Why in News?
India's 11,099 km coastline potential under PMMSY scheme (2020-26), funding rafts, seed banks, hatcheries, and a Tamil Nadu seaweed park. Maps show 24,252 hectares potential across 333 sites for 10 million tonnes annual wet weight.
About
- Used tube net method for species suited to Lakshadweep waters.
- Harvests every 30-45 days; full expansion involved stakeholder consultations with locals, industry, and government.
- Builds on NICRA research since 2020; first commercial pilot by TSC-Purple Turtle Company, Tuticorin.
- ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) guided a commercial pilot in Chetlath island, starting September 2022 with 600 tube nets and 3 tons seed stock per plot.
- First harvest yielded 15 tons in 45 days, enabling farm expansion to 30 plots and neighboring atolls like Kiltan and Kadmat. Announced as a major success on February 8, 2026, supporting India's blue economy goals.
Key Infrastructure & Policy Updates
- Tamil Nadu Seaweed Park: As of late 2025, approximately 50% of the civil works for the first Multipurpose Seaweed Park in Tamil Nadu have been completed. Hub-I facilities are expected to be finished by January 2026, followed by Hub-II in July 2026.
- Import Guidelines: New "Guidelines for Import of Live Seaweeds" were issued in October 2024. These allow for the regulated import of high-quality, commercially valuable seed strains like Kappaphycus to improve crop yields and genetic diversity.
- Lakshadweep Cluster: The islands have been officially notified as a Seaweed Cluster. Certain areas in Lakshadweep have demonstrated exceptional productivity, yielding up to 15 times the initial seed weight compared to the 5x average in other regions.
- Centres of Excellence: The Mandapam Regional Centre of ICAR-CMFRI was designated as a Centre of Excellence and a Nucleus Breeding Centre in February 2026 to focus on seed bank development and research.
Benefits
- Economic: Jobs for coastal communities, export potential in carrageenan and bioethanol.
- Environmental: CO2 sequestration, eutrophication reduction.
- Nutritional: High iodine, anti-inflammatory uses.
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