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NT Bureau
Chennai, May 30:

        Proving wrong the notion that a closed sea water farming system is impossible, the M.S.Swaminathan Research Foundation has successfully replicated a slice of the mangrove ecosystem in a 0.75 hectare land on the backwaters near the Coleroon river.

        This integrated seawater farm was started with the aim of making seawater farming a commercially viable option for commercial crab cultivators.

        A simple system, devised by the MSSRF coastal research director V Selvam, it utilises zero energy by making use of the tides to grow mangroves, the sole habitat of the mud crabs or mangrove crabs (Cila oceanica).

        'Canals are dug so that their beds are lower than sea level. Sea water due to gravity flows through the canals through an inlet and flows out through an outlet tunnel; both connected to the open sea. The inlet and outlet is fitted with sluice gates to regulate the flow of seawater,' elaborated Selvam.

        And the good news for farming enthusiasts is that with less than one acre of land one can hope to make Rs 1.5 to 3 lakhs a year in profit by selling crabs.

        Crab cultivation has not been popular with farmers as crabs do not flourish like prawns do at farms, they cannot be fattened up in cages and they have a cannibalistic streak in them, which means that half of one's stock will be destroyed by the other half.

        'Crabs moult i.e. they shed their tough outer skin like snakes. In its natural environment when a crab moults it goes into hiding, which is not possible in farms,' said K Elanchezian, marine biologist and owner of the land, in which the MSSRF is conducting its experiments, adding, 'With this crabs can hide in the roots of the mangroves plus the presence of mangroves would mean richer organic matter.'

        And its not just about providing the main course, this farm also ensures a tasty raw salad to go with the crabs. Vangaravaasi (Sesuvium portulacastrum) is a associate mangrove halophyte species, which translates to big bucks in the west. Cultivated in Hawaii, Arizona and other states in the U.S, this is a much-used ingredient in European and Chinese cuisine in salads.

        The cultivation of this associate mangrove plant can make as much as money if not more than the cultivation of crabs, said Selvam.

        The MSSRF has already introduced this system in the estuaries of northwest Sri Lanka and other parts of India.