SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND PRODUCTION CHARACTERISTICS OF PACIFIC WHITE SHRIMP, LITOPENAEUS VANNAMEI (BOONE, 1931) CULTURE IN PURBA MEDINIPUR, WEST BENGAL, INDIA.

Litopenaeus vannamei was introduced as an exotic species recommended by Coastal Aquaculture Authority of India (CAAI) in the 2003 and adopted by the progressive fish farmers applying low saline water in semi-intensive practice of culture from 2009-2010. Among the potential states of India L. vannamei culture is going on successfully in the coastal and brackish water enriched regions of West Bengal, particularly Purba Medinipur District. The study on the socio-economic status and livelihood of fisher-folk community associated with brackish water farming at Purba Medinipur was conducted through interviews, group discussion, surveying with questionnaires, Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA). The feedbacks of 500 respondents were recorded during culture periods i.e. from February to October, 2015 and in the year 2016 for the same periods. Due to various reasons they replaced Tiger Shrimp (Penaeus monodon) and shifted to culture of this exotic shrimps fetching more productivity as well as profit in respect to same unit area. With less knowledge of technology this culture is expanding vary rapidly with the guidance of multinational companies and other field level stakeholders. The major constrains were availability of good quality of certified seeds, feeds & fertilizers, modern technology for farming, disease diagnosis centers, unregulated marketing systems and intervention of middleman, addiction etc. Proper training, scientific management, sufficient financial support by Government, infrastructural development for framing and implementation of problem soothing rules at field level can help to increase the production which in turn uplift the socio-economic status of the respective people.