Mariculture New Source Of Livelihood For Fishermen

Sea-based fisheries programme could bridge the gap of fish production over the years.

The fishermen should concentrate much on mariculture activities for their sustainable livelihood.

Such activities are being executed in shelter bays and inlets with enormous natural resources.

Mariculture activities are being promoted through cage culture of marine fin and shell fishes. Besides, an indigenous seaweed culture programme is being taken up by fishermen to enhance their profits.

A lot of awareness has to be raised among the fishermen to engage themselves in profitable mariculture dealing with shrimp farming, lobster fattening and crab fattening.

While keeping off the sea, the marine resources could be conserved a lot, J.D. Jameson, former Director of Research and Extension, Fisheries College and Research Institute, Tuticorin told The Hindu here on Monday.

Countries abroad including Japan, Taiwan, China and Vietnam were playing a significant role in farming of fishes and similarly lots of resources were required to promote such activities here.

The programme on mariculture could also be considered a poverty alleviation programme, he suggested.

In the marine captive fisheries, the coastal resources had already been exploited and most of the fish species were under threat.

N. Felix, the Consortium Principal Investigator of Marine Research Centre of FCRI, Tharuvaikulam, said cobia brood stocks were being cultured in floating cages.

Under National Innovation Agriculture Project on cobia with culture technologies, seeds were being developed to provide alternative livelihood for fishermen.

A low cost wooden cage had been designed after training at Vietnam and it would be installed at sea soon, he said.

On January 11 and 12, international marine fin fish experts from Virgina State University, USA would speak about marine fin fish farming with focus on cobia at a workshop at FCRI, he added.