Mass production of Artemia Biomass and Artemia Cysts through Aquaculture

Fresh Feed for Fish Larvae & Shrimp Broodstock now available in India

Artemia Biomass has been commonly used over the years as feed for Fish larvae and Shrimp Broodstock. Artemia biomass that is produced by growing the Artemia nauplii to adult sizes has an enviable nutrient profile and is greatly accepted by the growing fish larvae by Aquarium Fish breeders and commercial Marine finfish hatcheries. It is also widely used in White Shrimp hatcheries where it is fed to the brooder shrimps as a part of the maturation diet.

Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Aquaculture has successfully demonstrated large scale production of Artemia Biomass and Cysts at the Pilot Scale Artemia Project located at Tharuvaikulam in Tuticorin. The Project had long established that production of high quality Artemia cyst and biomass is possible in Aquaculture Farms designed in solar salt pan areas in the country. The Artemia cyst and biomass produced from the Pilot scale facility over the last two years was found to have nutritional profile and properties that are comparable/better than the conventional wild harvested Artemia cyst being imported from USA.

The Biomass produced at this facility is reared in hyper saline conditions (above 100 ppt) and as such is free from most viral and bacterial pathogens that could infect/infest in them at regular salinities. Therefore these could also be safely used by Shrimp hatcheries as feed to the brooder Shrimp. Owing to the high demand for Artemia Biomass among fish breeders, RGCA has begun to market the same in frozen packets, presently at a promotional price of Rs. 150/Kilogram. Biomass enriched with highly nutritive algae is also be supplied from the facility.

Ms. Leena Nair IAS, Chairman MPEDA and President Rajiv Gandhi Centre of Aquaculture visited the Pilot scale Artemia project of RGCA located in Tharuvaikulam, Tuticorin on 1^st July 2010 for initiating measures to disseminate the technology developed at the facility to SHGs interested in taking up Artemia cyst and Biomass production. The President was accompanied by Shri. Y.C.Thampi Sam Raj, Project Director RGCA, Shri. Renga Raju, Joint Director of Fisheries, Tamil Nadu and other officials from the Department of Fisheries, Govt. of Tamilnadu.

Shri Y.C. Thampi Sam Raj, Project Director, RGCA explained the purpose of setting up the Pilot Scale Artemia project in Tuticorin and also briefed on the scagio of activities with  the main objective being the development of technology for high quality Artemia cyst and biomass production. During the visit of the President, the RGCA technical team (comprising of Sri M. Shaji, Project Manager, Sri M. Samaya Kannan, Assistant Project Manager, Sri Balachandar Assistant Technical Manager, Smt Tamil Selvi, Trainee Field Technician and Sri K. Arumugam) demonstrated the production technology process, collection, cleaning, segregation, preprocessing, processing and packaging of cyst and biomass. The team also reported that the project is receiving orders from ornamental aquarists and shrimp hatcheries for Artemia cyst and biomass as the quality of the product appears to be high in order.

After making a thorough review of the Project, the President suggested to upkeep the quality of the products produced at the Project by:

1. Carrying out frequent laboratory analysis of Artemia cysts produced at the facility in order to ensure that only high quality cyst are produced at the project.
2. Regularly obtaining feed back from the users of Frozen Artemia biomass & Artemia Cysts from RGCA facility in order to assure quality standards of the product.
3. Frequently conducting nutritional & quality analysis of frozen Artemia Biomass was also advised by the President.

The President also inaugurated the fully automated nitrogen filled vacuum can packing unit installed at the project for packing dried Artemia cyst. Shri. A Jayapal, President, Tharuvaikulam Panchayat, called on the President Ms. Leena Nair IAS, and requested to arrange taking up Artemia culture in Tharuvaikulam through Self Help Groups. Accordingly the President instructed that a draft a project proposal be made for taking up culture of Artemia through schemes available for Self Help Groups. Discussions were also held with the officials of Tamilnadu Fisheries Department in order to initiate action for taking up Artemia culture through Self Help Groups.