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Marine ornamental fish for sale

Marine ornamental fish (Amphiprion ocellaris) 1" size is available in CMFRI hatchery, Kochi for sale. Interested parties may contact the Nodal Officer, ICAR Mega Seed Project, CMFRI, Kochi. Contact No. 09895567454.

Fishermen adopts small scale cage culture (CAPTURE BASED AQUACULTURE) at Uppunda, Byndoor, Karnataka: A success story

 Close view of artisanal cages used for cage culture

Introduction:

The importance and popularity of farming food fishes is increasing rapidly in coastal States of India. Capture based aquaculture (CBA), wherein the juveniles of wild fishes caught are reared to marketable sizes in captivity, is being practiced throughout the world using marine and freshwater fish species of economic importance.

Background:

Estuarine and coastal waters of Karnataka is known for the abundance of finfish seeds of mullets, sand whiting, pearlspot, milkfish, Indian terapon, butterfish and flatfishes. During June- September, juveniles of a number of cultivable species of finfishes like Lutjanus spp. Gerres spp., Etroplusspp. are caught in the seines, castnets and gillnets operated along the coast. Usually these juveniles are discarded or are sold at a low price. An attempt was made to popularize the concept of capture based aquaculture by judiciously utilizing these seed resources.

Fishermen group:

The fishermen society ‘Sampradayaka Meenugara Sangha, Byndoor Valaya’ of Upunda village located at Byndoor participated with the researchers from CMFRI, Mangalore. It has been observed that, attitude change appears to be more readily achieved when individuals are in groups. Further, group decisions are more likely to be accepted by the individual farmer if he participates in the decision making process. Thus, group dynamics has been effectively utilized in the transfer of technology to the end users.

Capture Based Aquaculture:

Stocking: The concept of CBA was introduced in this village by collection of Lutjanus argentimaculatus, Etroplus suratensis and Lates calcarifer fingerlings and stocking in floating cages of 2.5 m x 2.5 m x 2 m, made of Netlon (mesh of 30 mm) lined with nylon net. It was envisaged to use local seeds for culture, in addition to assure good production seeds for Lates calcarifer was supplemented by CMFRI. The netlon cages was designed and fabricated by CMFRI with the participation of local fishermen. Five cages were provided to the fishermen for stocking the fingerlings.

Husbandry: The red snapper and pearlspot fingerlings were continuously stocked by fishermen and the fishermen community was engaged in the cage setting, cage cleaning, feed sourcing, feed preparation and feeding.  Feeding was done with locally available trash fish and also fish waste from fish processing areas/plants.  

Production and Harvest: Altogether five cages were installed and three of the cages were partially harvested as and when the fishes were grown to marketable  size, to meet day to day needs of the fishermen. Two cages were spared for final  harvest to demonstrate total production possible from these cages.

 Theses cages were harvested during July, 2011, when the mechanized fishing is banned. The Lutjanus sps attained an average weight of 755 ± 415g ranging from 105 to 1,914g. The pearlspot ranged from 37-222 g (96 ± 35g). About 255 numbers of seabass of average weight 1819 ± 540g was harvested. The total production from the cages including seabass, red snapper and pearlspot was around ~400 kg realizing a farm gateprice of ~Rs75,000 per cage.

Harvest in progress

Close view of harvested  Redsnapper ( Lutjanus argentimaculatus )

