 CG-DL-E-21032024-253271 7-8 1.5–2.5% > 5% 50–75mg/100 1.0 तापमान (oC) 28 – 33 3.0 पीएच 7.5 - 8.5 1 पीएच 6.0–9.0 6.0–9.0 MINISTRY OF FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING (Department of Fisheries ) NOTIFICATION New Delhi, the 20th March , 2024 S.O. 1 496(E).—In pursuance of section 3 of the Coastal Aquaculture Authority Act, 2005 (24 of 2005), read with clause (a) of rule 3 of the Coast al Aquaculture Authority Rules, 2024, and in supersession of the Guidelines for regulating coastal aquaculture, except as respects things done or omitted to be done before such supersession, the Central Government hereby notifies the following guidelines, namely: - 1. Short title and commencement. – (1) These guidelines may be called the Guidelines for regulating coastal aquaculture. (2) They shall come into force from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette. Guidelines for regulating coastal aquaculture 1. Introduction. – These guidelines are intended to ensure - (a) orderly and sustainable development of aquaculture in the country; (b) environmentally responsible and socially acceptable coastal aquaculture and to enhance the positive contributions that c oastal aquaculture can make to socio -economic benefits, livelihood security and poverty alleviation in the coastal areas; (c) appropriate farm management and measures to reduce the environmental impact arising through effluent discharges from coastal aquacultu re farm, treatment of such effluents and mitigation of the adverse impact of such effluents on the environment as well as resolution of social conflicts, which could lead to sustainable development of coastal aquaculture; (d) adoption of good management practi ces by farmers; (e) availability of guidance to all stakeholders involved, including coastal aquaculture farmers, the coastal community, State Fisheries Departments, Pollution Control Boards and the Ministries and Departments of the Governments of India and th e States. 2. Site selection process. - (1) Site selection is an important process in aquaculture as this may decide the success or failure of any coastal aquaculture activity . (2) Besides technological aspects including biological, physical and chemical as pects of aquaculture, the environmental and socio -economic aspects covering social, economic and legal issues are important parameters to be considered while finalising the site for setting up coastal aquaculture unit. (3) There shall be no aquaculture act ivities including Nucleus Breeding Centers or the Broodstock Multiplication Centers within a radius of 1000 meters (one kilometer) from the site selected for the establishment of the farm. (4) Site selection process are to ensure that coastal aquaculture u nits are harmoniously integrated into the local environment and social settings. (5) Generally clayey loam soils are preferred and high capital and operational cost shall be involved in maintaining farm in sandy area, which is also to be avoided owing to the high water percolation through the sandy soils and consequential environmental damage. (6) The quality of soil shall be ascertained for soil pH, permeability, bearing capacity and heavy metal content; Soil with low pH of below 5 (example acid sulphate soils) and soils with high concentrations of heavy metals shall be avoided. (7) The suitable soil characteristics ideal for construction of a coastal aquaculture farm are as follows: pH Organic carbon Calcium carbonate Available nitrogen Avai lable phosphorus Electrical conductivity 7-8 1.5–2.5% > 5% 50–75mg/100g soil 4–6mg/100gsoil >4 dS/m (8) The hydro -meteorological data of the proposed area is very important to develop the design of the farm and to ensure the availability of acceptable wa ter quality in the farm. (9) Construction of coastal aquaculture farm in cyclone prone places where natural calamities such as floods occur shall be avoided. (10) The infrastructure facilities like roads, electricity, proximity to hatcheries, feed manuf acturing units, feed retailers, ice plants, processing plants shall be considered while choosing the site for farm since these play an important role in the economics of aqua culture operations. (11) The following, mandatory requirements, shall be adopted f or site selection and to avoid subsequent social and environmental impacts, namely: - (i) mangroves, agricultural lands, ecologically sensitive areas including sanctuaries and marine parks, shall not be used for coastal aquaculture; (ii) coastal aquaculture farm sha ll be located at least 100 m away from any human settlement in a village or hamlet of less than 500 population and beyond 300 m from any village or hamlet of over 500 population and for major towns and heritage areas it shall be around 2km; (iii) all coastal aqu aculture farms shall maintain 100 m distance from the nearest drinking water sources; (iv) the coastal aquaculture farm shall not be located across natural drainage canals or flood drain; (v) while using common property resources including creeks, canals and sea, care shall be taken that the farming activity does not interfere with any other traditional activity including fishing; (vi) spacing of at least 3 m distance shall be maintained between adjacent coastal aquaculture farm for maintaining biosecurity and public ac cess to the fish landing