The Hindu, 11 February 2010
Beautifully coloured and attractive tropical fish have been kept in aquariums and garden ponds for centuries. The oldest records of such fish keeping date back to the Ming Dynasty in ancient China (1368 – 1664).
Various colour varieties of the common carp (Cyprinus carpio) were kept in palace ponds by the Chinese Emperors for beauty and as a hobby.
However, the expansion of the ornamental fish trade as a global industry started after the Second World War with the development of civil aviation. Many tropical countries that initially entered into the export of tropical fish started with the export of colorful fish found in the streams and lakes in their countries.
With the development of aquaculture and related sciences, breeding and farming of many tropical fish varieties started to expand in the early 70s. Naturally, the countries that had a developed food fish industry spreading into home based units became the forerunners of the tropical fish industry. Thus, countries such as Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand became the largest exporters of ornamental fish FROM THE Asian region.
According to the FAO Fishery Statistics in 2007, for which the latest figures are available, the global imports of fish for ornamental purposes were valued at US$ 327 Mil. Other related industries such as aquatic plants, aquarium tanks & accessories and books pave way to a multi billion dollar industry that is yet to be accurately estimated. By the end of the last millennium, these peripheral industries were estimated at more than a US$ 4 Bn. While the European countries, the United States and Japan are considered the major importers of tropical pet fish, the Asian Region emerges as the largest exporter of this commodity, with Singapore in the first place. Malaysia, Thailand and Israel show a tendency in increasing production for exports during the five years 2003 to 2007. A strong interest in this commodity is also developing in the Gulf Countries.
KAVIL has also taken the benefits of this industry to the grass root levels of the society. It has also established a state-of-the-art export facility in Kadungalur and a set of modern, bio-secure tropical fish farms in Neyyar. Homestead fish growing facilities, cared for by a family unit, have been established in Kottayam and will be expanded to most parts of Kerala. These units are expected to develop as the backbone of the tropical fish industry in Kerala.
India offers an excellent market for tropical and cold water pet fish. The “Aqua Show” scheduled from 12th February has already become a popular trade fair not only among the people in the trade, but also the general public. While the public can get more information on the industry and enjoy the beauty of the aquatic life, those in the trade can establish new contacts and get a first hand knowledge of new varieties and accessories that have come in to the market. Aqua Show – already the 5th - is proving to be very popular not only in Kerala, but in all parts of India.
Source: The Hindu
