The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India is implementing Phase II of National Surveillance Programme for Aquatic Animal Diseases (NSPAAD) under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) since 2022. This phase has pan-India coverage and involvement of State Fisheries Departments (SFDs). The programme, being coordinated by ICAR-National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, Lucknow is in continuation of Phase I of NSPAAD funded by Department of Fisheries, Government of India through National Fisheries Development Board, Hyderabad from 2013 to June 2020 and under PMMSY from July 2020 to March 2022.

The main driver for the NSPAAD is the significant threat that diseases pose to growth of aquaculture resulting in huge losses. In a recent report, the economic losses due to diseases in shrimp culture were estimated to be about Rs. 7100 crores. Of these, the losses due to Infection with Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP) alone were approximately Rs. 3977 crores. Similarly, a number of diseases such as argulosis, saprolegniosis etc. are responsible for heavy economic losses in freshwater aquaculture. The programme recognises that early detection is essential for containing the spread of the pathogen and provides a system for doing that through the strengthening of passive disease surveillance based on farmers reporting and also undertaking need-based active surveillance. Phase II of NSPAAD aims to build on the successes, lessons learnt and capacity building achieved during Phase I of NSPAAD. Some of the important achievements of NSPAAD scientific advice to the farmers on basis of disease investigation and detection of nine new pathogens for the first time from the country. The programme has also helped in establishing mechanisms for first-time confirmation of exotic and emerging diseases, sending advisories to stakeholders following suspicion of a new disease, besides developing a strong network of aquatic animal health laboratories.

Furthermore, the ongoing intensification and diversification of aquaculture can lead to emergence of new pathogens, and spread of existing pathogens to new areas. Therefore, the NSPAAD would help in reducing losses due to aquatic animal diseases besides apprising the Competent Authority of the disease situation in the country, thereby allowing better targeting of efforts to control and reduce the risk of spread of aquatic animal diseases.