centers in such manner that access to other common facilities shall not be affected; (vii) larger coastal aquaculture farm shall be set up in clusters with free access provided in between clusters; (viii) a minimum distance of 50 – 100 meters shall be maintained between the nearest agricultural land (depending upon the soil condition) or canal or any other water discharge or drainage source and the coastal aquaculture farm; (ix) for large coastal aquaculture farm of above 2.0 ha, the water spread a rea shall not exceed 60 per.cent. of the total area of the farm and the rest 40 per.cent. may be used appropriately for other purposes and plantation may be done wherever possible; (x) in case of small coastal aquaculture farm upto 2.0 ha, the water spread are a shall not exceed 80 per.cent. of the total area of the farm, the rest 20 per.cent. may be used appropriately for other purposes and plantation may be done wherever possible to enhance the green cover. 3. Construction and preparation of coastal aquacultu re farm. - (1) Proper designing and construction of farm is essential for their efficient management and for promoting environmental protection. (2) Good site selection and incorporation of mitigatory features in the farm design are the best ways to avoid problems related to flood levels, storms, erosion, seepage, water intake and discharge points. (3) A site -specific approach to design and construction of coastal aquaculture farm is necessary, as site characteristics vary greatly from place to place. (4) The following checklist shall be considered while designing and constructing coastal aquaculture farm: Check list for farm design and construction (a) embankments shall be designed to prevent flooding and erosion, after taking into consideration the tidal amp litude, water current, wind direction, wave action and the past histories of flooding in the area during cyclones/storms; (b) in soils, which are seepage prone, design shall include provision for trench around the farm to reduce saline water intrusion into the neighboring lands; (c) the elevation of the pond bottom, drainage canal and the outlet shall be designed in such a way that the water in the farm can be drained fully and easily through gravity; (d) ponds shall have separate intake and outlet structures to permit control of filling and draining; (e) a minimum water depth of 80 -100 cm shall be maintained in the ponds; (f) inlet and discharge canals shall be separate so that water supply and waste water are not mixed and in areas where such a provision cannot be made, it is advisable that waste treatment pond shall be included in the design; (g) the farm design shall not alter natural water flows, or impound floodwater; (h) the sluice gates shall be water tight and provided with net filters; (i) where possible, vegetative buffer zones, riparian vegetation and habitat corridors shall be maintained and vegetative cover provided on exposed earthwork; (j) pump intakes shall be screened, vegetative buffers provided around pump stations, and containments installed to prevent fuel spills. (5) Cons truction of intake reservoirs and effluent treatment ponds for the areas where the source water is turbid with suspended particles, an intake reservoir for settling the silt is very essential. (6) In areas where there is overcrowding of coastal aquacultur e farms and the intake and outfall are from the same source such as creek, estuary or backwater, the intake reservoir with provision for treatment of water is essential. (7) In areas where the tidal current is swift and tidal amplitude is high, the waste water from the farm can be directly let out during the low tide, but in areas where the tidal current is very low, it is essential that the waste water be treated in an effluent treatment pond before it is released in to the natural system. (8) An effluen t treatment pond , as a reservoir for holding and regenerating waste water, is mandatory for coastal aquaculture farm larger than 5ha and a minimum of 10 per cent of the total farm area shall be reserved for this purpose. (9) Smaller coastal aquaculture fa rm that are located in close proximity to each other making farm cluster and connected by a common drainage network shall establish a common discharge water treatment system. (10) The design of the common discharge water treatment system shall be dependen t on the type of culture system in practice, the quality and quantity of inputs used and the water quality management method followed. (11) For better water management, individual culture units shall be within 5 ha areas and suitable feeder channel system shall be provided within the farm to effectively manage the water intake in all the individual units. (12) Pond preparation is an essential part of culture practices during which the metabolite load and contaminants (chemical and biological) in the soil f rom the previous culture cycle is removed through tilling, ploughing and drying. (13) During pond preparation, the pests and predators are removed and pH and nutrient levels in the water and soil are brought to optimal concentrations through application o f lime, organic manures and inorganic fertilizers. (14) The following may assist in pond preparation and reduction of the possible environmental impacts, - (i) pond sediments from the previous