Ornamental fish exports:

Massive increase in revenue

Nethali STRUYS

National Aquaculture Development Authority (NAQDA) Director General Nimal Chandraratne said last year's income from ornamental fish exports was Rs 919.5 million.

'This year's income from ornamental fish exports in January alone is Rs 117 million," he said.

The NAQDA is conducting a number of programmes to develop the aquaculture sector to improve ornamental fish production and fish consumption, Chandraratne said.

He pointed out that the export level is based on three basic factors such as the quality of fish, continuous supply and product range.

The special Ornamental Fish Breeding and Training Centre at Ranbodagalla plays a major role in ornamental fish industry development. The centre provides a variety of services to develop the industry, such as training in ornamental fish farming, supply of quality ornamental fish fingerlings to the farmers, assisting farmers to maintain and preserve the fish, disease diagnosis and advisory services, supply of quality parent stock of ornamental aquatic plants, conducting adaptive research on ornamental and aquatic plant culture and providing demonstrations on ornamental fish farm.

The centre has an aquatic ornamental plant tissue culture lab, new strain development unit and fish disease diagnostic lab. Five courses are provided to upgrade the knowledge of the fish farmers and over 1,600 ornamental fish cultivators have been trained.

Around 2,500 producers are involved in the industry and out of that 42 are exporters of which 10 among them are leading exporters.

The latest researchers had led to the development of six new strains of fish. The director pointed out that they were able to develop over 75,000 new fish strains since 2005.

A special centre had been set up in Maligawatta to provide guidance and information to producers engaged in the export market, collectors and students.

Steps have been taken to increase the marine product range too. There is a major development in live rock culture, he added.

The centre is open to the public every Tuesday. Inquiries can be made on 0372252048.