Export of marine ornamental fish gets a boost

Marine ornamental fishes with striking colours and features may earn Kerala a place in the map of the ornamental fish business.

Kerala Aqua Ventures International (KAVIL), the agency set up for promoting ornamental fish farming, is all set to explore the export potential of the fish varieties.

There is immense export potential for marine fishes in the overseas market. However, the supply is very limited, explained A. Gopalakrishnan Nair, executive director, KAVIL.

The Maldives, Indonesia and the Philippines are the leaders in the business. Most of these countries collect fish from the wild and export them. Kerala can also try the methods employed by these countries. The result of one of the informal surveys conducted at Vizhinjam near Thiruvananthapuram recently was quite encouraging, he said. �The buyers in the overseas market, especially the U.S., need a wide variety of fish and under the present system, we are unable to meet the demands, said Binju Asha Kurian, director of FAB Ornamental Fish Farming Private Limited, which owns an export hub at KAVIL, near Kadungalloor.