Top Five National Fisheries Innovations Includes Groundbreaking Giant Trevally Breeding Technology by CMFRI
In a groundbreaking development, the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has developed an innovative seed production technology for the Giant Trevally (Caranx ignobilis), a large marine fish well known for its fast growth and hardiness. This technology addresses the challenges posed by the species' complex reproductive biology and habitat preferences, paving the way for sustainable and efficient seed breeding.
The Giant Trevally, a member of the Carangidae family, exhibits faster growth than pompanos and can tolerate a wider range of salinity and water quality conditions. These attributes make it an ideal candidate for commercial mariculture. However, its natural preference for open waters and intricate reproductive biology presented significant hurdles for researchers.
The breakthrough was achieved by a scientific team at CMFRI's Vizhinjam regional center. Using protocols including pellet feed regimes that support rapid growth rates superior to similar species like pompanos, the team successfully induced breeding in the Giant Trevally.
The benefits of this technology are manifold. The Giant Trevally, valued at Rs 400-700/kg, can reach market size within 8 months. Its hardiness ensures high survival rates (>90%) with proper management. Moreover, the species is adaptable to various marine and estuarine environments, including cages, pens, and coastal ponds, supporting sustainable mariculture expansion.
Future prospects for this technology focus on expanding seed production capacity for commercial scale operations, integrating Giant Trevally farming with other species like seabass to optimize cage utilization and profitability, and contributing to India's seafood security and blue economy growth through sustainable mariculture practices. The CMFRI is also working on refining breeding and feeding protocols to further improve efficiency and reduce production costs.
The success of this technology has been widely recognized. The Giant Trevally seed production technology was selected among the country's top five innovations in fisheries by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). The Union Agriculture Minister, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, officially unveiled the technology.
The Director of CMFRI, Dr Grinson George, stated that the technology is poised to significantly boost the production of this commercially important fish. This development is expected to pave the way for large-scale fish seed production and farming of this marine fish, transforming the Giant Trevally mariculture sector in India.
This article was first published on July 23, 2025. The potential of the Giant Trevally's mariculture sector is immense, offering opportunities for sustainable, profitable coastal aquaculture and contributing to India's blue economy growth.
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Science has played a crucial role in the development of an innovative seed production technology for the Giant Trevally, a marine fish known for its health-and-wellness and fitness-and-exercise potential. This technology, recognized as one of the country's top innovations in fisheries, is expected to significantly contribute to India's blue economy growth through technology-driven mariculture practices.
