MP urges Centre to set up Marine Finfish Hatchery in Mangaluru

Dakshina Kannada Member of Parliament Captain Brijesh Chowta has urged the Union government to establish a Marine Finfish Hatchery in the district to address the acute shortage of quality marine fish seed and to promote sustainable mariculture along the country’s west coast.

Dakshina Kannada Member of Parliament Captain Brijesh Chowta has urged the Union government to establish a Marine Finfish Hatchery in the district to address the acute shortage of quality marine fish seed and to promote sustainable mariculture along the country’s west coast.

Speaking under Rule 377 in the Lok Sabha on Friday, Capt. Chowta highlighted the district’s significance as one of Karnataka’s key coastal fisheries hubs. Thousands of livelihoods in the district depend on marine resources. The expansion of open-sea cage culture and coastal mariculture is currently constrained by the non-availability of reliable, locally produced marine finfish seed, he said.

At present, much of the seed used along the west coast is sourced from the east coast, leading to higher input costs, transportation stress, biosecurity risks, and supply uncertainties. Establishing a regional hatchery would ensure consistent availability of high-quality seed suited to local conditions, the MP said.

Referring to a detailed project proposal prepared by the ICAR - Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), Mangaluru Regional Centre, Capt. Chowta stated that the proposed multi-species hatchery would have a capacity of 1-2 million seeds annually, covering high-value species such as cobia, silver pompano, Indian pompano, and snapper.

He emphasised that the hatchery would strengthen marine cage farming, promote local entrepreneurship, generate coastal employment, and enhance fish production without increasing pressure on wild stocks, thereby advancing India’s Blue Economy vision.