The fishermen view this as an alternative source of fish when adverse climatic conditions prevent them from venturing into the sea. This concept could be popularized along the coast of Karnataka and sustainable use of the finfish resources to augment the fish production could be done. Demonstration of this methodology encouraged the fishermen to install cages of similar type in the estuary and at present many cages stocked with fingerlings of L. argentimaculatus, E. suratensis and L. calcarifer are found in the village. Thus this concept of CBA was adopted by the fishermen and the diffusion of the technology in this village has been phenomenal. This is because, this technology has imbibed all the attributes of an innovation namely relative advantage, compatibility, simplicity, trialability and observability. The innovation-decision process has undergone the stages of knowledge, persuasion, decision, implementation and confirmation before reaching the final adoption stage. In the normal bell shaped adoption curve, the technology has been adopted by the first category of dopters namely the innovators. Similar cages are also installed in Kundapura estuary and the small size fishes which are otherwise discarded are grown into marketable size in these cages. This concept could be popularized along the coastal Karnataka and sustainable use of the finfish resources to augment the fish production could be done. The popularization and adoption of the concept of CBA by the fishermen would generate alternate livelihood, income and contribute to fish production of the region. The persistent efforts to bring forth a selective contact change on the part of the researchers and extension system of the centre is expected to bring about a major social change among the coastal fisher folk of this village.

Full view of harvested  Redsnapper ( Lutjanus argentimaculatus )

Mangalore RC of CMFRI 

CMFRI achieves yet another success in the finfish breeding first time in India. Pompano (Trachynotus blochii) at CMFRI, Mandapam

Among the many high value marine tropical finfish that could be farmed in India, the silver pompano, Trachinotus blochii is one of the topmost, mainly due to its fast growth rate and high market demand.  It is well understood that for commercialisation of aquaculture of any species, the vital requirement is the availability of technology for seed production and farming. Eventhough the seed production technology and the potential of farming of Florida pompano (T.carolinus) has been well established in the late 1990s, India is a late beginner in the aquaculture research of pompano. The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute has initiated aquaculture research on pompano from 2008 and the first successful broodstock development, induced breeding and larval production is now successfully accomplished. It can be considered as a milestone towards the development of pompano aquaculture in the country.

            Silver pompano is caught only sporadically in the commercial fishery and hence its natural availability in the sea is rather scarce. It is a much sought after species and hence the demand can be met only through aquaculture. The farming of pompano can be successfully carried out in ponds, tanks and floating sea cages. The species is able to acclimatise and grow well even at a lower salinity of about 10ppt and hence it is suited for farming in the vast low saline and brackish waters of our country besides its potential for sea cage farming.

            It is evident that any aquaculture venture can be populariued only if proper technology is available and the practise is of high commercial value. If the technology for pompano is standardised, the second aspect is already met as per the international market details available for Florida pompano. The dockside price for Florida pompano averaged to $ 8 per kg from 1994 to 2006. In the Indian domestic market the current price of pompano is about Rs.200/-per kg.

             The present success in the pompano breeding at CMFRI, Mandapam is a major step in the development of seed production technology. However, standardization of commercial level seed production technology is the next urgent step. Hence investment on infrastructure for broodstock development and state of the art hatchery should be given topmost priority. It is felt that pompano is a potential mariculture giant which has vast domestic and global business prospects.

The Cobia (Rachycentron canadum) was bred for the first time in India at CMFRI, Mandapam Centre during February, 2010. Their F₁ generation have reached a size of 10-15 Kg at Mandapam and Karwar. Now the F₁ generation has also reached maturation state both in male and female. One of the males spawned and fertilized the eggs of females collected from wild at CMFRI, Mandapam. The larval rearing is in progress.

CMFRI honoured with Indira Gandhi Rajbhasha Puraskar

On the Occasion of  Hindi day on 14^th September, 2011 the Honourable President  of  India Smt. Prathibha Devi Singh Patil  awarded the Indira Gandhi Rajbhasha Puraskar, II prize to CMFRI for the excellent Hindi implementation activities under the category of Boards / Autonomous Bodies / Societies etc in Region ‘C’ for the year 2009 – 2010 in the programme organized at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi.

Shri P. Chitambaram, Home Minister presided over the function. Shri Mullappalli Ramachandran and Shri Jitendra Singh, Ministers of State for Home Affairs graced the occasion.

On behalf of the Institute Smt. Sheela P.J. Assistant Director (OL), received the award.

