Entrepreneurship in marine ornamental fish culture: a profitable venture for self employment

Madhu, K and Madhu, Rema and Bhaskaran, Binoy and Abhilash, K S and Ali, Liyakhath and George, Veena and Harikrishna, N H (2025) Entrepreneurship in marine ornamental fish culture: a profitable venture for self employment. In: Training programme on Cage, Pen, Ornamental fish, Biofloc, Mussel and Oyster culture for Tribal Department officials, Scheduled Tribes (STS) Promoters and Farmers. CMFRI Training Manual Series No. 47/2025 . ICAR- Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi, pp. 9-16.

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Abstract

The trade of marine ornamentals has been expanding in recent years and has grown into a multimillion dollar enterprise mainly due to the emergence of modern aquarium gadgets and technologies for setting and maintenance of miniature reef aquaria. Aquarium keeping is amongst the most popular of hobbies with millions of enthusiasts worldwide and the trade of marine ornamentals has been expanding in recent years and grown into a multimillion dollar enterprise. The recent emergence of modern aquarium gadgets and technologies for setting and maintenance of miniature reef aquaria made the aquarium keeping much easier than previous. Since the marine ornamental trade is operated throughout the tropics, the global marine ornamental trade is estimated at US$ 200-330 million. India is endowed with a vast resource potential of marine ornamentals distributed in the coral seas and rocky coasts with patchy coral formations. In the context of the expanding global scenario and the increasing demand in the domestic trade, it appears very much lucrative for India to venture into this industry. But it is a multi stakeholder industry ranging from specimen collectors, culturists, wholesalers, transhippers, retailers, hobbyists, researchers, government resource managers and conservators, and hence involves a series of issues to be addressed and policies to be formulated for developing and expanding a sustainable trade. In recent years it has been reported that nearly 1500 species of marine ornamental fishes are traded globally and most of these are associated with coral reefs. Nearly 98% of the marine ornamental fishes marketed are wild collected from coral reefs of tropical countries such as Philippines, Indonesia, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Australia, Fiji, Maldives and Palau.

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