With a view to enlighten farmers on the need to use quality seed in aquaculture and guide them on how to get or produce quality seed, a scientist-farmer interaction was jointly organised by the Tamil Nadu Fisheries University and the Indian Council for Agriculture Research (ICAR) Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (CIFA), reports the DeccanChronicle.
Nearly 100 farmers from the three districts participated. R.Pandarinathan, president of the Aquaculture Farmers Association of Nagapattinam district and Nal.Paramasivam, president of the Aquaculture Farmers Association of Thanjavur spoke.
Dr P. Jayashankar, director, ICAR-CIFA said that lack of genetic norms and a non-scientific approach in hatchery management led to poor quality seed. It was also observed there is rampant production of hybrids due to mixed breeding of carps in Tamil Nadu, he said.
“A survey conducted revealed that the brood stock is not healthy in these hatcheries and seeds had less survival rate,” he said.
He stressed on introducing the genetically improved Jayantiroghu which is known to grow faster and has proven healthy seed quality. CIFABROOD is a broodstock diet for carps which has very good results of milt quality, survival and vigour.
Prof. Baskaran Manian, Vice-Chancellor, Tamil Nadu Fisheries University, said that Tamil Nadu is a rain shadow state and inland fishing accounts for less than 0.87 lakh tonnes.
A blue revolution in inland fishing has been launched by government through the National Fisheries Development Board. Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu is an important district with respect to inland fishing, the Vice-Chancellor said.
A tripartite memorandum of understanding was signed at the meeting among the Tamil Nadu Fisheries University, ICAR-CIFA and a private party, Aravind hatcheries for establishment of a multiplier station for genetically improved carps, Roghu and Catla in Tamil Nadu.
