Asian-Pacific Aquaculture 2019

June 19 - 21, 2019

Chennai Tamil Nadu - India

CURRENT DISEASE SCENARIO AND ITS IMPACT ON SHRIMP FARMING IN INDIA

D. Ramraj
 
President, All India Shrimp Hatcheries Association (AISHA)
 #18B, Kohinoor Complex, Vettuvankeni, Chennai 600115, TN, India
 ramraj.d@gmail.com
 

After a decade of impressive growth, farmed Shrimp output from India has shown a decline for the first time in 2018, increased instances of diseases have been the overwhelming factor for the slowdown. White spot syndrome Virus (WSSV) infections continue to cause large scale mortalities in shrimp farms in cooler months of December to February and during monsoon.  Poor shrimp growth, size variation, white faeces and loose shell are turning out to be major reasons for reduced survivals and the farm production to fall well below the anticipated harvest levels. Enterocytozoon hepatopanei(EHP) and Vibrio infections have been diagnosed across the farming areas and are strongly correlated to the fall in productivity. While WSSV outbreaks are catastrophic and instantaneous, the symptoms accompanying EHP and vibrio infections are progressive and difficult for the farmer to judge and take a decision on the harvest, as a result, the economic impact of EHP and vibriosis are much more severe and seen as a direct attribute for the fall in Indian farm productivity. In order to overcome the increasing spread of diseases, mitigation measures including stocking clean pathogen free post larvae, proper drying and disinfection of pond soil by appropriate protocols and strict Biosecurity procedures in the Hatcheries and farms have to be followed. Disease control measures have to be addressed in earnest if the growth in Indian farmed shrimp production achieved in the past decade has to be sustained.