CMFRI ENSURES INDIA JOINING TOP SUCCESSFUL COUNTRIES INVOLVED WITH POP UP SATELLITE TAGGING OF YELLOWFIN TUNAS

Migratory movements of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) in oceanic waters near and away from Indian waters remain untested and exchange rates are still unidentified. Tagging studies have been carried out to study the growth and migration of marine fishes. However, conventional archival tags used have a number of disadvantages with very poor recovery rates and limited data on habitat and environment. The “pop-up” tags have been developed to avoid such problems and also increase the probability of data recovery. These tags are attached externally and have a release mechanism that causes the tag to detach from the fish at a predetermined time and “pop-up” to the sea surface where the data can be recovered via the ARGOS system aboard polar-orbiting NOAA satellites. The first-generation pop-up tags provided only very limited data: the pop-up position as determined by ARGOS, and a small amount of environmental (usually sea temperature) data. These tags therefore provide fisheries-independent measure of the straight-line distance traveled from the point of tagging. More recently pop-up tags have become available that record temperature, depth and ambient daylight that can be reduced (e.g. as time-at-depth and time-at-temperature histograms and profile-depth temperature data) on board the tag before data transmission.

Pop-up X-tag supplied by Microwave Telemetry Inc. was deployed on yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares ) for the very first time in Indian waters by the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute during December 2011 to February 2012. A total of 15 tags were deployed in two phases along the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea with the pop-up time ranging from 4 months to a year. Tagging was done in the Bay of Bengal Region from Visakhapatnam where eight tags were deployed and along the Arabian Sea tags were deployed off Lakshadweep Islands. The tagging programme is funded by INCOIS under the project entitled “Satellite Telemetry studies on Migration patterns of Tunas in Indian Seas” (SATTUNA). With this achievement Indfia joins the elite group of countries engaged in satellite tracking of yellowfin tuna. Earlier report on pop-up tagging of yellowfin tunas are only on six individuals tracked in the Gulf of Mexico using pop-up satellite archival tags during 2009.

Tagging of yellowfin tuna T.albacares by CMFRI team

Tuna with pop up satellite tag ready for release

Tagging of yellowfin tuna with pop up satellite tag

CMFRI’s Cadalmin^TM Green Algal extract (Cadalmin^TM GAe) launched

Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute’s Cadalmin^TM Green Algal extract (Cadalmin^TM GAe) has been launched at 83rd Annual General Meeting of ICAR by Dr. Charan Das Mahant, Hon’ble Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Processing Industries, Govt. of India.  Shri Sharad Pawar, Hon’ble Union Minister of Agriculture and Food Processing Industries and President of the ICAR Society presided over the function. Cadalmin^TM GAe is 100% green remedy nutraceutical for arthritis developed from seaweeds. Cadalmin^TM GAe is a pure natural and 100% vegetarian product, with its therapeutic values, is an import substitute with an international appeal, providing great market potential especially for the large vegetarian population in India and abroad.

[Click here for details]

CMFRI successfully conducts maiden harvest of newly bred fish Silver Pompano (American Pomfret) at Antervedi Fish Farm, in East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh

The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute located in all maritime states of India, in its quest to introduce new species of fish to Indian Aquaculture successfully bred Silver Pompano, a fish which is akin to highly priced Pomfrets. Very few countries are successful in breeding this fish and the entire world production is only about 300 tonnes. After the successful larval rearing they were transported by road in the last week of August 2011 from Mandapam, near Rameswaram in Tamilnadu to Antervedi in the East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh at a distance of 1200 km and stocked in 1 acre pond of a farmer. About 3,600 seed were stocked and fed with indigenous pellet feed and maintained good pond environment, resulting in a survival of more than 95%. The formulated pellet feed cost is about Rs 25/kg. An FCR of 1:1.8 was achieved in this crop. During the course of 8 months they reached a size range of 450-550 g weight, which is an excellent table size for marketing. This fish tolerates wide salinity range from 5 ppt to 35 ppt and can feed at all angles, which makes it a versatile and most aquaculture friendly species. Karnataka Fisheries Development Corporation has taken up the marketing in Bangalore, where it is popularly referred as American Pomfret. By separating the nursery phase it is possible to have two harvests in one year. About 12,000 seed can be stocked in one hectare and about 5 tons of fish can be harvested for each crop.

