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project - in association
with the Central Institute of Brackishwater
Aquaculture (CIBA) and
Australia's Department of
Primary Industries (DPI) - to develop
seabass farming along the Indian coast and has
already established the first sea bass hatchery,
writes The Hindu Business Line.
Fishery authorities
believe seabass farming is set to become the
country's latest success story, following the
overwhelming response to prawn aquaculture.
According to
Marine Products Export
Development Authority (MPEDA) Chairman Mr
Jose Cyriac, seabass is not only widely accepted
locally but also has a fair amount of export
potential, so MPEDA has launched a project - in
association with the Central Institute of
Brackishwater Aquaculture (CIBA) and
Australia's Department of
Primary Industries (DPI) - to develop
seabass farming along the Indian coast and has
already established the first sea bass hatchery,
writes The Hindu Business Line.
There were several
obstacles to overcome, says Cyriac, like getting the
wild caught broodstock to feed in captivity. The
initial 29 fish had to be gradually weaned off live
tilapia to eat dead sardine. Once this was achieved
the fish were injected with hormones to lay eggs,
which were hatched at the new Sirkazhi hatchery and
reared to fingerling size, ready for commercial
sale. The entire process takes 25 days.
Another problem
occurred at the grow-out stage because of the
cannibalistic nature of this species and at this
point the project called in the experts at
Australia's DPI. With assistance from Dr Mike Rimmer
and Dr Les Rodgers separate cages were introduced
with only seabass of a similar size in each cage,
which reduced cannibalism to a minimum.
The project now wants
to explore the possibility of extending the egg
laying period from the current four months to eight
months each year. The Australian scientists say this
may be possible providing certain conditions can be
maintained and, if successful, it will greatly
improve production of this commercially valuable
species. |
