Live transport and marketing of spiny lobsters in India

Abstract

Eight species of spiny lobster (six littoral and two deep-sea) and two species of slipper lobster constitute the lobster fishery of India. Lobster landings fluctuate around 2000–3000 t annually. High export demand for Indian spiny lobsters has resulted in regular and organized exploitation, both inshore and offshore. Almost the entire quantity of lobsters landed in India is exported in frozen, cooked or live form. Export of live lobsters, which realize the maximum unit price, has increased from 22 t in 1994 to 97 t in 1996. Live transport of spiny lobsters has advanced from just keeping them alive for a few hours in moist intertidal beach sand to the most sophisticated packing in insulated boxes. The process involves holding the lobsters at the landing centre and at the city of export. The entire exercise lasts about seven days, during which period the lobsters are packed twice, each time keeping them out of water for not less than 20 h. In the holding centres, the lobsters are often kept at high densities, with the resulting build-up of nitrogenous wastes and depletion of dissolved oxygen leading to mortalities. Average mortality is up to 6.5% during live transport.

Growth, repetitive breeding, and aquaculture potential of the spiny lobster,Panulirus ornatus

“…The growth rate of P. ornatus is considerably higher than that obtained for P. homarus (Radhakrishnan & Vijayakumaran 1990;Vijayakumaran & Radhakrishnan 1997). The weight increase for 18 months up to February 2003 was 444 g for female and 590 g for male.…”

“…Attainment of 300 g in the first year from puerulus stage (<1 g) was reported for this species by Tamn (1980). P. ornatus grows faster in the laboratory than other tropical lobsters such as P. homarus, P.polyphagus, and P. versicolor (Radhakrishnan & Vijayakumaran 1990;Vijayakumaran & Radhakrishnan 1997). Because of its faster growth rate and attainment of sexual maturity at c. 1 kg size, it is considered as the ideal species for aquaculture.…”

“…Because of its faster growth rate and attainment of sexual maturity at c. 1 kg size, it is considered as the ideal species for aquaculture. About 15% of P. ornatus exported from India is in the size group of 300-500 g (Vijayakumaran & Radhakrishnan 1997) and a sizeable number of juvenile P. ornatus below 300 g size are caught on the south-east coast of India. These can be fattened for short periods in indoor tanks or in open sea cages for value addition.…”

Pengaruh Kepadatan dan Durasi dalam Kondisi Transportasi Sistem Kering Terhadap Kelulusan Hidup Lobster Air Tawar (Cherax quadricarinatus)

“…Lobster hijau pasir hanya mampu bertahan selama 35 jam dengan kelulusan hidup hidup 100% atau 40 jam dengan kelulusan hidup hidup 87,5%. Sedangkan hasil penelitian Vijayakumaran & Radhaskrishnan (1997) terhadap lobster hijau yang ditranspor hidup selama 3 hari rata-rata kelulusan hidupnya sebesar 93,5%.…”

“…Lobster hijau pasir hanya mampu bertahan selama 35 jam dengan kelulusan hidup hidup 100% atau 40 jam dengan kelulusan hidup hidup 87,5%. Sedangkan hasil penelitian Vijayakumaran & Radhaskrishnan (1997) terhadap lobster hijau yang ditranspor hidup selama 3 hari rata-rata kelulusan hidupnya sebesar 93,5%.Pada penelitian ini lobster air tawar mampu bertahan dalam kondisi transportasi selama 7 hari (168 jam) apabila ditransportasi dengan kepadatan 6 ekor/ kotak plastik dengan rata-rata kelulusan hidup 95%. Pada kondisi transport asi lebih dari 7 hari kemungkinan masih menghasilkan tingkat kelulusan hidup yang tinggi, mengingat setelah dibugarkan kembali aktivitas lobster masih normal kembali.…”