Directorate of Incubation and Vocational Training in Aquaculture (DIVA)

The Fisheries Institute of Technology and Training (FITT) was started by the Tamil Nadu Government under the Fisheries Department in 2008 entering an MoU with TATA group for a period of five years (2008-2013) in order to provide technical assistance and training to fisherfolk for taking up marine cage culture, crab culture and seaweed culture and adoption of modern fishing practices and fish processing. The establishment of FITT commenced with the land allotment of 1.16 ha (RS No.97/3) in Muttukadu village with an initial assistance of Rs. 100 lakhs from Tamil Nadu Government and contributions from TATA.

Tamil Nadu Fisheries University (TNFU) was established by the Government of Tamil Nadu as per the Act 21 of 2012 on 19th June 2012. As per the TNFU Act, in Schedule Part II, Fisheries Institute of Technology and Training (FITT), Chennai has been brought under the University from the Fisheries Department on 11.07.2015. As per the TNFU Statues, Chapter III, Clause 26(2) and (3), under Other Constituent Units of University, the Fisheries Institute of Technology and Training (FIIT), Chennai shall function as a constituent unit of the University with mandates as prescribed by the Board and the Institute shall be headed by the Director, who will be appointed by the University following the Rules and Regulations prescribed. The nomenclature of FITT has been changed to Directorate of Incubation and Vocational training in Aquaculture (DIVA) as per USO No.339/S1/TNJFU/XIVBoM/A.14.10.1/2018 & Rc.No.548/S1/TNJFU/XIVBoM/ A.14.10.1 / 2018 dated 14.04.2018 of The Registrar, TNJFU, Nagapattinam.

The Paraprofessional Institute of Aquaculture Technology, is being established under the university with the funding of the National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development (NABARD). This institute offered a one year Diploma course in Industrial Aquaculture Technology in 2018, and started to offer Bachelor of Vocational degree (B.Voc in Industrial Aquaculture) from 2019 onwards. This institute has been established with the aim to produce “second level” technical / skilled para-professionals required for the aquaculture and fisheries sector.

Job Opportunities for paraprofessionals

Farm supervisor/ Technician in Fish/ Shrimp farms.
Technician in ornamental fish culture and breeding unit and shrimp seed production unit (Hatchery).
Lab Technician in water quality, disease diagnostic and feed quality testing laboratory.
Marketing sales representatives for Feed, additives, medicines and other inputs.
To become an entrepreneur.

Paraprofessional

1. Aquafeed extrusion mill with feed testing lab
2. Indoor aquaculture complex
3. Indoor Aquarium unit
4. Outdoor aquaculture unit

The aqua feed extrusion mill has been established under the project “Development of cost efficient feeds for enhancing freshwater fish production” funded by the National Agricultural Development Agency (NADP), during the year 2018.

Objectives

To develop cost efficient feeds for carps, tilapia, pangasius, shrimps and ornamental fishes.

Machineries

The newly established aqua feed extrusion mill has all equipment to produce both floating and sinking feeds. The floating feed production line includes hammer mill, pulveriser, mixer, pre-conditioner with extruder, dryer, shifter, oil coater and other accessories. The sinking feed production line includes hammer mill, pulveriser, mixer, pelletizer, post conditioner, dryer, cooler, siever, crumbler and accessories like conveyors and elevators. The three machineries such as hammer mill, pulveriser and mixer are common for both production lines. Floating feed production capacity of this feed mill is 100-150 kg per hour and sinking feed production capacity is 400-500 kg per hour. The cost of new aqua feed extrusion mill building is Rs.50.00 lakh and feed mill machineries cost Rs.145.00 lakh. This aqua feed extrusion mill has been established to develop new cost efficient feed technologies and formulations which will be disseminated to fish famers for preparing their own on-farm feed with less cost compared to commercial feeds available in the market. MoUs will be signed with fisher folk, farmers and new feed mill companies to transfer the technologies. The benefit of production of cost efficient feeds is to minimize the feed cost in fish farming and enhance the profitability. As the reduction of cost of fish feed and more profitability is ensure, farmers and fisher folks will come forward to take up the fish culture and considerably the fish production could be enhanced.

Aquafeed Extrusion Mill

Fish Feeds Available for Sale

Feed Analytical Lab

Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS)

With feed costs accounting for up to 60% of the total variable costs of fish production, precision nutrition is becoming increasingly important in the aquafeed industry. NIR technology uses near infra-red light to analyse an ingredient or feed sample to predict its nutritional value. Precision nutrition programs using NIR technology allow the nutritional value of feed and ingredient samples to be determined in a quick and simple manner generating actionable information within seconds. Using this technology, proximate and amino acid composition of feed ingredients, fish and shrimp feeds produced in the feed mill are analysed to minimize economic losses and to improve profitability by generating better formulations.

The indoor aquaculture complex has been established with a total of 8 cement tanks (6m X 4m X 1.5m each) and 10 ornamental fish FRP tanks (450 litre capacity) for conducting post graduate students’ research works, industry institute projects and also for conducting practical classes for the paraprofessional students.

Indoor

The outdoor unit consists of four lined ponds (15 X 10 X 1.5m each) and one reservoir/treatment pond (Steel framed pond of 15 X 10 X 1.5m). The main objectives for the establishment of this outdoor aquaculture unit are:

To carry out feed validation on developing low cost shrimp and fish feeds.
To carry out post graduate students’ research programme on various brackishwater and marine fishes.
Practical demonstration on scientific farming to the farmers and trainees.

Outdoor

The Indoor Aquarium Unit consists of 25 aquarium tanks of 50 litres capacity, 30 circular troughs of 65 litres capacity and 30 plastic troughs of 45 litres capacity for conducting feed validation test prepared in the aquafeed mill and to study the palatability and digestibility of various experimental feeds for the post graduate students’ research.

Cage culture is receiving more attention by commercial fish producers as they offer the farmers a chance to utilize existing water resources in which most cases have only limited use for other purposes. A total of 24 cages were installed at Poondi reservoir with a size of 4m X 4m X 2.5m each for the culture of Tilapia and Pangasius, whilst promoting cage culture by creating awareness programs and providing practical demonstration to the freshwater fish farmers and trainees.

The optimum stocking density for cage culture of GIFT Tilapia was found to be 200 nos. and 50 nos. per cubic meter for nursery and grow out cages respectively.

Poondi

This Directorate is being involved in culture practices with Tilapia and Carps in HDPE floating cages in Kolavai lake. A total of 32 cages were installed (size 4m X 4m X 2.5m each) for the culture of fishes with Growpia feed which is produced from the aquafeed mill, DIVA and promotion of cage culture techniques through training programs.

The optimum stocking density for cage culture of GIFT Tilapia was found to be 80 and 20 per cubic meter in the nursery and grow out cages, respectively.

Kolavai Lake