Silver pompano looks and tastes like silver pomfrets and fetches a farm gate price of about Rs 200/kg. It is the most prized high value marine fish, which is rarely available in the sea. They were collected as young ones, nurtured them to maturity and successfully induced them to spawn with suitable hormonal protocols developed by the Institute. The total availability of high valued marine fish in India from marine capture fisheries is about 2 lakh tonnes per year. Such fish are in great demand in all Metros, particularly during April-July period due to the national trawl ban on east coast and west coast successively. The demand during this period is estimated at about 2 lakh tonnes and fetches the highest price during this period. In this context Silver pompano ‘s harvest gains lot of importance to aquaculture along with other marine fish already bred by CMFRI to bring lakhs of acres of barren coastal saline low lying lands to produce the high valued fish, thus improving the food production and nutritional enhancement of the country.

The harvest was conducted on17th April, 2012 in presence of about 300 leading aqua farmers of coastal districts of AP, Local MP and peoples representatives press and electronic media.

The first e-book of CMFRI on Herbarium of Common Seaweeds and Seagrasses of India released by Honourable Secretary, DARE and Director General, ICAR Dr. S. Ayyappan at New Delhi on 30.4.2012

CMFRI presents a unique collection of Seaweeds and Seagrasses  as e- Book. This splendid collection of Herbaria is now being displayed   in  the Marine Biodiversity Museum of CMFRI, a Designated National Repository. One copy of this herbarium is displayed at NASC Museum, New Delhi.

Forming a major component of the collections in the Museum, the seaweeds and seagrasses evince a lot of interest among visitors due to their importance as a source of food, fodder, industrial products and bioactive compounds. Herbaria have been bound with 18 species of   green algae, 12 species of brown algae and six species of seagrasses as Vol. I and 34 species of red algae as Vol. II. Of the herbaria, 72 species of seaweeds and seven species of seagrasses have also been displayed in the Museum at Cochin.

 The Honourable Secretary, DARE and Director General, ICAR Dr. S. Ayyappan has released the first e-book on herbarium of Common Seaweeds and Seagrasses of India at New Delhi on 30^th April 2012.  This herbarium retains the original colour of the species.  The entire collection is digitized and compiled as e-book, first of its kind for the benefit of students and researchers and would be of immense use to those engaged in plant taxonomy and biodiversity studies.

          Click here to access and download the e-book:

 http://eprints.cmfri.org.in/8947/1/Common_Seaweeds_and_Seagrasses_of_India_V.1.pdf

 http://eprints.cmfri.org.in/8948/1/v.2.pdf 

Dr. W.S. Lakra, Vice Chancellor and Director of Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE), Mumbai participated in the small scale open sea cage culture of lobster harvest conducted by fishermen with the help of CMFRI on 7^th May 2012

Success of cost effective small cage for lobster culture in Maharashtra.

            After successful demonstration of culture of lobster (Panulirus polyphagus) in 6 meter diameter cages at village Kalamb during 2010, the fishermen of the village approached Mumbai R.C. and requested for the smaller and cost effective cages which can be managed individually. In response the Mumbai Research Centre fabricated G.I. cage frame with 200 litre 4 barrels for floating @ the cost of Rs 12,000/- locally. The nets for the cage were procured from Matsyafed @ Rs 15000/- having outer net with 2.5 m height and 3 m diameter at the top and 4 m at the bottom. Such conical cage gave more stability to the cage and space to the lobsters. Two cages were moored by a rope tied to 40 kg iron grapnel anchor in the open sea that remained at about 4 m depth at low tide and 6-8 m at high tide.

