Tamil Nadu - Tuticorin   

Women get training in lobster fattening techniques

Tuticorin: A two-day training programme sponsored by the Central Government to disseminate lobster fattening technology to coastal women in the southern districts of the State concluded here on Friday.

Twenty women participated in the programme organised by the Fisheries College and Research Institute at its shore laboratory here. V. K. Venkataramani, Dean, FCRI, told reporters that fattening of lobsters would enable the women to earn sizeable revenue from the foreign niche market segments since smaller-sized lobsters of less than 50 gram in weight were not preferred by customers abroad. Hence, participants were taught to grow undersized lobsters (less than 50 gms) into ‘marketable’ sized ones under stipulated conditions in a cement tank.

Various factors required for fattening of lobsters such as stocking density, type of feed, formulation of pellet feed, assessment of growth rate, feeding rate and water recycling process inside the tank were explained.

The trainees were advised to feed the lobsters with live clam, fish meal and protein and vitamin enriched pellet feed twice a day. The quantity of each meal should be about 7 percent of the body weight of a lobster.

“The undersized lobsters will attain about 300 gm in weight within four months if this feeding pattern is followed, enabling the culturists to fetch Rs. 1,500 for every kilogram of lobsters they sell,” the dean said.

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