CMFRI trevally tech wins honour
The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute’s (CMFRI) seed production technology for giant trevally has been named one of the top five fisheries innovations in the country by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
Unveiled by Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan during ICAR’s 97th Foundation Day celebrations in New Delhi, the innovation marks a major leap forward for sustainable mariculture in India.
“The technology is poised to significantly boost the production of this commercially important fish, contributing to the nation’s seafood security and blue economy,” said Dr Grinson George, director of CMFRI.
Giant trevally is prized for its fast growth, adaptability, and high market demand, fetching Rs 400 to 700 per kg (€4 to €7 per kg). It can be successfully farmed in cages, pens and coastal ponds, and is known to grow faster than pompanos.
Developed at CMFRI’s Vizhinjam Regional Centre, the seed production breakthrough overcame significant biological and behavioural challenges. Scientists Ambarish P. Gop, Dr M. Sakthivel, and Dr B. Santhosh led the research team that cracked the complex breeding of this open-water species.
Under CMFRI’s standardised farming protocol, giant trevally can reach 500g in five months and 1kg in eight months using pellet feed. The institute is now working to refine larval rearing techniques and improve production efficiency.
This recognition by ICAR is expected to accelerate large-scale production and farming of the species, opening new opportunities in India’s mariculture sector and contributing to the goals of the blue economy.
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