culture, which are likely to have accumulation of nutrient loads an d other contaminants, shall not be disposed off in the natural environment; (ii) in case it is necessary to remove the sediments and it shall be disposed off within the coastal aquaculture farm site itself, by putting such sediments in trenches made in the wid e dykes and it shall be ensured that these sediments do not leach out; (iii) application of lime is useful in correcting the pH of the soil and water, as a disinfectant and for increasing the mineralisation process and if the soil pH is not below 7.5, a basal do se of 300-500 kg per ha. can be applied; (iv) in acid soils, where the pH is low, the quantity of lime to be applied shall be calculated based on the pH and type of lime used; (v) unwanted or pest organisms shall be removed from the pond by drying of the pond bott om. In cases, where complete drying is not possible, organic, biodegradable piscicides can be used. No chemical piscicide shall be used; (vi) chlorination can be done to remove the pests and pathogens in ponds where drying of pond bottom is not possible; (vii) fertil izers and manures shall be used judiciously as per the requirement. Over fertilization shall be avoided and fertilizer schedule shall be decided on the basis of phytoplankton growth in the ponds; (viii) the colour and transparency of the water can be taken as ind icators of plankton growth. Optimal density of phytoplankton shall be maintained throughout the culture period; (ix) heavy algal bloom shall never be allowed to develop since crash of algal bloom may lead to anoxic conditions in the pond thereby affecting the survival and growth of the culture stock. 4. Water quality and its management. - (1) Brackish water or sea water in adequate quantities shall be available throughout the year and t he water source may be from backwaters, canals or creeks, lagoons or sea. (2) The coastal aquaculture units shall lay the pipeline without affecting natural environment to draw the quality saline water from the near by source either creek, river or sea and to discharge the treated waste water. (3) The water source shall be free fro m any industrial or agricultural runoff and the presence of contaminants and their levels shall be considered in the light of the tolerance and also sub-lethal effects on the species to be cultured. (4) Water quality parameters like pH, salinity, dissolve d oxygen and the presence of toxicants /pollutants shall be periodically ascertained and the optimal levels of various water quality parameters for better survival and growth of species cultured are listed in the below Table. Table Optimal levels of water quality parameters for coastal aquaculture farm Sl. No. Water Quality Parameters Optimal Level 1.0 Temperature (oC) 28 – 33 2.0 Transparency (cm) 25 - 45 3.0 pH 7.5 - 8.5 4.0 Dissolved oxygen (ppm) 5 – 7 (above 50% air saturation) 5.0 Salinity (ppt) As per species cultured 6.0 Total alkalinity (ppm) 200 7.0 Dissolved inorganic phosphate (ppm) 0.1 - 0.2 8.0 Nitrate - N (ppm) < 0.03 9.0 Nitrite - N (ppm) < 0.01 10.0 Ammonia - N (ppm) < 0.01 11.0 Cadmium (ppm) < 0.01 12.0 Chromium (ppm) < 0.1 13.0 Copper (ppm) < 0.025 14.0 Lead (ppm) < 0.1 15.0 Mercury (ppm) < 0.0001 16.0 Zinc (ppm) < 0.1 (5) The following practices may be adopted to protect the environment, namely: - (a) good water quality shall be maintained by using water stable feed wit h minimal wastage; (b) water quality parameters shall be monitored regularly and care shall be taken to avoid wide fluctuations in water quality, so as to avoid stress to the farmed stock and proper screens shall be used to prevent the entry of pests and preda tors and dissolved oxygen concentrations shall be measured during early morning hours; (c) fertilizers and lime shall be used in a responsible manner only when it is actually required; (d) use of groundwater to reduce the salinity of the culture water shall be avo ided for sustainability reasons; even though the farmed stock can adapt and grow in a wide range of salinity, it is better to avoid salinity fluxes so as to avoid stress to the farmed stock, which could make them more prone to diseases; (e) indiscriminate use of chemicals, bacteriological and enzyme preparations that supposedly enhance nutrient removal, organic matter, oxidation and removal of ammonia from water and soil shall be avoided. (6) The following general bio -security procedures shall be adopted , namely: - (a) the quality of intake water is very important for healthy operation of coastal aquaculture and the pollution free water drawn from natural sources shall be filtered, chlorinated to kill the microbes and de -chlorinated before usage. (b) movement of men and materials between different coastal aquaculture farms shall be controlled to avoid contamination. (c) foot bath, hand bath, wash basins, toilets, etc. shall be provided to ensure adequate sanitation and hygiene in the coastal aquaculture farm. (d) the effl uent water shall be properly treated in an effluent treatment system before discharge. Regular monitoring of effluents shall be carried out to ensure environment standards stipulated. (e) it is essential that the farmers shall maintain proper records of their activities, for verification by the Authority and also to ensure traceability and easy market access. 