Abstract:

The successful farming of tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon) in India is mainly due to the
existence of some 300 hatcheries whose capacity to produce 12 000 million postlarvae
(PL) annually has provided an assured supply of seed. However, the sustainability of
the sector is still hampered by many problems, foremost among these being a reliance
on wild-caught broodstock whose supply is limited both in quantity and in seasonal
availability and that are often infected with pathogens. The current low quality of
hatchery produced PL due to infection with white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) and
other pathogens entering the hatcheries via infected broodstock, contaminated intake
water or other sources due to poor hatchery management practices, including inadequate
biosecurity, is a major obstacle to achieving sustainable shrimp aquaculture in India
and the Asia-Pacific region. Considering the major contribution of the tiger shrimp to
global shrimp production and the economic losses resulting from disease outbreaks, it
is essential that the shrimp-farming sector invest in good management practices for the
production of healthy and quality seed.