Diversification of coastal aquaculture practices

Abstract

There is large potential for coastal aquaculture in the vast stretches of shallow coastal waters, creeks, bays lagoons and mudflats along the northeast coast of India comprising Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and West Bengal. Considering the good prospects for mariculture along the Indian coasts, the Central Marine Research Institute has carried out research and developed techniques for the culture of several groups of cultivable organisms like prawns, finfishes, crabs, the molluscan shellfishes like oysters, mussels, clams, pearl oyster and cephalopods, holothurians and seaweeds. In addition techniques have been evolved for the spawning and larval rearing of prawns, crabs, molluscs and echinoderms in controlled conditions which enable production of seed in a hatchery for the purpose of culture. The CMFRI is also propagating the aquaculture technologies and economics of the same through training programmes and extension programmes including lab to land programmes, fishermen entrepreneurs and scientists meetings, participation in exhibitions and information media. Although mariculture techniques have been developed for a number of cultivable groups, entrepreneurs have been attracted by the culture of only the penaeid prawn Penaeus monodon as it gives high returns for investments made through export of frozen prawns. A few are culturing themud crabs Scylla serrata and S. tranquebarica, which also fetch high price in the export market.