KARICKOM BABU OOMMAN’S ORNAMENTAL FISH FARM

KARICKOM BABU OOMMAN’S

 ORNAMENTAL FISH FARM

Ornamental fish pool

Fish tank

costly fish

Karickom Oomman’s Ornamental fish farming is a fast growing business. Ornamental fish culture is fast emerging as a major branch of aquaculture globally. Aquarium keeping is the second largest hobby in the world next to photography and the ornamental fish and aquatic plant industry is fast gaining importance due to its tremendous economic opportunities and prospects. The world ornamental fish trade is to the tune of US$6 billion. In India, it showed an increase from million US$ in 1969 to 0.18 million US$ in 1990. The growth of ornamental fish trade in India is very much encouraging. Most of the ornamental fishes cultured and marketed in India are exotic species. Our country has a rich and unique biodiversity with a variety of indigenous ornamental fishes. But this resource has not been properly exploited. The Western Ghats of India is a gold mine of tropical ornamental fishes and it is one of the 25 “hotspot” areas of the world. It exhibits exceptional mega biodiversity and high degree of endemism with respect to fresh water fishes. The potential of streams and rivers of the Western Ghats as a rich source of the ornamental fishes is yet to be recognized.
Kerala with its highly conducive climatic conditions provides scope for the development of ornamental fisheries. This sector assumes special significance due to its huge potential in providing employment to the people hailing especially from rural sector and as a foreign exchange earner. The low production cost and higher returns with in a very short time, growing demand for fishes both from domestic and international market are the major attractions of this sector when compared to any other sector. It is estimated that 163 ornamental fish trade units are functioning in the state. The state has rich resources of indigenous ornamental fish in various river systems that have the potential to earn income to the state. In Kerala out of 21 of 44 rivers surveyed in 2005, 142 species were reported, out of which 72 (51%) are considered as possible ornamentals. Among these fishes a few like puntius denisonii are very valuable in the international market.
Ornamental fish farming is growing to the backyards of households to venture into overseas markets.It requires the space of just four cents, power connection and fresh water to become an entrepreneur in ornamental fish breeding.Though it would cost around Rs. 1 lakh to set up the unit, half of the establishment cost would come as government subsidy to the entrepreneur.For individuals, the subsidy will be limited to Rs. 25,000. There are around 30 such individual entrepreneurs farming ornamental fish. Steps for setting up homestead farms are progressing in Kochi, Malappuram, Kannur, Pathanamthitta and Thiruvananthapuram districts. It is mostly to Chicago that the ornamentalOne type of fish that aquaculturists could rear is ornamental fish. There are hundreds of ornamental fish species but the most commonly cultured ones for commercialization are those that are popular and in demand, like guppy, moly, and sword tail.There is tremendous potential for rearing ornamental fish in Kerala. The farmers in the State can undertake ornamental fish farming with comparatively small investment, and get very good returns as there are sustainable markets both inside and outside the country. If the Government extended short and long-term loans to encourage ornamental fish farming. On a global basis, India ranks one among the top few countries with maximum ornamental fish reserves. Andaman-Nicobar islands, Lakshadweep islands, the south-east and south-west coastal areas are all rich in ornamental marine varieties. Of the 600 varieties found in and around Lakshadweep islands, 300 belong to ornamental category. In Kerala, coastal areas from Kochi to Vizhinjam are the rich mines of several attractive specious of ornamental category.
                                                                 Prof.John kurakar