Fingerlings of orange spotted grouper Epinephelus coioides
Metamorphosed fry of Indian pompano Trachinotus mookalee
Tagging of yellowfin tuna using pop-up satellite tags
Visakhapatnam Regional Centre of CMFRI established in 1947
The Visakhapatnam Regional Centre of ICAR - CMFRI had its beginning in 1947 as a Survey Unit, which was housed in the premises of the Department of Fisheries, Government of Andhra Pradesh. The main function of the Survey Unit was to collect the fish landing data. The Survey Unit was upgraded as a Research Unit and research activities were initiated in the year 1955 in the premises of Department of Zoology, Andhra University. Later, the Calcutta Research Unit of CMFRI was merged with the Visakhapatnam Research Unit of CMFRI in 1962. During 1970, the Research Unit housed within the premises of Department of Zoology, Andhra University was elevated to a Sub-station and subsequently as a Research Centre in 1976. The Research Centre moved into its own building in 1995, and was further upgraded as the Regional Centre on 17th October, 2001. The Kakinada Research Centre of CMFRI was merged with the Visakhapatnam Regional Centre of CMFRI on 15th February, 2006.The Visakhapatnam Regional Center of CMFRI is dedicated to conducting research in various critical areas to enhance marine fisheries management and aquaculture practices along the north-east coast.The Center’s research focuses on developing marine fisheries policies for Andhra Pradesh, assessing the impact of climate change on marine fisheries, mapping resource distribution and abundance, inducing spawning and seed production of commercially important marine finfishes, and innovating cage culture and capture-based aquaculture methods.Over the last five years, the center has achieved significant milestones in these areas. The center has successfully tagged Yellowfin tuna with pop-up satellite tags for tracking their movements and behavior. Additionally, center has conducted studies on biological reference points and stock assessment of commercially important resources, revalidated growth rates in captivity, and modeled catch rates with environmental parameters. Furthermore, center has assessed the carbon footprint of marine capture fisheries and achieved success in breeding and seed production of Indian Pompano and Orange spotted grouper. The center has also conducted demonstration projects on cage culture, showcasing innovative techniques for sustainable aquaculture. These achievements contribute to the scientific understanding and sustainable management of marine resources, thereby supporting the socio-economic development of the region.
- Thrust Areas of Research
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Major Achievements
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Technology or Concepts Developed
- Policy guidance for sustainable management of marine fisheries of Andhra Pradesh
- Tagging of yellow fin tuna with pop-up satellite tags
- Biological reference points and stock assessment of commercially important finfishes, crustaceans and molluscs have been made
- Spatio-temporal mapping of resource distribution and abundance
- Growth parameter revalidation in captivitylive ageing
- Catch rate modeling with environmental parameters
- Carbon foot print of marine capture fisheries
- Assessment of economic impacts of trawl juvenile by-catch along the coast of Andhra Pradesh Developed low-cost Re-circulating Aquaculture System (RAS) for broodstock development and nursery rearing of marine finfishes
- Captive broodstock of orange spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides), Indian pompano (Trachinotus mookalee) and John’s snapper (Lutjanus johnii) achieved in RAS as well as cage
- Natural spawning/induced breeding protocol for orange spotted grouper developed
- Induced breeding protocol of Indian pompano and John’s snapper evolved
- Seed production technology of orange spotted grouper, Indian pompano and John’s snapper developed and standardized
- Technology standardized for mass production of copepod nauplii
- Standardized nursery rearing protocol of Indian pompano, orange spotted grouper and John’s snapper in different culture systems
- Technology developed for grow-out culture of Indian pompano, orange spotted grouper and John’s snapper in cage as well as pond
- Conducted skill development programmes in the area of live feed production, cage culture and coastal pond culture
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Ongoing Research Projects
- An inclusive perspective of Gender mainstreaming in Indian Fisheries Sector.
- Analysis of reproductive characteristics of selected potential species for mariculture.
- Assessing the performance of artificial reefs deployed along Tamil Nadu coast.
- Assessment of resilience potential of coral reef.
- Developing conservation plan for biologically sensitive areas along the Indian coast.
