Guidelines for Tilapia Fish Hatchery/ Breeding/ Nursery/Grow-out Farming in Fresh water / Inland farms

GOVERNMENT OF ANDHARA PRADESH
Fisheries Department – Guidelines for Tilapia Fish Hatchery/ Breeding/ Nursery/Grow-out Farming in Fresh water / Inland farms – Orders – Issued.

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ANIMAL HUSBANDRY, DAIRY DEVELOPMENT & FISHERIES (FISH) DEPARTMENT
G.O.MS.No. 20  Dated: 27.11.2014
Read the following:-
1. Guidelines communicated by the Fisheries Development Commissioner,Government of India, Ministry of Agriculture, Dept of AH, D & Fisheries, New Delhi in Lr.No.35045/20/2003–Fy(T & E)/ (Trade), dt: 15-12-2011
2. GO.Ms.No.7, A.H.D.D & F(F.II) Dept., dated:16-03-2013.
3. Letter No.35045/20/2003-FY (T&E)/ Trade Dated:10.02.2012 Fisheries Development  Commissioner,  Government  of  India,  Ministry  of Agriculture, Department of AH, D & Fisheries, New Delhi.
4. GO.Ms.No.8, A.H.D.D & F (F.II) Dept., dated: 25-03-2013.
5. GO.Ms.No.15 A.H. D.D & F (F.II) Dept., dated: 29-04-2013.
6. From the Commissioner of Fisheries, A.P., Hyderabad letter No. 5917/P1/2012, dated:13.10.2014 and even No. dated 05.11.2014
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ORDER:
In the letter First read above the Government of India have
communicated the approved guidelines for Tilapia Fish Hatchery/ Breeding/ Nursery/ Grow-out Farming in Fresh water/ Inland farms located outside the jurisdiction of the Coastal Aquaculture Authority (CAA), shall be required to
register the Hatchery/ Breeding/ Nursery/ Grow-out Farms with the State Fisheries Department. However, the Farms located within the jurisdiction of the CAA shall be registered with CAA (Coastal Aquaculture Authority) only.
2. In the Government Order Second read above, Government have issued consolidated orders for regulation of Fresh Water Aquaculture. As per clause 7.25 of the G.O “All indigenous cultivable species, unless prohibited by the
Government can be cultured. Exotic species can be cultured only after obtaining relevant permissions from Competent Authorities”.
3. In accordance with the guidelines, the Government of India have constituted a Steering Committee at National Level vide reference 3 rd  read above, to oversee and monitoring the Tilapia Seed and Grow-out production
comprising Fisheries Development Commissioner, Dept., of AH,D & Fisheries as Chairman and 4 other Members viz., (i) National Fisheries Development Board Hyderabad, (ii) Coastal Aquaculture Authority Chennai, (iii) Central Institute of Fresh water Aquaculture Bhubaneswar, and (iv) National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resource Lucknow. The terms of reference of the said Steering Committee are appended as Annexure-I to this order.
4. In pursuance of the guidelines issued by the Government of India vide reference 1 st cited, and the orders issued in the G.O 2 nd read above; Government after careful examination of the matter, hereby issue the following guidelines and instructions for Tilapia Fish Hatchery/ Breeding/ Nursery/ Grow-out Farming in Fresh water/ Inland farms located outside the jurisdiction of the Coastal Aquaculture Authority (CAA).
a. No person/Farmer/Entrepreneur shall carry on the Tilapia Fish Hatchery/ Breeding/ Nursery/ Grow-out Farming in Fresh water / Inland water without permission.
b. Every person /Farmer/Entrepreneur who intend to take up Tilapia Fish Hatchery/ Breeding/ Nursery/ Grow-out Farming should follow the guidelines scrupulously as appended to this order as Annexure-II.
c. The District Level Committee (DLC) constituted in the G.O 2 nd read above shall be the Competent Authority to permit the Tilapia Fish Nursery/ Grow-out Farming in Fresh water / Inland farms located outside the jurisdiction of CAA.
d. Permission for taking up Tilapia Fish Nursery/ Grow-out Farming shall be accorded to farms which have been already registered with Fisheries Department and which have complied with this order and with the guidelines in the G.O 2 nd read above.
A. Guidelines for granting permission for Tilapia Fish Hatchery/ Breeding Farm in Fresh water / Inland waters:
a. Entrepreneurs who intend to establish Tilapia seed Hatchery/ Breeding Farm in Fresh water / Inland waters have to obtain approval from Steering Committee and also to be registered with State Fisheries Departments.
b. Committee shall inspect and approve the design and layout of Hatchery including quarantine facility.
c .Hatcheries shall obtain Brood stock from the approved Foreign/Indian companies.
d. Hatcheries shall sell seed only to the registered nurseries/farms by the concerned State Fisheries Departments.
