The Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS) has got the nod from the Coastal Aquaculture Authority (CAA) in Chennai to start vannamei shrimp culture at its research station in Puthuvypin.
An official release said the CAA had permitted KUFOS to carry out farming of specific pathogen-free Litopenaeus Vannamei.
KUFOS was the first agency in Kerala to get the CAA nod for vannamei farming, it claimed.
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The permit is valid for five years. Six ponds at the Puthuvypin centre out of the 32 brackish water shrimp farms are ready to start farming of the white-leg prawn based on protocols prescribed by the CAA.
The pre-stocking protocols were completed and the stocking of specific pathogen-free seed procured from one of the hatcheries accredited by the CAA in Pondicherry will be held by the third week of March.
KUFOS Vice Chancellor B. Madhusoodana Kurup said all guidelines stipulated by the CAA would be adopted while conducting the trial culture of vannamei. “Many maritime States of the country took advantage of introduction of vannamei in the culture basket of shrimp more than six years ago and took both economic and social advantages out of its farming. We are still sceptical about the impacts of its introduction in Kerala,” he said.
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The Vice Chancellor said the proposed trial farming was targeted at developing a model farming system of Litopenaeus Vannamei suitable for the brackish water ecosystem of the State.
If the trial farming proved to be success, the vannamei culture could be extended to all suitable water bodies, enabling the State to fully exploit the prospects of its brackish water resources and to boost aquaculture production. The farming units would follow all prescriptions of the CAA such as maintenance of reservoir, effluent treatment system, erection of bio-fencing and other bio-security measures, which were being installed at the station, he said.