5. Seed selection and stocking. - (1) Seed quality has a direct relationship with the survival and growth of the cultured stock and the stocking density h as a strong bearing on the level of waste generated in the pond and the following best practices shall be observed, namely: - (a) only healthy high health and pathogen -free seed sourced from registered hatcheries shall be used for stocking; (b) the health status of the seed shall be checked through standard testing procedures, including Polymerase Chain Reaction; (c) seed collection from the natural resources shall be banned by the State Governments with a view to protecting a large spectrum of fin and shellfish species from being destroyed; (d) before stocking the seed shall be acclimatized to the prevailing temperature, salinity and pH in the pond conditions by gradual mixing. In areas with very low salinity, salinity adjustments are to be made over a period of 4 –5 days a nd hence shall be done at the hatchery itself. 6. Feed and feed management. - (1) Careful feed management is essential for successful farming and by using good quality feed in reasonable quantities, water and soil quality in ponds remains in optimum condi tions which in turn reduces stress on farmed species, and incidence of disease, improve feed conversion ratio and minimize feed costs. (2) Better water quality in ponds allows minimum load of nutrients in waste water and reduces the possibility of enviro nmental impacts in receiving water bodies. (3) Farmers shall keep full records of daily feed schedules to enable assessment of Feed Conversion Ratio, which shall be used to increase feeding efficiency and reduction in feed waste. 7. Health management. - (1) Viruses, bacteria, protozoa cause the major diseases and the diseases that have led to devastations or economic loss in farming globally are enlisted and updated by World Organization for Animal Health from time to time. (2) Apart from these, diseases of concern for finfish, crustaceans, molluscs, marine algae and other commercial candidate species of national concern or globally emerging diseases of economic importance will also be notified by the Government from time to time. (3) Outbreak of disease in culture systems is related to the environmental factors such as deterioration of water quality, sedimentation and self -pollution. (4) Treatment shall be undertaken only when a specific disease has been diagnosed. (5) Effective measures shall be taken to minimize the spread of disease between farm stocks and natural stocks. (6) The following practices envisage health management as a holistic activity with disease prevention as the main objective, namely: - (a) the health management practices include reduc ed stocking density of disease -free seed, better handling, maintenance of good pond environment and optimal feed management ; (b) the health of the culture stock shall be monitored continuously and those with any one or more of the following conditions are indicative of some disease: - (i) inactive and sluggish, empty gut, bluish/blackish coloration; (ii) body blisters, flared up gills, broken appendages; and (iii) black or white spots, coloured gills and opaque muscles; (c) any disease shall be diagnosed immediately with the help of trained pathologists or microbiologists; (d) do not employ chemical treatments that can stress the animals; (e) management of pond environment is to be given utmost importance for disease prevention and control; (f) for non -infectious diseases related to pond conditions, treatment of animals shall be carried out or pond conditions shall be corrected; (g) for mild infectious diseases with potential to spread, the pond shall be quarantined and the best options for disease treatment shall be carried out; (h) for serious infectious diseases that may spread widely, the pond shall be isolated, remaining farmed stock shall be net harvested and the pond shall be disinfected without discharging any water; (i) dead and diseased farmed stock shall be disposed of in a sanitary manner that will discourage the spread of disease; (j) when disease occurs in a pond, transfer of farmed stock , equipment, or water to other ponds shall be avoided; (k) treatments that are permitted shall be done judiciousl y in accordance with recommended practices and all national and international regulations shall be complied with. 8. Use of Fertilizers and other Aquaculture inputs, - (1) As far as possible only organic manure or fertilizers and other plant products shall be used for coastal aquaculture for promoting the growth of fish food organisms, particularly for the early post -larval stages. (2) Use of chemical piscicides in coastal aquaculture shall be avoided and only biodegradable organic plant extracts shall be used as they are less harmful than the chemical agents. (3) The use of antibiotics in coastal aquaculture shall be strictly prohibited (4) The list of antibiotics or pharmacologically active substances that are prohibited for use in coastal aquaculture s hall be as specified under rule 18 of the Coastal Aquaculture Authority Rules, 2024 (hereafter referred to as the said rules). (5) The coastal aquaculture inputs shall comply with the Guidelines for certificate of compliance for aquaculture impacts; issued under clause (e) of the rule 3 of said rules. (6) The Coastal aquaculture inputs including seed shall not contain any antibiotic prohibited for use in coastal aquaculture. 