Coastal Aquaculture Bill excludes fresh water units from regulatory scope

This Bill amends the Coastal Aquaculture Authority Act, 2005 to update definitions, expand the regulatory scope to include specific types of aquaculture units and inputs, and strengthen the administrative and enforcement powers of the Coastal Aquaculture Authority.

Who it concerns: Coastal aquaculture operators, owners, and firms engaged in rearing aquatic life in saline or brackish water in coastal areas; the Coastal Aquaculture Authority; and the Central Government ministries (including the newly added Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying).

What the bill does

• Updates definitions to include 'aquaculture input', 'aqua mapping', 'aqua zonation', 'biosecurity', 'Nucleus Breeding Centre', and 'Brood Stock Multiplication Centre'.
• Replaces references to 'farms' with 'coastal aquaculture units' throughout the Act to broaden the scope of regulated facilities.
• Adds a representative from the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying to the Authority's membership.
• Allows the Authority to constitute committees for efficient discharge of functions.
• Creates the position of Member-Secretary to act as the Chief Executive Officer, responsible for day-to-day administration, budget execution, and legal representation.
• Grants the Authority power to regulate or prohibit specific species, methods, and numbers of coastal aquaculture through planning and zonation.
• Empowers the Authority to fix standards for coastal aquaculture inputs, effluents, and biosecurity measures.
• Allows the Authority to order the removal or demolition of units causing pollution and requires owners to pay demolition and environmental damage costs.
• Prohibits the use of specified pharmacologically active substances, antimicrobial agents, or materials that may harm human health.
• Allows the Authority to waive notice requirements for demolition in specific cases recorded in writing.

Also in the document

• The Bill is an amendment to an existing Act (Coastal Aquaculture Authority Act, 2005).
• It introduces a new administrative role (Member-Secretary) with specific executive and financial responsibilities.
• It explicitly excludes fresh water aquaculture from the definition of coastal aquaculture.
• It allows for different effluent discharge standards based on the quality or composition of the discharge.