UTTAR PRADESH JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY

In Indian markets, shrimp aquaculture is one of the main sources of seafood, and the farming of Litopenaeus vannamei has become a key determinant of India's seafood exports. Andhra Pradesh ranks first in shrimp production in India and, in recent years it has exported nearly 70-80% of the country’s farmed shrimp globally. However, the sustainability and profitability of this sector are largely dependent on maintaining optimal water quality, which is strongly influenced by seasonal fluctuations. This study examined how seasonal variation affects pond water quality and how Better Management Practices (BMPs) can mitigate these effects on grow-out ponds, located in Alluru village, Prakasam district, Andhra Pradesh, during the pre- and post-monsoon seasons of 2024-25. Key physicochemical parameters such as temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), salinity, pH, total ammonia nitrogen (TAN), nitrite (NO₂), phosphate (PO_4), alkalinity and hardness were monitored under BMP guidelines. Results showed that adoption of BMPs consistently maintained water quality in optimum ranges in both culture cycles. The averaged pre-monsoon results were: temperature remains 30 ⁰C, DO (>4 mg L^-1), salinity 30-31 ppt, pH 8.3-8.4, TAN, NO₂, and PO₄ remained below 0.1 mg L^-1. Buffering and ionic conditions were also within the recommended limits with alkalinity (>120 mg L^-1), and hardness (>150 mg L^-1), while post-monsoon monitoring revealed similar trends, with slightly reduced temperature and salinity but continued stability across all parameters. These results indicate that systematic water quality monitoring and proactive BMP interventions effectively mitigated seasonal fluctuations and maintained optimal limits of physicochemical parameters. Strengthening farmer awareness of BMPs will enhance ecological and economic sustainability to shrimp aquaculture, improve resilience to seasonal variability and reinforce India’s position as a leading seafood exporter.