‘Adopt controlled nursery environment for best yields in shrimp farming’

May 15, 2017

Mangaluru, May 15: Disease and market prices are the two main problems in shrimp farming, and as India stands poised as the second largest shrimp producer next to China, it is a good time to learn from the mistakes the other southeast Asian countries made when they were on top of the game about five years back, experts said at a high-profile marine sector conference here today.

Speakers at the ‘Advances & Innovations’ in shrimp farming at the fourth edition of Aqua Aquaria India (AAI), hosted by the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), suggested that at a time when ‘disease happens in combination’, the way forward in aquaculture is through indoor, totally controlled environments.

“Apart from viruses, we now have to deal with an increase in bacterial infections caused by the warming of oceans. They are harder to control because they do not need animal carriers and can pass through the ocean currents,” said Mr Robins McIntosh, a Thailand-based researcher in the field for three decades. “Aquaculture is about clean water. New technologies must be backed by quality control and surveillance.”

He pointed out that when production was hit in Thailand in 2011, it was technology that brought it up again.

While India is expected to produce 5 lakh MT of shrimp in 2017, the average rate of farm produce survival is only 50 per cent. Productivity is reducing year on year, with the produce being hit by white spot syndrome, which is the single largest pathogen affecting shrimp farming in India.

“This is going to be an era of responsible aquaculture,” said Shri S Chandrasekhar, Area Manager, India & South Asia, INVE Aquaculture, Thailand. “Nursery rearing reduces pathogens. Shrimps are more toxin-resistant and give rise to larger harvests. Thailand and Mexico have reaped the benefits of nursery farming; India could do the same.”

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Major facelift for Mangaluru's sporting heart: Mangala Stadium set for 2-month closure to upgrade synthetic track

News Network

December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Educational institutions in Mangaluru that rely on the popular Mangala Stadium for their annual sports events are bracing for an inconvenience as the city's key sporting venue is set to close its gates for a significant upgrade. The stadium is expected to be unavailable for approximately two months starting from January 15, 2026.

The closure is necessitated by a proposed overhaul of the stadium's facilities, with a special focus on upgrading the synthetic track. Pradeep Dsouza, Assistant Director of the District of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES), Dakshina Kannada, confirmed the development.

"Experts have visited the stadium, conducted a thorough inspection, and have given the go-ahead for a complete makeover," Dsouza stated. "Funds have been allocated for the project, and we are currently awaiting the final green signal from state officials to commence the work. We anticipate that the work will likely begin in the second week of January. Consequently, we have stopped renting out the stadium to colleges and other organizations in preparation for the upgrade."

The timing presents a logistical challenge for colleges, as many schools have already concluded their sports meets.

"Colleges will now be organizing their events and will need to find alternative locations to host their sports meets," Dsouza added. He suggested a few potential venues, including the Dakshina Kannada police ground, University College grounds, Panambur grounds, Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri, and the Mangalore University sports grounds in Konaje.

However, many institutions note that finding a comparable venue will be difficult. While the DK police ground and University College grounds are closer to the city center, they do not possess the extensive facilities and infrastructure offered by Mangala Stadium.

Dr. P Dayananda Pai - P Satisha Govt First Grade College, Carstreet, is one such institution dependent on the stadium. Principal Jayakar Bhandary expressed hope for a swift completion of the work. "We expect the work to be completed at the earliest. If not, we will be forced to look for other venues to host the sports day for our students," Bhandary said, highlighting the pressing need for the city's main sporting facility.

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