Prawn culture practices in salt-pan reservoirs Manakkudy near Cape Comorin

Abstract

The methods employed for culturing Penaeus indicus in the brackishwater reservoirs of the salt works adjoining Manakkudy Estuary near Cape Comorin are described together with notes on biology of the species. Observations were carried out in three reservoirs (3 hectares) from January 1973 to December 1973. Culturing is done in two seasons is a year, one from February to May and another from June to December. Juvenile prawn of modal size 61 - 70 mm obtained from nearby estuary and stocked in February grow to marketable size of 135 mm and are harvested in May and this stocked in June are harvested from September onwards till December. During the period of culture no artificial food is given and the production rate is estimated at 1144 mha/year.