Aqua University in Bhimavaram

*** Article from Eeenadu Daily News Paper 09th September 2015 edition ***

Aqua University in Bhimavaram:

Defective seed supplied by some of the unauthorised hatcheries is posing a serious threat to the culture of vannamei shrimp in Andhra Pradesh, and it is imperative that the State Government take the requisite steps for supply of quality seed, according to many aqua farmers who participated in the Aqua Aquaria 2015.

Most of the farmers' representatives, including K. Narayana, Member of Parliament from Machilipatnam and himself an aqua farmer, said as there were no quarantive facilities in the State the brood stock was being imported from the USA through Chennai port. Therefore, on a priority basis, quarantine facilities should be set up and also brood stock multiplication centres for supply of quality seed. Otherwise, they said, vannamei shrimp culture would face the same problems as the monodon (tiger shrimp) faced some years ago in the State.

The farmers also said the applications for digging new aqua ponds were not being cleared speedily and there were too many procedural hassles. They should be addressed. 

The seafood industry representatives wanted fisheries colleges and also a university in the State, as there was a huge dearth of skilled personnel in the sector. Uddaraju Ananda Raju (UAR) Foundation of Ananda Group of Companies is planning to start the AP Fisheries and Ocean University in West Godavari district soon. The new university, proposed under Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) would be constructed in about 150 acres. Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), an international institute of higher learning in Bangkok, has agreed to transfer the technology and help in establishing Andhra Pradesh Fisheries and Ocean University.