On 15th March, 2022, Central Government notified Coastal Aquaculture Authority (Amendment) Rules, 2022 to further amend Coastal Aquaculture Authority Rules, 2005. These rules will come into force with immediate effect, to introduce online means for the Committee at every level in the Coastal Aquaculture Authority.
Coastal aquaculture rules ensure orderly and sustainable development and managed farming or culture of organisms in saline or brackish water areas for the purpose of enhancing production, both for domestic and export markets. It overall includes culturing of crustaceans like shrimp, prawn, lobsters, crabs and fin-fishes like groupers, sea bream, mullets and molluscs like clams, mussels and oysters.
By these rules, Coastal Aquaculture Authority, regulate the coastal activities. This protects the coastal environment, livelihood of people living in coastal areas and the increasing demand for seafood consumption by increasing the population in the country.
Key Amendments:
Application of Registration for coastal aquaculture-
- For the purpose of carrying out the functions of the Authority; persons have to get themselves registered with the Authority. Rule 9 is substituted, as under-
“Every application for the registration of a coastal aquaculture farm shall be made to the Sub-Divisional Level Committee where the coastal aquaculture farm is located or directly to the District-Level Committees in absence of a sub-division in a particular District as set up by the Authority in Form I, obtainable from the office of the Member Convener of Sub-Divisional Level Committee or District Level Committee, or from the office of the Authority or downloaded from the website of the Authority”, shall be substituted.”
And, Authority, as per the given case, in the public interest may make provision for electronic or on-line filing of an application in prescribed Form I.
- In the Table showcasing the coastal aquaculture farm and fee, for
- Water spread- “From 5.1 to” is substituted to “Above 5 ha upto”.
- Water spread- “From 10.1 ha water spread area and above” is substituted to “Above 10 ha water spread area”.
- The fees for registration payable to the Member Convenor of the District Level Committee set up by the Authority, Rule 9 (3) further includes “or electronically through online mode in favour of the Coastal Aquaculture Authority”.
The manner of considering application for registration-
Rule 10 is further amended–
- Sub-Rule (1) as-
“On receipt of an application under sub-rule (1) of rule 9, the Sub-Divisional Level
Committee or the District Level Committee in the absence of a sub-division in a particular District shall scrutinize the application including supporting documents furnished therewith in respect of the coastal aquaculture farm irrespective of their size.”
2. “District Level Committee” is replaced by “Sub-Divisional Level Committee” in the case of coastal aquaculture farms up to 2.0 ha water spread areas.
3. Clause (b) and (c) is inserted, as under-
“(b) in the case of coastal aquaculture farms above 2.0 ha of water spread area and upto 5.0 ha of water spread area, the Sub-Divisional Level Committee shall recommend the application directly to the Authority for consideration of registration only after making such inquiry including inspection as it thinks fit to satisfy that the registration of such farm shall not be detrimental to the coastal environment”;
“(c) in the case of coastal aquaculture farms above 5.0 ha of water spread area, the Sub-Divisional Level Committee shall recommend the application to the District Level Committee for consideration of registration only after making such inquiry including inspection as it thinks fit to satisfy that the registration of such farm shall not be detrimental to the coastal environment and making further inquiries to ascertain that the coastal aquaculture farm conforms to the stipulations laid down in the Coastal Aquaculture Authority Guidelines.
(d) The District Level Committee upon satisfaction shall further recommend the application to the Authority for consideration of registration:
Provided that the District Level Committee shall have two third of the members
including the Chairperson and member convener of the District Level Committee in the meeting for making such recommendation.”
4. Officers and their appointment capacity compositions are substituted at the Sub-Divisional Level Committee, District Level Committee in Sub-Rule (4).
The form for using a certificate of registration-
In case where the application for registration is not refused, the Rule 11is further amended as-
“the Authority may grant the certificate of registration through electronic means”
Application for renewal of registration and the fees to be paid-
- Rule 12, Sub-Rule 3 is substituted as-
“The fees for renewal of registration of the farm shall be paid to the Coastal Aquaculture Authority in form of Demand draft or electronically through online mode.”
- In Form II – Certificate of Registration of Coastal Aquaculture Farm, under the heading conditions for registration of coastal aquaculture farm, serial 2 is substituted, as-
“2. Provided that subject to such conditions as the Authority may deem fit, the conditions of registration may be transferred by the Authority to the legal-heir or transferee of the farm for the remaining period of validity.
Provided further that the application for such transfer with relevant records shall be made to the authority who in turn shall acknowledge the receipt and the application for such transfer with relevant records shall be disposed by the authority ordinarily within 15 days of its receipt.”