World Aquaculture - March 2023

WWW.WAS.ORG • WORLD AQUACULTURE • MARCH 2023 63 size of kunka as well (Jhingran 1986). Spawn produced at the bundh site in Bankura are sold in terms of dibba, the capacity of which is about 2 mL (Jhingran 1986). Likewise, variation exists in the measure for the sale of fry and fingerlings in different areas of the country. This article highlights this major issue of non-uniformity in carp spawn measuring units and thereby per mL IMC spawn count across India. Carp Spawn Measuring Units Used Across India Based on information collected from around 50 eco-carp hatcheries in 17 states, eco-carp hatchery owners/managers across India use tools such as aluminum or steel bowls (batis), plastic or glass beakers, plastic cups, and sieves to measure carp spawn (Fig.1) when selling carp spawn to fish farmers. There is no regulation of the state fisheries department on carp spawn counting in many states. Major Drawbacks with the Carp Spawn Measuring Unit The main lacuna in this measuring system is the lack of uniformity in terms of shape, volume and structure of bowls (bati), which accounts for huge losses to carp nursery growers. Recording of survival data in carp nurseries has also been severely affected by this existing system. Data collected from eco-carp hatcheries showed that the volume of carp spawn measuring units varied from 20-1000 mL and carp spawn count ranged from 370-1000/ mL. As a standard benchmark, in the carp hatchery of ICARCentral Freshwater Research Institute, Bhubaneswar, at 72 hr after fertilization, the number of spawn produced by Indian major carps was 380-400 spawn/mL. Some measuring units had porous bottoms and others were solid at the bottom. Also, for porous units, there was no uniformity in the number of pores at the bottom in the carp spawn measuring unit. A Way Forward for Improving the Carp Spawn Measuring System Using uniform carp spawn measuring units across the country (one each for Indian major carp, minor carp and Chinese carp) would facilitate the farmers knowing the exact number of spawn they receive from a hatchery. This will allow the accurate recording of growth and nursery survival data, benefiting the entire fish farming community. Along with this, after ascertaining the desired number of spawns during purchase and sale, accurate information on their survival and growth data could be recorded in the nursery, which would benefit the entire aquaculture industry as well. Acknowledgements The authors are thankful to Director ICAR-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture for the support and encouragement. Notes Avinash Rasal, Jitendra Kumar Sundaray, Khuntia Murmu, Ajit Chaudhary, Mukesh Kumar Bairwa and Kanta Das Mahapatra , ICAR-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, Kausalyaganga, Bhubaneswar 751 002, India. E-mail: avinashrasal44@gmail.com References Ayyapan, S. 2011. Handbook of Aaquaculture and Fisheries. Indian Council of Agricultural Research publication. Basavaraja, N. 1994. Carp seed production in Karnataka, southern India, with special reference to rearing larvae in reservoir-based pens. NAGA, The ICLARM Quarterly. January:22-24. Handbook on Fisheries Statistics, 2020. Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India, New Delhi, November 2020. dof.gov.in/sites/ default/files/2021-02/Final_Book.pdf. Jhingaran, A.G. 1986. Status paper on fish seed standardization. Bulletin No. 43, CIFRI Publication. Swain, S.K., B.R. Pillai, P.C. Das, I. Sivaraman, P.P. Chakraborty, P.K. Sahoo, J.K. Sundaray, K.D. Mahapatra, H.K. De, K.N. Mohanta, K.P. Hemaprasanth, B.C. Mohapatra, P. Routray, B.S. Giri and N.K. Barik. 2021. Page 142. in: Actionable Strategies for Increasing the Freshwater Fish Production in India. ICAR-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, Bhubaneswar, India. Thomas, P.C., S.C. Rath and K.D. Mahapatra. 2003. Pages 59-69 in: Breeding and Seed Production of Finfish and Shellfish. Daya Publishing House, New Delhi, India. WAS EMPLOYMENT SERVICE The Employment Service was established in 1985 by the World Aquaculture Society to assist its membership and the international aquaculture community with current job and career information. The annual posting of jobs and CVs at WAS international and US Aquaculture Society (USAS) Chapter meetings, and the online job and resume databases via the Internet serve as a clearinghouse for employment opportunities and information. The job and CV databases are maintained throughout the year by the Employment Service Coordinator. The Employment Service is provided at no cost to businesses, academic and other non-profit institutions, NGOs, state/ federal agencies, employed professionals and students in support of the international aquaculture community. Besides aquaculture, other fields like fisheries, aquatic sciences and seafood are included along with graduate assistantships, post-docs, and internships. Listings for CVs are removed after 6 months and job announcements are open until the closing date you set on the submission form. Jobs and CVs are typically posted within 1-2 days after receiving them. Please contact the Employment Service Coordinator (johnewart@gmail.com) with all your comments, questions and suggestions.

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