9. Harvest and post-harvest. - (1) During harvesting, as maximum suspended parti cles are likely to be released into the open waters, great care shall be taken to prevent such release and the farmers are advised to adopt the following norms while harvesting the crop, namely: - (a) harvesting may be done by completely draining the pond either by gravity or through pumping and hand picking or trapping; (b) the water drained out for harvesting shall be pumped into the waste stabilization ponds and kept for a few days for settlement followed by chlorination and de -chlorination before releasing into the open water; and (c) icing shall be done immediately after harvest. 10. Waste water management. - (1) The following checklist shall guide the coastal aquaculture farmer in waste management and for protection of the water and land resources. Checklist for wastewater management, - (a) proper designing of the farm with independent intake and outfall will reduce the nutrient loading; (b) proper compaction of bunds with vegetative cover shall be provided which will reduce erosion; (c) proper pond preparation methods will reduce nutrient loads; (d) proper water and soil quality management in the culture ponds will reduce the nutrient loading of wastewater; (e) responsible feed management will reduce feed wastage; (f) during harvest, water shall be drained carefully avoiding re-suspe nsion of sediment; (g) wastewater shall not be discharged into freshwater areas or onto agricultural land; and (h) removing of sediments from the pond bottom shall be avoided. It shall be corrected in situ. (2) Effluent treatment system is mandatory for coastal a quaculture farm above 5 ha, at least 10 per cent of the total water spread area shall be earmarked for the effluent treatment system which may be used for secondary aquaculture projects, particularly for culture of mussels, oysters, seaweed or other fin fi shes and such integrated projects shall help improving the waste water quality, reducing the organic and nutrient loads and producing an additional cash crop. (3) The standards shown in the Table below shall be adhered to for the discharge of wastewater fr om the coastal aquaculture units. Table Standards for waste water discharges from the coastal aquaculture units Sl. No. Parameters Final Discharge Point Coastal Marine Waters Creek or estuarine courses when the same inland water courses are used a s water source & disposal point 1 pH 6.0–9.0 6.0–9.0 2 Suspended solids mg/1 100 100 3 Dissolved oxygen mg/1 Not less than 3 Not less than 3 4 Free Ammonia (asNH3 -N)mg/1 1.0 0.5 5 Biochemical Oxygen Demand -BOD (5 days@20 c)Max mg/1 50 20 6 Chemic al Oxygen Demand -COD mg/1Max 100 75 7 Dissolved Phosphate (as P) mg/1Max 0.4 0.2 8 Total Nitrogen (as N)mg/1 2.0 2.0 9 Nitrate N(ppm) 1.0 0.5 (4) It is advisable to let ponds dry between harvests rather than removing sediment accumulations from the pond bottom as such method is environmental friendly. (5) The solid waste of the coastal aquaculture farm, including sludge and scrapped soil from the ponds shall not be disposed of into the waterways and solid waste shall be disposed of in accorda nce with the Guidelines for solid waste management in coastal aquaculture units or activities issued under clause (g) of rule 3 of said rules. 11. Environment impact assessment and Environment monitoring and management plans .- (1) An Environment Impact Assessment and Environment monitoring and management plans shall be made at the planning stage by all coastal aquaculture farms above 40 ha size. (2) All coastal aquaculture farms of 10 ha in size and above but less than 40 ha shall furnish detailed stat ement with information on the likely impacts along with the detailed plans. (3) The Sub -Divisional Level Committees and District Level Committees set up by the Authority shall be the Environment Impact Assessment Authorities and shall ensure that such an Environment Impact Assessment or Environment monitoring and management plans as applicable has been carried out by the coastal aquaculture farms before their proposal is recommended for registration to the Authority for approval. (4) The Authority shall emp anel Environment Impact Assessment Consultant Organization that are accredited with the National Accreditation Board for Education and Training of Quality Council of India and having its expertise in aquaculture related matters for the preparations of Envi ronment Impact Assessment and Environment monitoring and management plans reports of coastal aquaculture farms. (5) Before setting up of a large coastal aquaculture farm, - (a) an individual or public or private entity that has ultimate control over the a ffairs of the coastal aquaculture farm and is duly authorized or appointed by the Board of Directors of the company or a competent authority of such entity shall engage an Environment Impact Assessment Consultant Organization empaneled by the authority for the preparation of the Environment Impact Assessment Report or Environment monitoring and management plans; (b) the Final Environment Impact Assessment Report and the Environment monitoring and management plans as applicable shall be prepared after the required consultations and