Experimental sea-ranching of pearl oyster in the Gulf of Mannar

Abstract

Sea-ranching of laboratory/captive reared organisms/ animals is a technique which aims at rebuilding the wild population from its destruction/catastrophe by manmade and natural causes. One important difference between land-ranches and sea-ranches is that the landrancher retains ownership of his animals whereas the sea-ranched animals become part of the common property resource which can be harvested by anybody. Artificial supplementation of commercial catches is thus the theme of sea-ranching and forms part of fishery management technique