Foreword

The last decade has witnessed an acceleration in the development of shrimp aquaculture in our coastal and brackish waters. Besides production from traditional tidal fed impoundments in Kerala and West Bengal the new shrimp farming facilities have produced more than 50% of the overall production of 60,000 tonnes harvested in 1993. Simultaneously there has also been a parallel development in shrimp hatcheries, to meet part of the seed requirements. Institutional financing has also played a pivotal role in triggering the expansion of shrimp aquaculture. Thus, the nineties has dawned as an exciting decade promising a quantum leap in the development of coastal aquaculture in India