Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada MP Capt Brijesh Chowta said he has urged the central govt to establish a marine finfish hatchery in the district to address the acute shortage of quality marine fish seed and promote sustainable mariculture along India’s west coast.Noting the district’s role as one of Karnataka’s key coastal fisheries hubs, he said thousands of livelihoods in DK depend on marine resources. While capture fisheries have largely stabilised, he said the expansion of open-sea cage culture and coastal mariculture is constrained by the lack of reliable, locally produced marine finfish seed. At present, much of the seed used along the west coast is sourced from the east coast, leading to higher input costs, transportation stress, biosecurity risks, and supply uncertainties. Hence, he said, he urged the Union govt to establish a regional hatchery to ensure the steady availability of high-quality seed suited to local conditions.Referring to a detailed project proposal prepared by the ICAR–Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), Mangaluru Regional Centre, Capt Chowta said the proposed multi-species hatchery would have a capacity of 1–2 million seeds annually and cover high-value species such as cobia, silver pompano, Indian pompano, and snapper.He said the hatchery would strengthen marine cage farming, promote local entrepreneurship, generate coastal employment, and enhance fish production without adding pressure on wild stocks, advancing India’s Blue Economy vision.He urged the govt to prioritise the hatchery through necessary approvals, technical support, and financial assistance.|
