Illegal hatcheries blamed for whitespot outbreak in India

Vannamei shrimp farmers in India are worried due to the high incidence of

white spot disease, reports The Hindu.

Illegal hatcheries may be at the heart ofthe problem.

Sources told the newspaper at least 300 to 400 illegal pond-cum-hatcheries are involved in supplying vannamei seed along the coastline.

“Vannamei farming has been stopped in at least 12,000 acres in Krishna district alone since early this year”, aqua farmer T. Lankeswara Rao told the newspaper.

Scientist of Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture at Chennai Shyam Dayal told the newspaper white spot disease was rampant in vannamei seed, developed in the ponds instead of hatcheries.