shall contain mitigation measures duly addressing the concerns raised by the public, time bound action plan, budgetary provision for the commitments made therein shall be submitted with the application for registration to the Env ironment Impact Assessment Authorities for the purpose of appraisal; (c ) the Sub Divisional Level Committees and District Level Committees shall after being satisfied, forward the application along with the Final Environment Impact Assessment Report and the Environment monitoring and management plans to the Authority for registration. (d) post-project evaluations shall be conducted by the concerned person in order to compare actual environmental and social impacts with predictions made during the Envir onment Impact Assessment or Environment monitoring and management plans and submit the report to Sub-Divisional Level Committees and District Level Committees of concerned States or Union Territories while applying for the renewal of registration. 12. Pro cedure for Environment Impact Assessment. - (1) Environment Impact Assessment is a process where the environmental risk of development is assessed in terms of acceptable environmental impact and balanced against the projected benefits of the development an d it provides information on the present situation and future trends of an environmental resource and proposes alternatives for action. (2) The following process shall be followed for preparation of the Environment Impact Assessment Report, namely: - (i) scree ning is a preliminary examination of a project to determine whether a more detailed environmental assessment is required and if so, at what level; (ii) if there is uncertainty about an aquaculture unit in relation to the criteria, an Initial Environmental Asses sment may be required, and this may be subject to review before a decision is made about the need for a full Environment Impact Assessment; (iii) scoping is a process to identify and evaluate community and scientific concerns about a proposed aquaculture unit s o that they can be addressed systematically in the Environment Impact Assessment; (iv) the output from scoping usually includes detailed terms of reference for further work. Scoping shall include specific objectives of Environment Impact Assessment, identificat ion of key issues and impacts during construction/establishment, operation and decommissioning phases, and alternatives; (v) prediction of impacts is the core of Environment Impact Assessment and involves identifying and defining more clearly the impacts that are to be investigated in detail and analyzing these impacts in terms of their major characteristics and significance and the type and scale of any ecological change associated with coastal aquaculture development will depend on the method of aquaculture, the level of production, and the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the coastal area; (vi) impact analysis methods shall be in proportion to the scope of the assessment and the relative importance of the impact and assessments shall be quanti tative wherever possible, in order to assess impacts there must be a baseline or standard to measure against; (vii) public involvement and comments on predicted or new impacts can be used to adapt and refine both the monitoring programme and environmental manag ement plan and the widest possible range of stakeholders having a direct or indirect impact on the sector shall be consulted or actively involved, especially where there are multiple and competing stakeholders or where disputes or conflicts are evident; an d (viii) mitigation measures to minimize, avoid, or compensate for the anticipated impacts are to be provided and mitigation of the environmental impacts of aquaculture units can be implemented through modifications and improvements in application procedures and management practices. 13. Environment monitoring and management plans , - (1) The major endpoints for investigation to prepare the Environment monitoring and management plans shall be the following, namely: - (i) the water courses in the vicinity; (ii) the ground water quality; (iii) the drinking water sources; (iv) the agricultural activity; (v) the soil; (vi) the mangroves. (2) The following process shall be followed for the preparation of Environment monitoring and management plans, namely: - (a) the monitoring the environment for impacts is dependent on the purposes and aims of the study, ecological end points under investigation, the size of the farm, site characteristics, etc; (b) the basic objectives of environmental monitoring shall be the level of, or trend in a particular parameter and ensure that it does not fall below or exceed a predetermined value related to the natural conditions for the area; (c) in monitoring the environmental effects of coastal aquaculture farm, data is to be collected at various time points and compared with original pre -development data and or with contemporary reference data and the available data has to be collected from the published documents/literature; If the required data is not available, then the environmental impacts can be determined by compa ring the impacted area with a control site; (d) baseline monitoring, both spatial and temporal refers to the measurement of environmental parameters during a pre -project period for