After achieving a breakthrough in captive breeding of Grey Mullet (Madavai), a highly sought-after brackish water fish for the first time in the country, the Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (CIBA), on Thursday announced the long-awaited breeding technology as part of green revolution initiatives by the Indian government.
The first batch of hatchery produced grey mullet seeds, and species-specific feeds for grey mullet were distributed to four farmers from Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala in a stakeholder meet at the CIBA’s Muttukadu Experimental Station.
Director of CIBA K.K. Vijayan said the fish could be farmed in diverse farming systems, such as monoculture, polyculture and integrated multi-trophic aquaculture mode (IMTA), with potential output of 4 tonnes per hectare/crop, with high profitability.
“CIBA has given greater priority for the breeding of grey mullet since 2015 and successful breeding and larval production were achieved using pond-reared brood stock in 2016-17. The third batch of hatchery-reared grey mullet was completed this season,” Mr. Vijayan explained.
Grey mullets are the preferred choice of consumers due to its taste, texture, less spines, nutritive value, and the fish, relished by consumers, fetches good market price in the range of ₹350 to ₹500 per kg. Fast growth rates and omnivorous feeding habit, acceptance of formulated pellet feed makes this vegetarian fish, an ideal fish candidate not only for brackish water farming, but also for freshwater and marine farming.
“The farmers will raise the seeds in their farms and CIBA will buy back from them for further breeding and seed production. These initiatives towards species domestication may make a wider breeding window of grey mullet availability and the process of induced maturation less challenging,” said Dr. M. Kailasam, Principal Scientist Head in-charge-of fin-fish culture division.
Dr. Joykrushna Jena, Deputy Director General (Fisheries), ICAR, said that mullet had always been a cherished fish and historically a part of brackish water aquaculture and amenable for farming in different culture systems and salinity.
