One-day training programme on ‘Nursery rearing of hatchery produced Asian seabass seeds’ was organized by the ICAR-Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture, Chennai at its Muttukadu Experimental Station (MES) on 28 December, 2021. The programme was aimed at creating the self-employment opportunities for the unemployed women through fish seed production activity using technology developed in ICAR-CIBA. Thirty six participants belonging to three women Self Help Groups (SHGs) from Kottaikadu village, in Chengalpattu district of Tamil Nadu attended this skill development programme under the Scheduled Caste Sub Plan (SCSP) of the institute.
During the inaugural session, Dr. M. Kailasam, SIC, Fish Culture Division briefed about the Asian seabass breeding technology and explained about the seed requirement, economic opportunities and future prospects of nursery rearing activity of seabass for the benefit of women participants attending training. Dr. D. Deboral Vimala, Principal Scientist, Social Sciences Division, spoke in the occasion and guided the team on social and economic security that the nursery rearing activity can provide to the group. Dr. R. Jayakumar, Dr. R. Geetha, Shri K.P. Sandeep, Dr. T.N. Vinay, Dr. T. Bhuvaneswari and Dr. R. Subburaj, also spoke and appraised the participants on the scheme. Later the participants were given hands-on training in grading and packing of seeds at hatchery by the technical and scientific faculty. The groups had an exposure visit to finfish hatchery sections and pond culture facilities at Kovalam Experimental Station (KES) of the institute, where they observed the demonstrations in shrimp, finfishes, mud crab and learned practical know-how on installation of hapa, stocking of fish seeds, feeding and cleaning procedures.
In his valedictory address, Dr. C.V. Sairam, Principal Scientist & SIC, Social Sciences Division, urged the participants to develop their own enterprises with the help of skill development and distributed certificates. The programme was co-ordinated by Dr. T. Bhuvaneswari, Scientist and Nodal Officer, SCSP, who also proposed vote of thanks.
