Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 31 ( IANS) Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Parshottam Rupala, on Thursday outlined a comprehensive plan to boost the mariculture sector of the country, saying that offshore cage farming is the immediate focus using bigger cages.
During his visit to the Vizhinjam Regional Centre of the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) here, Rupala said, “Cage fish farming is to be expanded to offshore waters with better cage designs having a size of 30-diametre or above that can accommodate lakhs of juveniles."
Currently, cage farming is undertaken in near shore waters using 6-diametre cages.
He added that CMFRI should spearhead research and development efforts in creating these advanced cages.
“This is expected to significantly boost mariculture production in the country," added Rupala.
He also urged CMFRI to expand seed production technologies for finfishes to all the coastal states utilising the public-private-partnership (PPP) mode.
This, he said, would help address the seed constraints and make available the required seeds to the fish farmers all over the country, adding that the Central government will soon come up with a mariculture leasing policy to ensure the sustainable use of mariculture resources.
“This will ensure that mariculture operations are located in suitable areas and they do not cause environmental damage," Rupala said.
Underscoring the untapped potential of Pearl Oyster production, he urged CMFRI to play a proactive role in scaling up its production in a bigger way.
Acknowledging the critical role of hatchery technologies in supporting large-scale Pearl Oyster production, he emphasised the necessity of research and innovation in this area.
The Union minister also proposed a pioneering sea ranching programme of the hatchery-produced spats of the Pearl Oyster along the Tuticorin coast, which would be executed under the guidance of CMFRI.
Rupala was accompanied by L. Murugan, Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, and V Muraleedharan, Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs.
--IANS
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