• It is a pilot project designed to promote India’s Blue Economy by utilizing ocean resources for sustainable development and creating livelihood opportunities.

• What?  Launch of India’s First Open-Sea Marine Fish Farming Project
• Who? Union MoS(IC) Dr. Jitendra Singh, MoS&T
• Where? Andaman Sea, North Bay, Sri Vijaya Puram, Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• Objective: Promote India’s Blue Economy and generate livelihoods
• Collaborators: MoES, NIOT, UT Administration of A&N Islands
• Key Components: Marine finfish cultivation and seaweed farming.

About India’s First Open-Sea Marine Fish Farming Project(MFPP):
Collaboration: The project is being implemented through collaboration between the Ministry of Earth Sciences(MoES), its technical arm National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) and the Union Territory(UT) Administration Administration of A&N Islands.
Focus: The pilot initiative emphasizes open-sea farming of marine finfish and seaweed under natural ocean conditions, combining scientific innovation with opportunities for livelihood generation.
Components:

• Marine Finfish Cultivation: Use of open‑sea cages developed by NIOT for rearing species such as seabass and cobia in natural ocean environments.
• Seaweed Farming: Distribution of seaweed seeds to local fishers to encourage deep‑water seaweed cultivation.