Identification of Suitable Aquaculture Sites Using Large-Scale Land Use and Land Cover Maps Factoring the Prevailing Regulatory Frameworks: A Case Study from India

Identification of a suitable site is a crucial step for the sustainability of an aquaculture venture. This study shows a framework for identifying areas suitable for freshwater and brackishwater aquaculture in India while integrating the governing regulations. Land use and land cover (LULC) maps at 1:10,000 scale derived from high-resolution imagery were used as base maps, along with allied layers. Site selection criteria were identified through review. Multi-criteria evaluation technique was used to select the technically suitable sites. Coastal regulation zone and coastal aquaculture authority guidelines, which form the regulatory framework governing brackishwater aquaculture in India, were spatially applied on the technically suitable sites to locate sites complying with regulations. The analysis was carried out using layers in the vector geographical information system format. The study was done in one coastal block each from two coastal states along the east coast of India, viz. Odisha and Tamil Nadu. The study identified areas suitable for brackishwater aquaculture in the selected blocks of Odisha (Ersama block: 86 ha) and Tamil Nadu (Pattukottai block: 343 ha). Areas suitable for freshwater aquaculture in Ersama and Pattukottai were 4286 ha and 6265 ha, respectively, while the areas suitable for freshwater aquaculture with interventions, in the respective blocks, were 487 ha and 2467 ha. In context of scarce land availability for aquaculture and stringent laws governing it, we demonstrate utility of large-scale LULC maps for identifying sites suitable for freshwater and brackishwater aquaculture, through a multi-criteria approach.