            The undersized baby lobsters weighing 5-50 g/each were stocked in the cage @ 200 numbers by the fishermen Shri Mahesh Mhatre from January onwards. These juvenile baby lobsters were largely rejected by the lobster merchants for being undersized for the export and want of local demand. Throughout the culture period of about 4 months, the lobsters were fed with trash fish obtained by the fishermen from the fishing operations around the cage. The Scientists and technical staff of Mumbai Research Centre provided the technical help while all the expenses for the seed and the feed were borne by the fishermen.

            The harvest of lobsters was carried out on 7^th May in the gracious presence of Dr W.S. Lakra, Director and Vice Chancellor CIFE (deemed University), Faculty of CIFE Dr V.S. Somavanshi retired Director General Fishery survey of India Deputy Commissioner of State Fisheries Department Shri Vinod Naik and district state fisheries officials. In addition, fishermen from Tarapur, Chinchani and nearby villages also witnessed the harvest. Of the 200 stocked lobsters a total of 158 lobsters were harvested with 79% survival and average weight of 155 g/piece. The lobsters were offered an average price of Rs 840/- kg which realized Rs 7560/-.     

            It is admirable that initiative for the entire lobster culture came from the fishermen who realized that small cages can be easily maneuvered and managed by their fishing craft in the open sea. The small and marginal fishermen very much appreciated the cost effectiveness of the cages and requested the State Fisheries Department to provide 10-15 such cages for lobster culture in Thane district.

       Harvested lobster (Panulirus polyphagus)

Fish farmers with harvested lobster (Panulirus polyphagus)

Shri Rajsibhai Jotwa, Honourable MLA, Somnath, Gujarat inaugurated lobster harvest from open sea cages at Veraval

Juvenile lobsters form an incidental catch in the trawlnet and ‘wada’ net which are below the minimum legal size for export, causing huge loss to the economy. Growing them to minimum legal size enable it to be qualified for export and fetch better price. CMFRI through its regional centre at Veraval carried out grow out demonstration of juvenile lobsters in open sea cages. 2500 numbers of lobsters with an average weight of 80g were collected from local landing centers and stocked in two circular cages of 6m diameter and 4 m net depth in the first week of February, 2012. After a culture period of 110 days, the lobsters reached an average size of 203g with a survival of 93.7%. The total harvest obtained was 272 kg consisting 3 different size grades.

The harvest of the sea cage farm off Prabhas Patan, Veraval was conducted on 16^th May, 2012 in the presence of Shri Rajsibhai Jotwa, Honourable MLA, Somnath, the Chief Guest of the day. Shri Ravibhai Gohel, Vice chairperson, Veraval Patan municipality, Dr. A.Y. Desai, Dean College of fisheries, Dr. Rajendra Bodonia, SIC, Veraval research centre of CIFT, Shri Kisenbhai Fofondi, President, Seafood exporters’ association of Gujarat, Shri Tulsibhai Gohel, President, trawler boat owners’ association, Veraval were the other dignitaries present.

The harvest was followed by a ‘Samudriya Krishi Vigyan Mela’. The Mela was attended by local fisher folk, students of fisheries college, members of SHGs, members of the Tribal Community etc in which Shri Hasambhai Musangara, President of Bharat Adim Juth Matsyadhyog Sahakari Mandali, who actively participated with CMFRI in the open sea cage farming of lobster was felicitated with the harvested lobster by the Honorable MLA.

This demonstration has proved the success of lobster farming in open sea. This will create an alternative livelihood opportunity for the coastal fisherfolk. With a sound policy for utilizing the inshore waters and creek areas for marine fish farming and institutional support from the state administration, the state of Gujarat has immense potential to enhance its fish production bringing in additional revenue to the economy.

Inauguration of the harvest by Hon.MLA

Dignitaries observing the open sea cage lobster farm harvest

View of the open sea cage lobster farm harvest

Grading of harvested lobsters

Formal handing over of the crop to the Tribal society