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Deeptha Rajkumar

KOCHI, March 13

THE Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) plans to set up a shrimp domestication project in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Mr Jose Cyriac, Chairman, MPEDA, told Business Line that MPEDA has identified a site 20 km from Port Blair for the proposed project to cultivate specific pathogen free (SPF) shrimp brooders or parent shrimps.

Dr Andrew Kuljis of Aquatic Farms, Hawai who is an expert on genetic shrimp breeding will be acting as consultant in setting up the project.

"We wish to create a highly bio-secure environment, where we can produce the next generation of shrimps. At present we depend on wild brooder stock but given the rising instances of disease in shrimps we wanted a project where we can produce the next generation of shrimps in a controlled disease free environment," Mr Cyriac said.

With the increase in production through increased stocking capacity, which is quite often beyond the carrying capacity, diseases have crept in.

The most common disease encountered in shrimp acquaculture is the white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) and the Mondon Baculo virus.

The site of the project has been chosen so as to avoid any possibility of contamination.

"The borders along our coasts have been affected due to heavy concentration of farming near the sea what with fish excreta etc being dumped into the sea. Hence our decision to set up a highly secure base station in the Andamans where there is no possibility of diseased animals being dumped into the sea. We expect the shrimp brooders in and around Andamans to be free from pathogens," the MPEDA chief explained.

Thereafter, over a period of time, various parameters of improving genetic quality of the brooders like perfecting the feed conversion ratio (FCR) etc would be brought into play.

"Shrimp has so far not been easy to domesticate as we cannot control the environment in the pond or in the farm where they breed. In other words we have not been able to create the ideal environment for the perfect brooders. The base in Andaman will provide us with brooder stock for black tiger. It will also reduce our dependence on wild catch, take care of the disease problem and reduce price volatality," Mr Cyriac said.

The regulator is also considering whether or not the first generation or F1 and second generation or F2 stock would be grown to adult size at the base camp or whether multiplier centres would be set up on the mainland for the purpose.

"Once the brooders are developed they would then be sold to hatchery owners who will have the assurance that he is getting pathogen free brooders. The hatchery owners in turn could culture it on a large scale and even sell brooder stock to its clients," he said.

According to Mr Cyriac the preliminary round of discussions on the project is yet to be concluded.

"The finer detailing such as the consultation fee, project cost etc are still being worked out," he added.

While the project would be the first-ever attempt towards shrimp domestication, it is expected to eventually become a profitable self- sustaining venture.

"The initial investments would be borne by the Government but thereafter, once the technology is perfected we expect it to become a commercially viable project," Mr Cyriac said.

The project is to be implemented through the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Aquaculture.

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