Cobia to be bred for commercial production
Published: March 31, 2009
Source : The Times of India
In six months, researchers hope to give India's marine aquaculture export a leg-up by developing a technology to breed the Cobia (Rachycentron canadum), a brackish water fish, in marine cages on offshore sites. When it happens, it will be a first in India.
Animal husbandry, dairying and fisheries department secretary C Muthukumaraswamy says, "India can use this opportunity to standardise the breeding protocol to produce Cobia seeds and farming methods." Experts in the field say that breeding Cobia for commercial production can be very profitable because of its growth rate, export potential, white meat, taste and flavour. Cobia can grow up to 2 m in length and weigh up to 68kg. They can weigh about 1kg after six months, 5-6kg after a year and 8-10kg after two years when bred in a marine cage. Seed production and farming have proved viable in many Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam and Thailand.
The chairman of the consortium advisory committee, National Agricultural Innovation Project Cobia Project, Dr M Sakthivel, says, "So far, only the bass ( a sea or freshwater fish) is being bred for commercial production, and its feed is very expensive (1kg of feed costs Rs 50), whereas the Cobia is a carnivore and eats other fish too. There is thus good potential for the fish to be bred by rural entrepreneurs. It is also tolerant to high temperature and brackishness."
The Fisheries College and Research Institute of the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS) in Tuticorin, the Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture in Chennai, and the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute in Mandapam will conduct the pilot project in six months; the outlay is Rs 264.89 lakh. The project will aim to develop technologies for breeding and farming of the Cobia and for preparation of fish products in different forms for marketing. The vice-chancellor of TANUVAS Dr P Thangaraju said, "Since other countries have a lead over us, we will package the fish differently for the market. We are planning to market it as a value-added product in the form of ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat food."
The Cobia project will be conducted on offshore and onshore sites at Tharuvikulam in Tuticorin near the TANUVAS Fisheries College and Research Institute. Dr Sakthivel says the offshore sites will have to be 20-30 m into the sea. The fish will be bred in marine cages imported from Norway. Unutilised shrimp farms will be converted into Cobia farms in onshore areas. Research conducted over nearly four years will compare productivity levels at the two sites.
Animal husbandry, dairying and fisheries department secretary C Muthukumaraswamy says, "India can use this opportunity to standardise the breeding protocol to produce Cobia seeds and farming methods." Experts in the field say that breeding Cobia for commercial production can be very profitable because of its growth rate, export potential, white meat, taste and flavour. Cobia can grow up to 2 m in length and weigh up to 68kg. They can weigh about 1kg after six months, 5-6kg after a year and 8-10kg after two years when bred in a marine cage. Seed production and farming have proved viable in many Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam and Thailand.
The chairman of the consortium advisory committee, National Agricultural Innovation Project Cobia Project, Dr M Sakthivel, says, "So far, only the bass ( a sea or freshwater fish) is being bred for commercial production, and its feed is very expensive (1kg of feed costs Rs 50), whereas the Cobia is a carnivore and eats other fish too. There is thus good potential for the fish to be bred by rural entrepreneurs. It is also tolerant to high temperature and brackishness."
The Fisheries College and Research Institute of the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS) in Tuticorin, the Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture in Chennai, and the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute in Mandapam will conduct the pilot project in six months; the outlay is Rs 264.89 lakh. The project will aim to develop technologies for breeding and farming of the Cobia and for preparation of fish products in different forms for marketing. The vice-chancellor of TANUVAS Dr P Thangaraju said, "Since other countries have a lead over us, we will package the fish differently for the market. We are planning to market it as a value-added product in the form of ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat food."
The Cobia project will be conducted on offshore and onshore sites at Tharuvikulam in Tuticorin near the TANUVAS Fisheries College and Research Institute. Dr Sakthivel says the offshore sites will have to be 20-30 m into the sea. The fish will be bred in marine cages imported from Norway. Unutilised shrimp farms will be converted into Cobia farms in onshore areas. Research conducted over nearly four years will compare productivity levels at the two sites.
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