Technology Projects > Marine BioTechnology > Introduction
In order to develop agriculture and tourism, and to study the natural marine resources of the island groups, the Island Development Authority (IDA) was established under the chairmanship of the Hon’ble Prime Minister in the year of 1986. The IDA enlisted the then Department of Ocean Development (DOD), presently Ministry of Earth Sciences, as one of the implementing agencies for carrying out activities that will recuperate the socio-economic status of the island community. Based on the suggestions made by the IDA, the DOD took up several ocean related activities relevant to the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep and the Gulf of Mannar group of Islands in order to bring in socio-economic benefits to the island communities.
During 1990-96, for the benefit of island community, a number of pilot scale programmes such as demonstration of shrimp faming in acid sulphate soil, establishment of shore to vessel communication system, rejuvenation of coral reef, pollution monitoring, etc. were taken up by the DOD. Andaman and Nicobar Shrimp Farming Development Association (ANSFDA), a society setup by the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MDEDA), under the Ministry of Commerce with funding support from DOD demonstrated shrimp faming in Minnie Bay through establishment of huge infrastructure facility. On successful completion of the shrimp culture project, the facilities /assets created were taken over by DOD in January 1998, to be used as field demonstration center for the further activities under the Marine Living Resource Enhancement Program. Along with this, ANSFDA set up by MPEDA and facilities were transferred to the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) during 1999.
During the Ninth Five Year Plan, DOD sanctioned a project entitled “Enhancement of Marine Living Resources” under the island development program with the main objective of developing technology for breeding, rearing and fattening of lobsters for the benefit of island and costal community. Subsequently, this project was merged with the program, “Marine Biotechnology (MB)”. Meanwhile, NIOT established a field unit at Port Blair, namely, Andaman and Nicobar Centre for Ocean Science and Technology (ANCOST) under the MB to implement transfer of technology developed by NIOT, utilizing the property and infrastructure transferred from ANSFDA. Realizing the enduring need of this program, to fulfill the above mentioned aspects, the program is being continued with enhanced budget and manpower focusing on certain critical issues related to socio-economic development of island community and island resources in a sustainable manner.
By implementing the MB program during the 9th Five Year Plan period, the NIOT has been successful in creating the requisite infrastructure for carrying out technology development activity in the islands for the benefit of island community. Monitoring the health of seas, analysis of data on ocean parameters, enhancement of Marine Living Resources through mariculture and study of biofouling control, etc. were the other activities of MB. Utilizing the infrastructures and expertise already developed by NIOT, several other programs are being successfully implemented during the 10th Five Year Plan, for overall economic development of island and coastal community.
The IDA has been repeatedly emphasizing the role of Ocean Science and Technology for the balanced development of island community. The Parliamentary Standing Committee has also been stressing the need for augmenting the efforts for tapping ocean resources around the islands for improving the socio-economic status of the island communities, in addition to coastal area of the main land, in an eco- friendly manner. Recently, Ministry of Earth Sciences has emphasized the need for the continuance of the project on extension of lobster fattening technology, breeding, larval rearing and sea ranching of spiny lobster as part of societal activity to coastal fishers under MB program during the XI Five Year Plan.
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High pressure serial dilution and fermentor systems |
Extraction and Purification of Lutein |
Deep sea filamentous fungus Paecilomyces sp. |
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Light microscopic view of lipid droplet in Chlorella vulgaris |
Tubular Photo bioreactor with process controller |
Transmission Electron microscopic view of lipid droplet in Chlorella vulgaris |
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SCUBA diving training at Port Blair |
Chlorophyll concentration (mg/m3) in Port Blair Bay |
Dome type Artificial Reef with rich growth of marine organisms |