The Fisheries College and Research Institute (FCRI) is situated in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, India.
Fisheries College and Research Institute initially started as Fisheries College was established in the year 1977 as a constituent unit of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University at Thoothukkudi, a famed town for Pearl fishing.
The Main Campus of FCRI is about 10 km away from the city of Thoothukkudi and is spread over an area of 24 ha which is accessible through the Harbour Bypass Road.
[7] The main campus of FC&RI has 2 ha of Earthen fish ponds, 2.70 ha area of reservoir, 31 freshwater prawn farms, Freshwater prawn hatchery, Carp hatchery, Glass hose aquarium and Shrimp Raceway system,[5] catfish farm and hatchery, ornamental fish rearing facility and cryopreservation unit.
They include fish processing hall, fish canning unit, value added products preparation unit, packaging machineries, separate microbiology, biochemistry and quality control laboratories, marine workshop, net mending facility, navigation tools and marine bio laboratory.
The Maritech Research & Extension center has the facilities for the culture of marine finfishes and shrimps in ponds and cages.
[5] Other facilities include Fishing training cum research vessel (Dolphin), Recirculatory Research Complex, Tilapia Rearing Complex, Fish cryo lab, Electrofisher, Fish deboner, Epifluroscent microscope, Shimadzu HPLC, ELISA reader, Gas Chromatography, GPS system, Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer, Carbon analyser, Audio and Video Recording Room, PCR, Microbiology Laboratory, Virology Laboratory, Quality Control Laboratory, Value addition laboratory and Fish Engine Workshop.
[4] The college has a library of 625 sqm with collection of 15000 books, journals and CD databases.
The college has a bus and two small canters to transport the students for the practical classes, field trips, shore laboratory campus and other official visits.
[13] The final year of the course consists of experiential program where the college provides funds and infrastructure to the students to carry out aquaculture or fish processing.
[14] It also involves an industry internship under Rural Awareness Work Experience (RAWE) programme.
[18] The college has developed a low cost cage-based technology for open water fish culture.