Visakhapatnam Regional Centre of ICAR – Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) is embarking on an initiative to explore the possibility of breeding the highly sought-after ‘Ghol’ fish, also known as the black spotted croaker, in cages. The CMFRI’s studies on capture-based culture of the ‘ghol’ fish are already underway, signalling a promising development in the aquaculture sector.
The ‘Ghol’ fish, scientifically referred to as protonibea Dicanthus, is renowned for its exceptional market value, particularly in the international market. Its air bladder, a coveted commodity in the wine industry, commands a staggering price range of ₹40,000 to ₹50,000 per kilogram. Despite its presence in Indian seas, Ghol remains relatively scarce, as highlighted by A. Gopalakrishnan, the Director of ICAR-CMFRI.
During the inauguration of the indigenously developed Recirculatory Aquaculture System (RAS) for nursery rearing of finfishes at the CMFRI Regional Centre in Visakhapatnam, Mr. Gopalakrishnan disclosed these exciting developments. Additionally, the CMFRI Vizag centre is also dedicated to the cultivation of other lucrative species, including black pomfret and silver pomfret, both of which enjoy favourable market prices.
The Vizag centre, a pioneer in open sea cage farming in India, has identified suitable locations along the coasts of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, and Yanam for the expansion of cage farming in marine environments. Open sea cage farming was initiated at four strategic locations, including Visakhapatnam, Balasore (Odisha), Chennai, and Kochi, back in 2003. The Vizag centre notably achieved a groundbreaking milestone in 2005 by successfully harvesting 3.5 tons of fish through cage culture.
Cage breeding offers several advantages, such as preventing contact with other species and facilitating the production of disease-free, high-quality seedlings. This technology is now being extended to nursery rearing, where the cost of producing 1 kilogram of fish stands at approximately ₹210. The farm gate price, however, commands a significantly higher range of ₹380 to ₹400, providing substantial returns for fish farmers.
In addition to its pioneering work in cage farming, the CMFRI Visakhapatnam centre plays a pivotal role in monitoring fish stock and assessing stock status periodically. This crucial contribution led to the listing of approximately 72 fish species, empowering the State Fisheries Department to formulate effective fisheries management policies.