Culture techniques and production rates of molluscs in India

Alagarswami, K (1988) Culture techniques and production rates of molluscs in India. CMFRI Bulletin, 42 (2). pp. 239-246.

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Abstract

The estimated world production through aquaculture in 1975 was 6.1 million tons, of which the molluscs formed 16.2% (Pillay, 1979). The production of oysters in the above was 591,386 t, mussels 328, 517 t, clams 38,851 t, scallops 62,600 t, and cockles and other molluscs 29,987 t, totalling to 1,061,341 t. In 1980, the estimated world aquasultured production was 8,707,363 t to which the molluscs contributed 3,196,308 t or 36.7% of the total production (Alagarswami, 1986). The production of molluscs in a five-year period appeared to have trebled, whereas the overall increase of fish, shellfish and seaweeds put together has been only 42.7%. The world aquaculture production figures have been cited here only to indicate the aquaculture species group, on which the scope lies for future expansion. Nutritionally speaking, the yield of high-quality protein by bivalves per hectare of surface sea water far exceeds the protein that could be produced on a hectare of land by any known terrestrial plant or animal (Hulse, 1982). But economically speaking, culture of bivalves may not be as attractive as shrimp farming or culture of some choice finfish species.

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