the purpose of determining the nature and ranges of natural variation and to establish, where appropriate, the nature of change and it provides essential background ecosystem data for subsequent comparison and such data may be used in the design of an appropriate monitoring study, focusing on the areas which are most relevant for investigating change in any particular environment; (e) monitoring methodology depends on the location of sampling stations, frequency of sampling, method of sampling, and method of analysis of the samples taken to measure the determinants; (f) the monitoring programs shall have realistic temporal and spatial sampling elements and the sampling methods shall be relevant to the target area; (g) the selection of sampling stations will vary with location and purpose of the monitoring effort and by using a detailed ma p of the area, number of sampling stations has to be fixed for a good monitoring program, once the sampling stations have been selected, they shall be capable of permanently identifying in the field and be marked on a map or GPS readings of the stations mu st be noted so that samples can always be taken from the same location; all the sampling stations shall have accessibility so that it will be possible to obtain all samples on each sampling date; (h) all samples shall be taken on the same day if possible. I f monitoring programs have many sampling stations or several remote stations, the whole sampling for a particular month shall be done preferably within 2 or 3 days; (i) the parameters to measure are those most likely to cause deterioration of water quality c onditions and will vary according to the major endpoint under investigation and few important parameters may be selected that can be reliably measured and interpreted rather than to analyse a wide range of parameters; Sea mouth (j) in order to ensure that environment al change does not exceed the pre -determined and accepted levels, Environmental Quality Standards have to be established, a precondition for effective monitoring program and Environmental Quality Standards are levels of particular parameters associated wit h an identified use, which may be imposed to ensure that the objectives are not compromised and the setting of standards shall be done with the input from a broad range of institutions; (k) corrections would be made to farm management, depending on the resul ts obtained from monitoring programs; (l) as the nature and scale of an ecological impact will depend on the type of aquaculture practice and the location of the operation, it is likely that the protocols will have to be modified according to local requireme nts; (m) it shall consider green belt development. 14. Assessment of the cost of demolition. -The environmental monitoring committee constituted under sub -rule (1) of rule17 of the said rules shall assess the cost of damage to the environment and cost of de molition based on the following broad principles: (k) use such scientific methods to assess the cost of damage which are expandable to different scales, inclusive of externalities, practical to implement or such other method as the committee deems fit; (l) identif y elements that may cause damage to the environment supported with adequate data to address the probability of the impact occurring, consequences if it does occur, and the level of confidence in the analysis; and (m) a relationship between levels of activity t o the degree of damage shall be developed to derive the monetary value of the impact associated and appropriate set of data shall used to arrive at actual environmental damages based on -ground study. 15. Integrated coastal zone management. – (1) Integrate d coastal zone management plans shall be prepared for each coastal State by the States concerned with zoning for different activities and with buffer zones and updated regularly. (2) Detailed master plans for development of aquaculture through macro and m icro-level surveys of the potential areas and zonation of coastal area delineating the land suitable and unsuitable for aquaculture using the remote sensing data, ground truth verification, Geographical Information System and socio - economic aspects shall b e considered. 16. Aqua Zonation. - (1) Aquaculture zoning brings together the criteria for locating aquaculture and other activities in order to define broad zones suitable for different activities or mixes of activities. (2) An aquaculture zone is an area dedicated to aquaculture, recognized by planning authorities, that would be considered a priority for local aquaculture development (3) Aquaculture zones for land -based aquaculture and for aquaculture in open water bodies need to be earmarked in the coast al states after considering the environmental suitability and other resource use plans through spatial planning (4) There is a need to identify suitable zones for aquaculture by the respective States or Union Territories considering the present land use, e xtent of utilization of resources, carrying capacity of the source water bodies, site -specific water quality parameters, soil quality, culture species, existing provisions of various relevant Acts and rules or regulations and relevant directions contained in various judgments of High Courts or Supreme Court. (5) The aqua maps indicating aquaculture zones