Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture

The Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (CIFA) had its beginnings with in the Pond Culture Division of Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (CIFRI) in Cuttack in 1949. In its efforts to emphasize on freshwater aquaculture research, it established the Freshwater Aquaculture Research and Training Centre (FARTC) over 147 ha campus at Kausalyaganga, Bhubaneswar, Orissa. This finally gave birth to a fully developed independent institute in 1987 as Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (CIFA). The Institute is also the Lead Centre on ‘Carp Farming in India’ under Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific (NACA) operative under Food and Agriculture Organisation of Unitedd Nation (FAO).

Mission

Excellence in research for developing sustainable and diversified freshwater aquaculture practices for enhanced productivity, quality, water use efficiency and farm income.

Vision

Making Indian freshwater aquaculture globally competitive through eco friendly and economically viable fish production systems for livelihood and nutritional security

Mandate

Basic and strategic research for the development of sustainable culture systems for freshwater finfish and shellfish.
Species and systems diversification in freshwater aquaculture.
Human Resource Development through training, education and extension.

Aquaculture Production and Environment Division

Mandate

Basic and strategic research for the development of sustainable culture systems for freshwater finfish and shellfish.
Species and systems diversification in freshwater aquaculture.
Human Resource Development through training, education and extension.

Thrust Areas

Species and system diversification in freshwater aquaculture.
Captive broodstock development, induced breeding and culture of indigenous freshwater finfishes and shellfishes
Surrogate brood fish development.
Stock upgradation of brood stock in carp hatcheries using
Selective breeding of freshwater prawn
Aquaculture system development (Aquaponics, Biofloc etc)
Macro and micro nutrient budgeting of freshwater fish production system.
Aquatic environment management
Water budget modelling of freshwater fish production system.
Use of plastics in aquaculture
Farm mechanization
Dissemination of technologies to the farming community

Fish Nutrition and Physiology Division

Mandate:

Basic and strategic research to develop feed for various life stages of Freshwater fishes
Human Resource Development through training, education and extension

Thrust areas:

Development of database on regional specific feedstuff and seasonal variation in nutrient composition of feedstuff
Study on essential amino acid and vitamin requirement of freshwater fishes
Accurate quantitative requirements for essential fatty acid particularly during larval development and maturing brood stock
Feeding protocol and feed quality standards for diversified species
Nutrient and energy budget in fed fish culture
Optimization of inclusion level of non-conventional feed resources in fish feed
Nutrient-gene interaction studies in fish
Feed additive for promotion of productivity and growth in freshwater aquaculture
Neuropeptide regulation of reproduction in fishes
Climate change on reproductive physiology in fishes
Development of finisher diets for fish
Development of appropriate feed processing technology for improving the feed and nutrient use efficiency.
Microbial nutrition
Nutraceuticals and functional food aids

Fish Health Management Division

Monitoring national fish disease outbreaks and serological screening of diseases
Development of vaccine using molecular techniques
Molecular characterization of important bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi
Application of probiotics in aquaculture
Immunity and immunomodulation in fish
Maternal immunity in craps and their role in seed survival
Standardization of cell culture of Carps
Repository of pathogenic bacteria and immuno diagnostic reagents
Isolation and characterization of bacteria associated with nutrient cycles and bioremediation
Biodiversity and identification of microorganisms important to aquaculture
Nanotechnology in aquaculture