CMFRI to boost marine fish seed productionThiruvananthapuram, Jan 29 (AZINS) The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute's (CMFRI) recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) set up at its Vizhinjam Research Centre here was inaugurated by Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Sudarshan Bhagat on Sunday.

This new system will boost the seed production of commercially important marine fishes.

The RAS, which filters water inside the fish tank helping to reuse the water, will be beneficial to the brood stock development of marine fishes.

The CMFRI set up an RAS tank with a capacity of 30,000 litres, with an aim to popularise the sea cage farming to increase the production of marine species.

Inaugurating the facility, Bhagat said farmer-friendly technologies should be developed to attract people into fish farming.

"In order to solve the issues in the fisheries sector following the decline in the availability fishes from the sea, steps should be taken to improve the facilities and technologies for boosting the fish production through alternative ways," he said.

He said mariculture practices should be given due importance to increase marine fish production.

"Sea cage farming is one of the best alternatives to increase the fish production and improve fisheries sector", he said lauding the CMFRI for its initiatives to popularise the technology of cage farming across the coastal states.

He also pointed out that farming of ornamental fishes, oysters and molluscs should also be promoted among the farmers by giving training to them.

According to CMFRI Director A.Gopalakrishnan, the newly-installed RAS facility at the CMFRI could accelerate the growth of mariculture in the country.

"Mariculture is the hope of future generation. CMFRI is now focusing on research to enhance the mariculture activities through cage farming methods" he said adding that the sea cage farming of commercially important fish species such as silver pompano, cobia, groupers, lobsters would help the country to increase its blue economy.