India, Jan. 2 -- India is stepping up efforts to promote indigenous fish species in aquaculture as part of a broader strategy to enhance sustainability, food security, biodiversity conservation and rural livelihoods. With inland fisheries and aquaculture contributing over 75 per cent of the country's total fish production, the focus is increasingly shifting toward diversification beyond a few dominant species.
India is home to over 2,800 indigenous fish and shellfish species, including 917 freshwater, 394 brackishwater and 1,548 marine species, according to the ICAR–National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources. Despite this diversity, aquaculture production remains concentrated in a handful of species, particularly Indian major carps&md...