Problems and prospects for lobster farming in India

The potential for increasing the lobster yield from the wild is limited, as most of the stocks have reached optimum levels of production. Hence attempts were made by the CMFR Institute to successfully grow the non-cannibalistic species under captivity in view of the above and demand for live lobster in export market. The paper reviews the previous culture attempts and the present status on the spiny lobster, distribution of culturable species for farming and fattening, brood stock maintenance, larval culture, availability and growth of pueruli, collection and transportation of Juvenile lobsters, fattening of sub adults, growth acceleration by eye stalk ablation, farming in intertidal pits, environmental conditions for Juvenile rearing, stock density, food diease, economics of farming and fattening, and the future prospects in Indian condition

An assessment of the potential of spiny lobster culture in India

Fluctuating catches and increasing demand in both internal and international markets for lobster tails necessitate augmentation of production through proper management strategies and possible aquaculture practices. The technical feasibility of economically viable aquaculture of few species of spiny lobsters Is underway at the Field Laboratory of Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kovalam, Madras. Though captive breeding of various species of spiny lobsters was achieved with ease, rearing of phyllosoma larvae to puerulii under controlled conditions was not successful. So serious attempt to cultivate spiny lobsters should begin with rearing juveniles which are caught in large numbers along with the commercial size lobsters It has been shown that commercial size (300 g) lobsters can grow in less than half the time that Is required in nature, by proper feeding schedules and environment management. A further reduction in this growing period has been achieved through bilateral eyestalk ablation. Enhancement of growth in ablated lobsters up to 20 times of normal rate has been achieved. An objective assessment of the present status of spiny lobster culture and the problems which need further attention for developing commercially feasible lobster culture are discusse

The status of lobster fishery in India and options for sustainable management

Lobsters form one of the most valuable cru stacean resources, which have been exploited commercially for the past four decades. Annual landings increased from 350 t in 1965 to 4100 t in 1985 but have declined since then , Though lobsters are distributed along the entire coast of India major tishery grounds are located in the northwestern, south-western and south eastern coasts. Among the twelve species recorded from Indian waters four species of spiny lobsters (three linoral and one deep-sea) and one species of slipper lobster constitute the commercial fishery

Early larval development of spiny lobster, Panulirus homarus (Linnaeus, 1758) reared in the laboratory

Phyllosoma larvae of the spiny lobster, Panulirus homarus were hatched and reared in the laboratory on a diet of Artemia salina nauplii. The larvae were rcared in individual as well as in mass culture systems. The temperature of the rearing water ranged from 26 to 29°C and salinity from 34 to 35‰. The larvae reared individually moulted nine times and reached the sixth stage in sixty days. Mean total length of the newly hatched larva was 1.48 mm and stage VI larva measured an average of 4.87 mm. The early stages ofphyllosoma larva of P. homarus are morphologically similar to those of other tropical species. Larvae infested with sedentary ectoparasites were effectively treated with 10 ppm malachite green. Change in feeding habits resulted in mortality of the larvae in the sixth stage

Lobster culture and live transport

Eight species of spiny lobsters, six shallow water and two deep sea species and two slipper or sand lobsters constitute the lobster fishery of Indi

On a record of the spiny lobster Panulirus penicillatus Olivier from Madras

The occurrence of the spiny lobster, Panulirus penicillatus off Madras is reported for the first time. Eight species of palinurid loteters, namely, Panulirus homarus (Linnaeus), P. omatus (Fabridus), P. paiyphagus (Herbst), P. txrsicolor (Latreille), P. longipes longipes (A. Milne Edwards), P. penicillatus (Olivier), Palinustus mossambicus (Barnard), and Puerulus sewelli (Ramadan) are recorded from Indian waters. While four spedes, P. homarus, P. omatus, P. polyphagus and the deep sea lobster, P. sewelli form fairly good fishery, P. versicolor, P. penicillatus, P. longipes longipes and P. mossambicus are caught in small numbers

Optimization of certain physical parameters for the mariculture of Gracilaria edulis (Gmelin) Silva in Minicoy lagoon (Laccadive Archipelago)

Mariculture of the agar-yielding, red seaweed, Gracilaria edulis (Rhodophyta) was conducted in Minicoy lagoon during 1990–1992. Experiments were conducted on dry matter accumulation, effects of planting density, depth of water above culture nets, periodic cleaning for removal of epiphytes, grazing and the yield as well as regeneration of G. edulis after successive harvests to understand the optimum requirements of this seaweed. Six culture methods were tested and the yields obtained were compared to arrive at a culture method suitable for Minicoy lagoon

Observations on the moulting behaviour of the spiny lobster Panulirus homarus (Linnaeus)

The moulting process of the spiny lobster Panulirus homarus in the laboratory was observed and described. In this speceis, a lobster approaching ecdysis can be identified, almost 48 hours before, by the presence of a longitudinal decalcified resorptive line along the branchiostegites. Under normal conditions, the lobster completes ecdysis within 8-10 hours after the initiation of the moulting process. The active phase of ecdysis is completed within 3- 4 minutes. Initially, the lobster withdraws the thorax gradually from the old exoskeleton and finally sheds the abdominal part of it by strong flapping of the tail. The lobster moulting on a rough substratum completes ecdysis in the upright position, whereas those moulting on a soft substratum rolls on to one side while withdrawing the walking legs. The newly moulted lobster regains mobility within a few seconds and avoids contact with other lobsters until the new exoskeleton is sufficiently hardened

Unprecedented growth induced in spiny lobsters

Experiments in ablation of eyestalks and thereby removal of the gland complex was not found to be useful in the acceleration of moulting in P. Cygnus in Australia and P. Argus in America, leading to the conclusion that MIH factor may not be present in the eyestalk of palinurid lobsters. The results for accelerating moulting frequency and weight gain in the spiny lobster P. Homarus are discussed. The technique used was bilateral removal of eyestalks by ligation. Compared to the control lobsters which moulted 4 times in 140 days reaching 70 g, the ablated lobsters moulted 7 times to reach the marketable size of 200 g in the same period.Three to sevenfold increase in weight was obtained in ablated lobsters.Weight gain per day, was more in early juveniles, absolute increase in bodyweight was higher in bigger lobsters.. The present study clearly indicates that it would be possible to grow marketable size lobsters from juvenile stage in 5 to 6 months and to double the size in another 3 or 4 months. This may lead to develop genetically fast growing strains of lobsters and more than all, makes P.Homarus a very suitable candidate species for culture

Effect of eyestalk ablation in the spiny lobster Panulirus homarus (linnaeus): 3. On gonadal maturity

Eye ablation induced accelerated gonadal growth in males and females, indicating gonad inhibiting principles in the eyestalk. Eyestalk removal resulted in 'pink haeraolympii' in maturing and mature females and also inhibited the development of secondary sexual characters in them. The normal antagonistic relationship of moulting and reproduction was changed to one of synergism in ablated lobsters. Ablation of eyestalks initiates relatively strong moulting tendency than reproduction in P. homanis