India achieved a historic milestone in ocean resource utilization with the launch of the country’s first open-sea marine fish farming project in the Andaman Sea. The initiative was inaugurated by Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh at North Bay near Sri Vijaya Puram, marking a significant step toward ocean-based economic growth.
Dr Singh described the project as a foundational move to unlock the Blue Economy, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of leveraging India’s maritime resources for sustainable development and livelihood generation. He highlighted that India’s oceans hold vast untapped potential, comparable to the wealth of the Himalayas and mainland regions, and noted that ocean resources had largely been overlooked for nearly seven decades post-Independence. Since 2014, there has been a renewed focus on viewing India’s oceans as a driver of economic growth, with each of the country’s coastal regions offering unique ecological and economic advantages.
The pilot project is being implemented collaboratively by the Ministry of Earth Sciences, the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Administration. It focuses on open-sea cultivation of marine finfish and seaweed, combining advanced technology with community-based livelihood initiatives suited to natural ocean conditions.
As part of the launch, seaweed seeds were distributed to local fishing communities to promote deep-water seaweed farming, while finfish seeds were provided for cage-based cultivation using NIOT-designed open-sea cages capable of withstanding dynamic ocean environments. Dr Singh emphasized that while the initiative is government-led, the technical expertise and viability data generated could facilitate larger-scale adoption through public–private partnerships, expanding employment opportunities and driving growth in India’s Blue Economy.
During his visit, Dr Singh also toured the Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park near Wandoor, one of India’s earliest marine protected areas. Spread across 15 islands, the park is home to preserved marine habitats, including coral reefs, mangroves, turtles, and diverse fish species, showcasing a thriving and self-sustaining ecosystem.
The launch at North Bay reflects the Government of India’s commitment to taking science and technology beyond laboratories, ensuring coastal and island communities play a central role in the country’s ocean-driven development journey.
