A hands-on paid training programme on “Disease management of brackishwater aquaculture farming” was organized by Kakdwip Research Centre of ICAR-Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture, (KRC of ICAR- CIBA), Kakdwip, West Bengal during March 21-26, 2022. The training programme was specially planned to increase awareness among local brackishwater farmers on diseases of brackishwater aquaculture systems and their proper management. The training programme was attended by 26 trainees, which include progressive brackishwater farmers as well as scholars, who are aspirants of choosing brackishwater aquaculture as their profession and livelihood.
The training programme was inaugurated by Dr. Debasis De, Officer In-charge, Kakdwip Research Centre of ICAR-CIBA. Dr. Sanjoy Das and Dr. Leesa Pridarsani, the two conveners of the training designed the structure and curriculum of the programme with valuable guidance of Dr. M. Poornima, Principal Scientist and Dr. K.P. Jithendran, Director, ICAR- CIBA, Chennai. Other conveners of the training programme were Dr. Debasis De, Dr. T.K. Ghoshal and Dr. Prem Kumar.
The training programme consisted of both theory and practical classes on various aspects brackishwater fish diseases and their suitable control measures. The trainees were trained about diagnosis procedures of different diseases, proper farm biosecurity measures and monitoring of soil and water quality parameters and feed management relating to prevention of diseases. Trainees were also introduced to different on-going activities of KRC of ICAR- CIBA. The course curriculum were also inclusive of application of different probiotics and zero water exchange-based culture techniques. The trainees were exposed to hands-on practical experiences on sampling and preservation techniques of both finfish and shellfish samples, isolation of bacterial pathogen from haemolymph of shrimp, molecular detection of shrimp viral pathogen by PCR, Real time PCR, etc. Prof. T.J. Abraham, Professor, West Bengal University of Animal & Fishery Sciences took class of the trainees as an external expert on various emerging diseases of brackishwater aquaculture systems. A manual on ‘Disease management brackishwater aquaculture farming’ was also released during the training programme for benefits of the trainees.
The training programme concluded by means of a brief valedictory programme on 26th March, 2022.
