CMFRI’s novel venture yields bumper harvest of green mussels

An experimental farming on a professional scale has proved that the ground breaking farming know-how — Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) observe — is successful and well ideal to Kerala’s ecosystem.

A bumper harvest of eco-friendly mussel was recorded in the integrated farming put together with cage fish and seaweed farming undertaken by the Central Marine Fisheries Exploration Institute under participatory method with fish farmers in Moothakunnam in Ernakulam district.

The IMTA combines ideal proportions of fish, seaweeds and filter feeding bivalves in farming to make well balanced devices for environmental and economic balance. CMFRI started out the venture in December last year as aspect of its investigate initiative for creating a sustainable cage fish farming product ideal for Kerala’s ecosystem.

Improved produce

The 1st harvest amongst the a few crops of the integrated farming, yielded close to one tonne of eco-friendly mussel from 150 strings hung close to as quite a few as four fish cages. Specific mussels grew to the dimension of seventy two g which is a successful development charge in mussel farming. Even as the harvest was taking spot through the Covid lockdown, the total make marketed out in no time as there was a large demand for eco-friendly mussels.

A superior harvest with far better development charge of eco-friendly mussel showed that IMTA observe is economically possible and well ideal to Kerala’s ailment. A scientific group led by Shoji Joseph, Principal Scientist of CMFRI, also observed that the fishes within the cage attained far better development and seaweed remaining cultured close to the cage showed balanced position with rapid development charge. Fish will be harvested by the end of the subsequent month.

CMFRI Director A Gopalakrishnan claimed the institute would acquire methods to popularise the IMTA observe across the coastal States as in the case of cage fish farming. CMFRI has effectively made a product of IMTA observe on open sea waters of Tamil Nadu which assists coastal people fetch elevated profits.