uarantine unit for Tiger Shrimp inaugurated at MAC

The quarantine unit for Tiger Shrimp at the Multispecies Aquaculture Complex (MAC), set up by the Marine Products Export Development Autority at Vallarpadam here, was inaugurated Thursday.

An MPEDA release said the unit was inaugurated by Tarun Shridhar, Secretary, Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, Government of India.

Speaking at the function, Shridhar said the newly opened unit wouldregain the pride of place ofthe indigenous species Black Tiger shrimpin the Indian subcontinent, which is now occupied by the exotic species, Vannamei.

Patting MPEDA and its research arm, the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Aquaculture, for establishing the MAC, he said the facility would cater to the growing demand for fingerlings of various export-oriented species like Seabass, Cobia, Tilapia and Pompano.

K S Srinivas, the MPEDA chairman, said this was the first of its kind facility in the west coast, set upwhen there is a huge demand for the healthy seeds.