A breeding and harvesting programme for Cobia, an edible and high-value species of finfish, came of age here on Friday with 1,000 juveniles being released into the sea off the Vizhinjam coast.

They were hatched under the Marine Finfish Stock Enhancement Programme at the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Aquaculture (RGCA) at nearby Pozhiyoor.

The Chief Minister, Mr Oommen Chandy, and Mr Shashi Tharoor M.P., launched the project by releasing the first lot of fishes into the water.

The RGCA, the research and development arm of the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), had taken up the programme to address the decline in the natural fish stock.

Also known as Lemon fish or Ling, the Cobia (Rachycentron canadrum) grows up to 2 m in length and attains a weight of 68 kg. It is a preferred choice for gourmets across the world.

The RGCA had developed the technology for breeding in captivity and production of Cobia earlier this year to overcome the high juvenile mortality of the species. Combined with overexploitation, this had resulted in decline of the stock.

According to Ms Leena Nair, Chairperson, MPEDA and President, RGCA, the ‘sea ranching' (release of artificially bred fish) programme would continue on a regular basis.

The programme was expected to enhance the production of Cobia in the area around Vizhinjam from 500 to 2,000 tonnes over the next three to four years.

An additional 3,000 tonnes could be produced through sea farming also — the combined 5,000 tonnes of the fish would command a value of Rs 2,000 crore at current prices, including the export potential, Ms Nair said.

Delivering the welcome address at a function got up on the occasion, Ms Nair announced that RGCA would launch sea farming of Cobia at Vizhinjam shortly.

OPEN CAGES

Open sea cages would be established in the demonstration phase. Fishermen would later be organised into self help groups for commercial farming operations.

MPEDA has plans to invest heavily on genetic improvement of farmed marine species. It also proposes to tag the fish being released into sea to carry out studies when they are caught later.

The technology transfer and training centre established by RGCA at Sirkali in Tamil Nadu is providing training for fisherfolk in sea farming.

The unit is being upgraded with prototype farms and hatcheries, a modern aquaculture library and pathology and genetics laboratories.

GOVT OFFERS HELP

Besides setting up hatcheries for mud crab and seabass at Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu, the centre has programmes for domestication of tiger shrimp, broodstock development of scampi, an aquatic quarantine facility at Neelamkarai, Chennai, and projects for Tilapia and Grouper fish.

Addressing the function, the Chief Minister stressed the need to ensure the participation of fisherfolk in the stock enhancement programme.

The State Government was willing to extend all possible help to MPEDA to carry out its activities.

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