Kerala eyes more business in ornamental fish After wooing global tourists with its winding coasts, enchanting beaches and lush greenery, Kerala is now tapping its water bodies for a dramatic surge in ornamental fish trade. Blessed with a tropical climate and thousands of kilometres of backwaters, the state needs to grab a bigger slice of the global business filling up aquariums, says Kerala's Fisheries and Sports Minister Dominic Presentation. "The government has started promoting the business. The export of ornamental fishes from Kerala has increased to a great extent," Presentation told IANS in an interview. 

  "Of the Rs.100 million ($2.2 million) export by India last year, Kerala accounted for a fifth," he said. Apart from the popular species like Horabagrus and Etroplus maculatus (also known as orange chromide), the state has India's most exported ornamental fish - Denisonii, known as 'Miss Kerala'. While the price of a pair of fish ranges from $5 to $20, a pair of Denisonii costs above $15. "We have been breeding at least 12 species which are in high demand in the international market. This is because our climatic conditions and the character of the water bodies are the best to breed and develop them," said A. Gopalakrishnan Nair, executive director of the Fisheries Resource Management Society. According to Nair, if the government remains focussed, Kerala can grow to be at par with Singapore, the hub of the $6-billion business growing annually at eight percent. Singapore is followed by Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and Indonesia. India holds the ninth place. The largest importer of ornamental fish is the US followed by Europe and Japan. China and South Africa are also emerging as large markets for these exotic items. "In a world where urbanisation is the norm and space is at a premium, ornamental fish keeping is rapidly becoming the most popular hobby," Presentation said. Photography remains on top of the hobby list. He said the growing interest had resulted in an exponential development of breeding techniques, display systems and accessories. The minister said the industry also provided employment in rural areas, especially for women. According to the minister, many households in Kerala now depend on ornamental fish farming. The state has been organising every two years an international aqua show and a buyer-seller meet. The next show will be held at Cochin Feb 2-7, 2006. There will be participants from Israel, Denmark, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Male and Thailand. "Apart from boosting exports, the show will promote business at domestic level also," Presentation said. The major varieties of ornamental fish traded today internationally include Guppies, Angel Fish, Gold Fish, Barbs, Rasbora, Discuss, Oscar, Paradise Fish, Cat Fish and Gourami. About 80 percent of the total ornamental fish are fresh water species.

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