Goa Fisheries Department Approves Sea Cages for Sustainable Aquaculture

Panaji: The fisheries department gave in-principle approval to five applicants for the installation of sea cages under the Goa Mariculture Policy. Fish species like sea bass and cobia will be reared in this initiative in an open sea cage set up at Anjuna.
“We asked the applicants to submit documentation, following which they will be given a no-objection certificate to start sea cage culture operations this season,” a fisheries official said.
As part of this initiative, 10 circular cages will be set up to support the five beneficiaries in their aquaculture ventures. “Circular cages are required in this setup due to the intensity of the waves in the sea beyond five kilometres from the coast,” the official said. “Each beneficiary will get two cages each. Every circular cage is about eight to ten metres in height and 20 metres in diameter each,” he added.
Besides fish, if beneficiaries wish to grow mussels or seaweed under this policy in the future, they can do so with prior approval from the fisheries department, the official said.
The Goa Mariculture Policy is a set of guidelines and regulations to promote sustainable aquaculture practices in the state and boost the state’s fish production. The govt formed an expert committee to oversee the zonation and demarcation of marine waters for the mariculture policy. The committee is chaired by the director of fisheries, with the deputy director of fisheries serving as the convener. Other members include representatives from the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), Fisheries Survey of India, and Krishi Vigyan Kendra, South Goa.
In the fiscal year 2024-2025 (till Feb 2025), a total of 216.1 tonnes of fish were produced from aquaculture farming in Goa. This is a slight increase from the previous year, wherein 208.9 tonnes were produced in 2023-24.
There are a total of 49 aquaculture farms and brackish water ponds registered in Goa, of which nearly 20 are in Salcete alone. The total area under brackish water cultivation in the state is 18,500 hectares, and 160.71 hectares of brackish water area is utilised for aquaculture.



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