- Developing management strategies for sustainable exploitation and conservation of elasmobranchs in Indian seas.
- Development of hatchery technologies for commercially important species in mariculture.
- Development of Sustainable Mariculture Practices through Technological Innovations in Cage and Coastal Farming ecosystems.
- Fishery management plans (FMPs) and recruitment dynamics of bivalves.
- Genetic and genomic approaches for marine fishery resource management, conservation and sustainable mariculture.
- Health management in selected finfish and shellfish.
- Impacts of extreme weather events on marine fisheries in selected ecosystems of Northern Indian Ocean – A geoinformatics approach.
- Innovations in sea cage farming & coastal mariculture.
- Jellyfish bloom dynamics in coastal and marine.
- Marine eggs and larval studies along the Indian Coast.
- Marine Fish distribution and consumption demand in India : A policy outlook.
- National Fishery Management Framework for Large pelagic resources.
- Nutrition and nutrigenomics research for mariculture and marine fisheries.
- Observation and monitoring of coastal/marine pollution and Its impact on sea life, prevention and mitigation.
- Preparation of the interactive digital inventory of “Marine fish landing centre focused information” to serve as database for “Marine spatial Planning” in India.
- Resource Assessment and Management Framework for Sustainable Marine Fisheries of Andhra Pradesh.
- Resource Assessment and Management Framework for Sustainable Marine Fisheries of Odisha and West Bengal.
- Resource Assessment and Management Framework for Sustainable Marine Fisheries of Andhra Pradesh.
- Resource Assessment and Management Framework for sustaining Marine Fisheries of West Bengal and Odisha.
- Responsible Marine Fisheries Governance: Compliance Analysis and Peripatetic Capacity Development.
- Socio-Economic Assessment of Marine Fisheries Resource Use and Management in India.
- Sustainable fishing and farming livelihood support programme for the SC –Adi Dravidar fisher community at Kottaikkadu Panchayat, Cheyyur Taluk, Kancheepuram, and Senjiamman nagar in Pulicat, Thiruvallur District of TN- Schedule Caste Sub Plan (SCSP/TSP).
- Techniques for mass production of bivalve seed.
- All India network project on Mariculture
- Covid Pandemic and Marine Fisheries sector in India: Impacts, Externalities and Stakeholders reflections on adaptation and mitigation.
- E. G. Silas Centre of Excellence and Innovations (EGS-CoEI) in Marine Fish Microbiome and Nutrigenomics (Sub project 2- Nutrigenomics).
- Fundamentals of Artificial reefs for improving marine fisheries in India –Trainers Training Programme -ToT.
- ICAR NIAP Network Project on Production systems, Agribusiness and Institutions.
- Marine Mammal Stock Assessment in India.
- National Innovations on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA).
- Omics approaches in the Indian pompano, Trachinotus mookalee and the Indian edible oyster, Crassostrea bilineata (Magallana bilineata) to develop genomic resources for ensuring sustainable aquaculture.
- Seed Production in Agricultural Crops and Fisheries.
- The Changing dynamics of labour migration on employment, livelihoods and resource productivity patterns in the Indian Marine Fisheries Sector.
- Training programme for fishermen on promotion of sustainable fisheries and livelihood through artificial reefs - Travel Grant.
- Tribal Sub-plan and Scheduled Caste Sub-plan (TSP and SCSP).
In-house projects
Externally funded projects
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Scientific Staff
No Name Designation 1 Dr. Joe K. Kizhakudan Principal Scientist & Head, Visakhapatnam RC 2 Dr. S. S. Raju Principal Scientist 3 Dr. Jayasree Loka Principal Scientist 4 Dr. Ritesh Ranjan Senior Scientist 5 Dr. Biji Xavier Senior Scientist 6 Dr. Loveson Edward L Senior Scientist 7 Dr. Muktha M. Senior Scientist 8 Dr. Pralaya Ranjan Behera Senior Scientist 9 Dr. Sekar Megarajan Senior Scientist 10 Dr. Manas H. M. Senior Scientist 11 Dr. Indira Divipala Scientist 12 Dr. Jasmin F. Scientist
