Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada Member of Parliament Brijesh Chowta has appealed to the Union government to set up a marine finfish hatchery in the coastal district, citing an urgent need to ensure steady access to quality fish seed for the region’s growing mariculture sector.

Highlighting Dakshina Kannada’s importance as one of Karnataka’s major coastal fisheries centres, he said thousands of families depend on marine-based livelihoods. While traditional capture fisheries have largely plateaued, the expansion of open-sea cage farming and coastal aquaculture is being hampered by the limited availability of reliable, locally produced marine finfish seed.

Currently, much of the seed used along India’s west coast is transported from hatcheries on the east coast. This, he noted, increases input costs and exposes stock to transportation stress, biosecurity concerns, and supply inconsistencies. Establishing a regional hatchery in Dakshina Kannada would help ensure a stable supply of high-quality seed adapted to local marine conditions.

Referring to a detailed proposal prepared by the ICAR–Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), Mangaluru Regional Centre, the MP said the proposed multi-species facility would have an annual production capacity of 1–2 million seeds. It would focus on commercially valuable varieties such as cobia, silver pompano, Indian pompano, and snapper.

He added that the project would strengthen marine cage farming, encourage coastal entrepreneurship, generate employment, and increase fish production without putting additional pressure on wild fish stocks. Calling it a step aligned with India’s Blue Economy goals, he urged the Centre to fast-track approvals and extend technical and financial support for the initiative.