Fisheries experts have recommended a greater role for women self-help groups in boosting aquaculture production in the country.
In his address at the conference on Blue Economy being organised by the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS), P. Jayasankar, Director of Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (CIFA), Bhubaneshwar, said women aquapreneurs could play a key role in developing the fish farming sector by setting up small scale entrepreneurial initiatives in ornamental fish culture, fish seed rearing, culture of live feed for fish larve, crab fattening, crab seed rearing, shell craft industry and pearl culture etc.
“The user-friendly equipment developed by CIFA such as FRP portable hatchery and automatic feed dispenser have helped farmers become entrepreneurs and self-reliant,” he said.
K.K. Vijayan, Director of Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (CIBA), Chennai, said aquaculture was the better source for ensuring the food security.
Fish feed industry
“Though Kerala is highly prospective for aquaculture in terms of vast resources, species diversity and skilled manpower, the absence of an organised fish feed industry has forced the State to depend on other States such as Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh,” he said. K. Ganesh, Project Manager, RGCA, (MPEDA), Nagapattinam highlighted the significance of live feed as the important area for the future of induced breeding of several important aquaculture species including crabs, lobsters, grouper, sea bass, pompano, etc.
