Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute -...
17
PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS OF MARINE ORNAMENTAL FISH TRADE IN KERALA, INDIA Sirajudheen T. K.'*, Shyam S. salim2, ~ijukumar A.~, Bindu ~ nton~~ JournalofFisheriesEconomics and Development, Jun. 2014, XV (1): 14-30 Received: March 5,2014; Revised: May 19,2014 Accepted: May 28,2014 Published: June 30,2014 ABSTRACT The scientificadvancements in fish husbandry and aquarium technology coupled with its potential in earning foreign exchange have facilitated the growth of marine aquarium fishery sector across the globe. Nearly 2 million people worldwide are engaged in marine aquarium keeping, either for recreation or as a means of livelihood. However, with richmrnamental fish reserves especially in the south-east and south-west coastal areas, India's share is insignificant to the global export in ornamental fishery sector. In Kerala, there are very few studies reported on the marine ornamental fish trade and hence this study throws light on the status of ornamental fishery trade in Kerala, including availability of resources, demand for this sector, problems and constraints in keeping marine aquarium and suggestions for improving this sector. The present study was conducted in three districts of Kerala viz. Kozhikode, Emakulum and Thiruvananthapuram and two different sets of interview schedules were employed to draw information on the status of ornamental fishing industry in Kerala and were administered among 60 traders and 90 hobbyists. Results show that the scope and demand for marine aquarium trade in Kerala is very high. Furthermore, the study portrays the demand for sustainable approach in promoting marine ornamental fishery sector in order to provide livelihood options to the fisher folk andto earnforeign exchangefor the State. Keywords: Ornamental fish, aquariumfish trade, Kerala Globally, ornamental fish culture is getting great impetusdue to its tremendous economic opportunities and prospects, and is holding second position among the popular hobbies next to photography. Innovationsin fish husbandry and aquarium equipment technology have further facilitated the pace of its expansion (Sureshkumar et al., 2004; McCollum, 2007). Since this sector has greater potentialin earning foreign exchange and employment generation, it is valued as a 1 Lecturer, Department of Aquaculture & Fishery Microbiology, MES Ponnani College, Ponnani, Malappuram-679 586. Kerala,India. " Corresponding author: E-mail: [email protected] 2 Senior Scientist, Soao-Economic Evaluation &TechnologyTransfer Division (SEETTD), Central Marine FisheriesResearch Institute,Cochin-682 018, Kerala, India. 3 Associate Professor, Department of Aquatic Biology & Fisheries, University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram-695 581, Kerala, India. 4 Research Associate, Socio-Economic Evaluation & Technology Transfer Division (SEElTD), CentalMarineFisheriesResearch Institute,Cochin-632 018, Kerala, India.
Transcript of Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute -...
PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS OF MARINE ORNAMENTAL FISH TRADE IN KERALA, INDIA
Sirajudheen T. K.'*, Shyam S. salim2, ~ijukumar A . ~ , Bindu ~ n t o n ~ ~
Journalof Fisheries Economics and Development, Jun. 2014, XV (1): 14-30
Received: March 5,2014; Revised: May 19,2014 Accepted: May 28,2014 Published: June 30,2014
ABSTRACT
The scientific advancements in fish husbandry and aquarium technology coupled with its potential in earning foreign exchange have facilitated the growth of marine aquarium fishery sector across the globe. Nearly 2 million people worldwide are engaged in marine aquarium keeping, either for recreation or as a means of livelihood. However, with richmrnamental fish reserves especially in the south-east and south-west coastal areas, India's share is insignificant to the global export in ornamental fishery sector. In Kerala, there are very few studies reported on the marine ornamental fish trade and hence this study throws light on the status of ornamental fishery trade in Kerala, including availability of resources, demand for this sector, problems and constraints in keeping marine aquarium and suggestions for improving this sector. The present study was conducted in three districts of Kerala viz. Kozhikode, Emakulum and Thiruvananthapuram and two different sets of interview schedules were employed to draw information on the status of ornamental fishing industry in Kerala and were administered among 60 traders and 90 hobbyists. Results show that the scope and demand for marine aquarium trade in Kerala is very high. Furthermore, the study portrays the demand for sustainable approach in promoting marine ornamental fishery sector in order to provide livelihood options to the fisher folk and to earn foreign exchange for the State.
Keywords: Ornamental fish, aquarium fish trade, Kerala
Globally, ornamental fish culture is getting great impetus due to its tremendous economic opportunities and prospects, and is holding second position among the popular hobbies next to photography. Innovations in fish husbandry and aquarium equipment technology have further facilitated the pace of its expansion (Sureshkumar et al., 2004; McCollum, 2007). Since this sector has greater potential in earning foreign exchange and employment generation, it is valued as a
1 Lecturer, Department of Aquaculture & Fishery Microbiology, MES Ponnani College, Ponnani, Malappuram-679 586. Kerala, India. " Corresponding author: E-mail: [email protected]
2 Senior Scientist, Soao-Economic Evaluation &Technology Transfer Division (SEETTD), Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Cochin -682 01 8, Kerala, India.
3 Associate Professor, Department of Aquatic Biology & Fisheries, University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram-695 581, Kerala, India.
4 Research Associate, Socio-Economic Evaluation & Technology Transfer Division (SEElTD), CentalMarine FisheriesResearch Institute, Cochin-632 01 8, Kerala, India.
