PANJIM: Sheldon Fernandes, a resident of Candolim, became the first entrepreneur in the State to start an open sea cage farm under the Goa State Mariculture Policy.
Based on the request submitted to the Department of Fisheries, Fernandes was sanctioned a licence to undertake open sea cage culture at Candolim. He is also a beneficiary under the Centrally sponsored scheme of the Department of Fisheries, Government of India and the State Fisheries Department.
The cage frames made of galvanised iron (GI) have a diameter of six-metre and fishes are cultured inside a net with depth of five-metre tied to the cage frame.
Hatchery produced seeds of Asian Seabass (Chonak) and Silver Pompano are being cultured in five cages and two cages under All India Network Project on Mariculture of ICAR- Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), Karwar have been integrated in the said project. The technical advisory for the cage culture is also provided by ICAR-CMFRI, Karwar.
The open sea cage culture farm was inaugurated by Director of Fisheries Shamila Monterio in the presence of Dr Suresh Babu P P, Dr Anuraj A, scientist from CMFRI, Karwar and Chandresh Haldankar, Superintendent of Fisheries, Department of Fisheries.
Seeing the huge potential in mariculture activity, the Goa government became the first State in India to notify mariculture policy to augment fish production through fish culture in cages (closed enclosures) from the sea.