B. Guidelines for granting permission for Tilapia Fish Nursery/ Grow-out Farming in Fresh water / Inland waters:
1. The District Level Committee (DLC) shall consider only the farms which are outside the jurisdiction of the CAA.
2. Farms may be located in areas which are not prone for floods or in a buffer zone around a declared sanctuary or bio-reserve or other vulnerable areas in order to avoid escape to the open water bodies.
3. Species recommended is Nile Tilapia or improved strains/ hybrids of Tilapia.
4. Farming of only mono-sex male/sterile (through either hormonal manipulation or cross breeding) is permitted.
5. Stocking density should not exceed 5 no`s / m 2 . In case of Intensive Culture they should undertake re-circulatory farming then they can stock not more than 150 no`s /m 3 with provision of floating feeds by observing the Bio-security measures strictly.
6. Tilapia Fish Nursery/ Grow-out Farming must establish adequate bio-security measures like 
(a) Outlet water from culture ponds must be screened and treated before released in to drains/canals/rivers during culture practice or subsequent to harvesting in order to prevent escape of Eggs/Fry/Fish into natural water bodies (b) Provision of Bird scaring device / fencing is mandatory (c) Bund height should be high enough to avoid Egg/Fry/Fish
escape in to natural water bodies, in situations like Flooding etc. 
(d) Sluice gates must be provided with appropriate mesh size to prevent escape of Eggs/Fry/Fish in to natural water bodies.
7. The farms with connections to open fresh water sources like rivers or canals or lakes etc., with more than 5 Hect., of water spread area should have an Effluent Treatment system (ETS) and also should made arrangements to prevent for escape of Eggs/Fry/Fish into natural water bodies.
8. In case of any outbreak of disease, the farmer shall report immediately to District Fisheries Officer. Distress harvesting is permitted through netting only and the discharge water should be chlorinated and de-chlorinated before release into drainage systems. And also should made arrangements
to prevent to escape of Eggs/Fry/Fish in to natural water bodies.
9. Banned drugs and antibiotics should not be used. In case disease incidence, permissible therapeutics may only used judiciously.
10. Tested and certified seed should be procured only from the hatcheries approved by the Steering Committee, GOI and registered with the State Fisheries Department Govt., of A.P.
11. The farm should maintain a detailed record of the name and address of the hatchery from where the seed is procured, quantity of seed procured, water quality parameters and daily feeding data during the culture period in the prescribed format.
12. Permission shall be accorded within 90 days basing on the recommendations of the inspections conducted by the DLC members regarding the suitability of the farm for Tilapia Fish Nursery/ Grow-out Farming as per the guidelines.
13. Farms approved for Tilapia culture shall not be permitted for farming of any other crustacean species simultaneously.
14. For ponds not connected with open water sources, also should made arrangements to prevent to escape of Eggs/Fry/Fish into natural water bodies and the accumulated organic wastes should be removed and disposed of safely.
15. Farms located within the jurisdiction of CAA shall register with CAA invariably.
C. Guidelines for granting permission for Tilapia Fish in Cage Culture in Reservoirs / Tanks:
1. Culture of Tilapia shall be restricted to those reservoirs which are having established stocks of Tilapia.
2. Assessment studies should be carried out by the State Fisheries Departments to ascertain the population of Tilapia stocks before giving permission.
3. Cage area in the reservoir should not exceed 1% of Effective water spread area (EWA).
4. Stocking size must be more than 50g weight.
5. Cage net should have appropriate mesh size and also should made arrangements to prevent to escape of Eggs/Fry/Fish into Reservoirs/ Tanks.
6. Formulated floating feed with minimum protein content of 25% is encouraged.
D. Advisories for sustainable Tilapia Fish Nursery/ Grow-out Farming in Fresh Water / Inland Farms.
1. Lower stoking rate is advised to reduce the operational cost and improve sustainability.
2. Each pond should not be less than 1.0 Acre water spread area and not more than 10.00 Acre.
3. Stocking should be with sex reversed Tilapia (SRT) seed of more than 10g of 30 days old.
4. Feed with proper fortification of minerals as required should be followed for ensuring better survival rate and growth.
5. Only pro-biotics suitable to the culture environment should be used.
5. For all other purposes such as Registration, Renewal, Fees, Delays, Violations etc., the orders issued in G.O.Ms.No.7, AH, DD&F (FII) Dept., dated:16-03-2013, shall be applicable.
6. Applications for taking up of Tilapia Fish Hatchery/ Breeding/ Nursery/Grow-out Farming is annexed to this order as Annexure-III, and Form for Inspection by the DLC for granting permission of Tilapia Fish Nursery/ Grow-out
Farming in freshwater/inland farms are annexed to this order as Annexure-IV.
7. The Commissioner of Fisheries, A.P., Hyderabad shall be the Nodal Officer to monitor, control and surveillance of different programmes of Tilapia Fish Culture.
8. The Commissioner of Fisheries, A.P., Hyderabad and the District Collectors concerned shall take all necessary actions accordingly.
( BY ORDER AND IN THE NAME OF THE GOVERNOR OF ANDHRA PRADESH ) Dr. MANMOHAN SINGH
PRINCIPAL SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT