As part of the Indian government’s decision to promote genetically-improved farmed tilapia, the southern state of Kerala has approved the farming of genetically improved tilapia at Ponnani, reported the
Times of India.
The marine products export development authority in 2012 had urged the state to initiate steps for registration and promotion of tilapia farms in the state, it said.
Tilapia was introduced in India in 1952, with a view to fill unoccupied niches, such as ponds and reservoirs. The species spread across the country within a few years due to its prolific breeding and adaptability to a wide range of environmental condition.
Abundance of the species affected the fisheries of several reservoirs and lakes across the country, including Kerala. The fisheries research committee of India had imposed a ban on tilapia propagation in 1959, according to the union government guidelines on tilapia farming.
The development of genetically improved tilapia technology is based on traditional selective breeding and is meant to improve commercially important traits of tropical farmed fish, it said.
According to a state government order in this regard, the state government has approved the request from the fisheries director for farming of genetically improved tilapia at the proposed Matsyafed hatchery at Veliyamcode in Malappuram district on an experimental basis. It is specifically mentioned in the order that only genetically improved farm tilapia should be used in the process.
Other conditions set by the state government include that the tilapia fry sourced for rearing should be from government approved hatcheries. Similarly, the ponds being used for cultivation of genetically improved tilapia fish should not be connected with other ponds.
Rearing fish should be carried out in a controlled manner and in no circumstances should the genetically improved tilapia fish be mixed with other fish varieties.
