Sri Vijaya Puram, Sept. 24: A four-day training programme on “Finfish and Shellfish Disease Diagnosis and Management” was organized by the Division of Fisheries Science, ICAR–Central Island Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR-CIARI), Sri Vijaya Puram, in collaboration with the Department of Fisheries, A&N Islands, under the Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA), South Andaman, from 22 to 25 September 2026.
The programme was conducted under the National Surveillance Programme for Aquatic Animal Diseases (NSPAAD) Phase-II. A total of 19 fish farmers, including 14 male participants, attended the training programme.
The training was aimed at enhancing the knowledge and practical understanding of fish farmers on early identification, diagnosis, prevention and management of diseases affecting cultured fish and shellfish. The programme was chaired by Dr. Jai Sunder, Director, ICAR-CIARI, with the participation of Dr. J. Praveenraj, Course Director and PI, NSPAAD Phase-II; Dr. M. Muruganandam, Head, Division of Fisheries Science; Dr. R. Kiruba Sankar; Dr. Jess Maria Wilson; and Mr. Chittaranjan Raul, along with Assistant Director, Department of Fisheries, members of ATMA and Sagar Mitras.
During the training, experts delivered lectures and interactive sessions covering important aspects of aquaculture health management, including finfish and shellfish diseases, disease-causing factors and diagnostic approaches, bacterial, parasitic, fungal and viral diseases, better management practices, water-quality management, preventive management using chemicals and additives, biosecurity protocols and disease reporting.
The participating farmers actively interacted with the experts and sought clarification on disease identification, treatment, pond management and water-quality issues encountered in their farms. The training provided an opportunity for farmers to strengthen their technical knowledge and adopt improved fish health management practices.