Coastal Aquaculture and Mariculture (2+1)

Unit 5 - Finfish culture systems

5.2. Culture of grey mullets

• Grey mullets and milkfish have been the mainstay of finfish culture in coastal and estuarine impoundments for centuries. The formed one of the important group of cultured species in
  • Vallis of the Mediterranean lagoons (Italy)
  • Coastal harbour culture' of China
  • Gangetic and Southern estuaries of India
  • Coastal fish ponds of Hawaii
• Mullets are relished by consumers in some areas but considered poor eating quality in others.
• The striped mullet Mugil cephalus is the most widely distributed and well known of the mullets due to its larger size and faster growth rate and hence preferred species for culture.
• It is eurythermal and highly euryhaline tolerating salinities between 0 and 75 ppt.
• It feeds on detritus, large plants, blue green algae, green algae and diatoms.
• It is valued not only for meat but also for roe which is a delicacy inn Taiwan and Japan where the roe fetches a very high price.
• It breeds in the sea whereas eggs need seawater but larvae migrate to coastal waters and estuaries.
• The fry and fingerlings of the striped mullet are not abundant; hence, other species of mullets are also cultured.