Ornamental fish aquaculture to help Lakshadweep women

Source: The post is based on the article “Ornamental fish aquaculture to help Lakshadweep women” published in The Hindu on 3rd March 2023.

What is the News?

Community-based ornamental fish aquaculture, using local resources is expected to help women in the Lakshadweep islands to take the first step towards self-reliance through concerted activities.

What is Ornamental Fish Aquaculture?

Ornamental fish culture is the culture of attractive, colourful fishes of various characteristics, which are reared in a confined aquatic system. The culture of ornamental fishes is called as aquariculture. 

Ornamental fishes are also known as living jewels. There are more than 30,000 fish species reported around the world, of this about 800 belong to ornamental fishes. 

Most of the ornamental fishes survive in freshwater. 

Ornamental Fish Culture in India

Ornamental fishes of India are contributing about 1% of the total ornamental fish trade.

India has great potential in Ornamental fish production due to the presence of rich biodiversity of species, favourable climatic conditions and availability of cheap labour.

Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal mainly practice ornamental fish farming in India.

How is Ornamental Fish Culture helping women in Lakshadweep?

In Lakshadweep, 82 islanders, 77 of them women were selected and underwent intensive training on ornamental fish aquaculture.

They have formed groups for ornamental fish aquaculture with technical support from the ICAR­ National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources(NBFGR).

These groups have successfully been raising ornamental shrimps to marketable size, and they have completed four cycles to generate substantial income.