Brijesh Chowta urges Centre to establish marine finfish hatchery in Dakshina Kannada

New Delhi: Dakshina Kannada Member of Parliament Brijesh Chowta has urged the Centre to establish a Marine Finfish Hatchery in Dakshina Kannada,

Karnataka, to address the acute shortage of quality marine fish seed and to promote sustainable mariculture along India’s west coast.

Raising the issue in Lok Sabha, he said thousands of livelihoods in Dakshina Kannada depend on marine resources. While capture fisheries have largely stabilised, the expansion of open-sea cage culture and coastal mariculture is currently constrained by the non-availability of reliable, locally produced marine finfish seed, he said.

At present, much of the seed used along the west coast is sourced from the east coast, leading to higher input costs, transportation stress, biosecurity risks, and supply uncertainties. Establishing a regional hatchery would ensure consistent availability of high-quality seed suited to local conditions, he said.

Chowta urged the Ministry to prioritise the establishment of the Marine Finfish Hatchery in Dakshina Kannada through necessary approvals, technical support, and financial assistance.