shall appropriately indicate the distance between such zones and agricultural lands, mangroves, wetlands, forest lands, flood -prone regions, water holding areas during the rainy season, land meant for public purposes, and ecologically sensitive areas like national parks and sanctuaries, etc., (6) The number and extent of permitted existing aquaculture units need to be taken into consideration before new per missions to maintain environmental sustainability and the carrying capacity of water bodies and such coastal aquaculture zonation and mapping shall be based on the evaluation of environmental parameters, including the probability of occurrence of harmful a lgal blooms and their impact on the environment . (7) The potential areas for promoting coastal aquaculture based on the criteria such as fallow lands, low lying areas, inundated lands, the lands which are not fit for agriculture, alkaline and saline lands may be considered for declaring as potential areas for promotion of coastal aquaculture and may be notified along with aquaculture zones by the respective States or Union Territories . 17. Aqua mapping. – (1) Each state map of potential aquaculture zones will be based on the existing resource - sharing capacity for all aquaculture units. (2) Geospatial mapping of suitable lands for pond aquaculture needs to integrate land use, soil characteristics, water quality from source water bodies, and environmental regulations. (3) Such mapping of aqua zones shall also consider socio -cultural attributes, local area master plans and other logistics, with consideration to protect the livelihoods of local fishing communities and their access to fishing grounds and avoid ing conflict with other users. 18. Cluster management, record maintenance and networking. - (1) There shall be an awareness of avoiding social conflicts and the stakeholders together shall discuss common problems and adopt appropriate management measures to avoid conflicts and increase sustainability of the farming systems. (2) Farmers shall form co -operatives, associations or self -help groups in order to exchange technology and to achieve co -operation in water use and waste management. (3) Facilities for regular extension work and different aspects of training shall be made available to the farmers; Individual farmers and self -help groups or associations shall arrange to interact with the extension staff in the State Department of Fisheries, the Marine Prod ucts Exports Development Authority, Indian Council of Agricultural Research institutions , Agricultural Universities, and Non -Governmental Organizations, as the case may be to assist the small farmers. (4) For facilitating data collection on the practices a nd farm accounts, farmers or self -help groups shall co-operate with the State Department of Fisheries to collect, organize, and evaluate data to demonstrate the adoption of the guidelines and document the benefits of their use and also for other statistica l purposes. (5) Farmers shall be encouraged to join Farmer Producer Organizations or farmers information network at the local, national and regional levels and t he aquaculture networks available shall be made use by farmers/ Groups for improving their know ledge and skills and also for obtaining latest developments and market trends. 19. Protecting the livelihood of various coastal communities. - Coastal aquaculture, is one among the several activities in the coastal area involving the coastal communities. (a) farm owners or managers shall respect the community rights and needs and in case of any conflicts arising always attempt to solve the problems in amicable ways for ensuring harmony in the community and sustainability of the coastal aquaculture farm and th ey shall cooperate with the community and other sectoral users of the coastal resources, in common efforts for improving environmental conditions and community welfare. (b) care shall be taken to see that the natural drainage canals which are used as water source for aquaculture units are not blocked so as to avoid flooding of low lying areas and villages. (c) salinisation of land and drinking water shall be avoided by providing suitable buffer zones between agricultural land, villages and coastal aquaculture f arm. (d) to avoid problems of ground water salinisation, drawal of ground water is strictly prohibited for coastal aquaculture and the farmer shall monitor salinity ingress regularly, in case of salinity ingress, the Authority shall take action. (e) the operat or of every coastal aquaculture unit shall take measures for abatement of noise including noise emanating from generators and other machineries and ensure that the existing noise levels do not exceed the ambient air quality standards specified under the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000 made under the Environment (Protection) Act 1986 . (f) use of common property resources like the creeks, canals, etc shall be carried out in a harmonious manner and the traditional rights of the coastal commu nities shall not be affected in any way. [F.No. j -1903336/2/2024 -Department of Fisheries(E -23648)] NEETU KUMARI PRASAD, J t. Sec y. Uploaded by Dte. of Printing at Government of India Press, Ring R oad, Mayapuri, New Delhi -110064 and Published by the Controll er of Publications, Delhi -110054.