Ornamental Fish Entrepreneur for Promotion of Brackish Water

The ICAR-Central Institute of Brackish Water Aquaculture (CIBA), Chennai signed a MOU with Shri Joshy Paul, ‘Ornamental Fish Entrepreneur’, a progressive ornamental fish breeder and trader from Thrissur, Kerala. 

With this Memorandum of Understanding, the ICAR-CIBA identified the brackish water ornamental aquariculture as a sector with the greater growth prospects in the country. 

This is a maiden MOU by the CIBA for the promotion of brackish water ornamental aquaculture with a farmer in a partnership mode, first time in the country. 

Dr. K.K. Vijayan, Director, CIBA, highlighted the need to develop the brackish water ornamental fish sector on the principles of sustainability, through the development of a value chain from breeding and rearing using the formulated feeds, rather than relying on the unsustainable means, such as, capture from the wild. He underlined the need for adopting a holistic approach inclusive of nutrition, health management, genetics and novel marketing strategies in the country and overseas. 

During the event, Dr. K.K. Vijayan along with the Fisheries Division Scientists, handed-over the first batch of hatchery produced Monodactylus argenteus, Silver Moony Seeds to Shri Joshy Paul. 

Shri Joshy Paul underlined the uniqueness and trade aspects of brackishwater ornamental fish species and expressed his optimism about the success of this new partnership with the Institute. 

Dr. M. Kailasam, Principal Scientist & Head-in-Charge, Fish Culture Division, CIBA outlined the technological advances made by the Institute to develop the seed production technologies for the selected ornamental species, now with the complete technology packages for Silver Moony, Spotted Scat, Silver Fish (Milkfish) and Etroplus spp.