Socio-economic perceptives of oyster culture in India

Abstract

The potential for introducing any labour intensive, income generating marine farming programme aimed at uplifting the socio-economic conditions of the artisanal fishermen has to be properly assessed by the farm scientists before embarking on large-scale propagation of the venture in question over wider areas. In a vast country like India this aspect has to be studied region by region since conditions differ from the coast of one state to another. Proper orientation given based on such a careful analysis will help to ensure effective functioning of the scheme, particularly when it happens to be a new venture. ‘Transfer of technology’ scheme initiated in 1979 provided an opportunity to test the feasibility of introducing oyster culture technology developed by Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute amongst a group of small-scale fishermen at Tuticorin