Assessment for Fisheries & Aquaculture course

1. PRESENT PERFORMANCE AND FUTURE PROSPECT
TO DEVELOPMENT OF ORNAMENTAL FISH
INDUSTRY IN SRI LANKA
INTRODUCTON
The use of ornamental fish to adorn homes has been in existence for many long
years in Sri Lanka. The ruins of ancient pond in Sigiriya rock palace indicate that Sri
lanken kings to reared fish to adorn their gardens. Among the aquaria built recently to
exhibit fish to public the aquarium in Dehiwela National zoological garden and Fish land
in Kalaniya, which built in private sector.
At present rearing and breeding of ornamental fish is one of the popular hobby
among Sri lankens. Those who breed and rear fish as a hobby sell their surplus. All these
domestic sales however where confined to the island. But there has been significant
development in this industry with the expose to the world market during past twenty
years.
Foreign exchange earning from this source has been on the increase over the past
years.
Year Earning foreign exchange
(Millions of U.S $)
1995 3.318
1996 5.685
1997 8.016
1998 8.181
1999 7.932
2000 7.829
2001 5.532
(In this period U.S $ rates were increased nearly SKR 75 to SLR 105.)

2. According to export development board, prior to 1983 there were only five main
exporters registered with them. This numbers has new increased greater than 18 legal
export companies.
The resource base for this trade is the rich tropical biodiversity that Sri Lanka
enjoys. Although mainly marine fish were been exported during 1980 s (16 species of
fresh water and over 200 marine species are recorded as being collected and exported.).
At present over 60%of exports are fresh water fish to over than 40 foreign market. It is
acquires fish for export both from wild and hatchery reared stocks, where as the marine
trade is solely dependent on the natural and wild habitats to collect fish for export. It is
recorded over 200 marine species as being collected and exported. In Sri lanken
ornamental fish exports are 3% -4% percentage of the whole supplements for
international ornamental fish market. With the support by the government of Sri Lanka
and the lucrative nature of the industry within the word market this industry has become
the third largest in the fisheries sector with in the non-traditional export of Sri Lanka.
PRESENT STATE OF SRI LANKEN ORNAMENTAL FISH
INDUSTRY
In sri lanken ornamental fish industry can be categorized in mainly three parts
according to standard of aquarium, facilities, capacity, adopted method and fundamental
investments for company.
 Large scale investments company
These types of companies are very important to earning foreign
Exchange. Hole of import and export markets are covered by these types of large-scale
companies. They have a high ability to produce large stocks and maintain their stocks
until exposed the international market.

3. These companies have large-scale hatchery tanks to produce new
generation and grow out tanks to growing until suitable size for international market.
They used large-scale mud ponds to maintain brooder fish.
In large scale aquaria had the least number of parasites in there
fish. They invest large capital resources and carry on large-scale production programs.
They have provided almost all facilities that are required to minimize stress in fish.
Figure: Grow out tanks in large-scale companies
 Medium scale investment companies
These type of companies are very import to supply and rearing
medium scale stocks to collect and export large stocks to international market. Employees
in these companies are owner and their family members. Widely distributed in the these
type of companies around the island.
Large scale companies gives them to fry and they rearing and
supply these fries to until grooving suitable size. Finely above companies are collecting
their maturity stocks and owners earning money.
The medium scale companies have present rearing tanks and retail
outlets to maintain their fishery process. Low facilities and bad conditions are course in
fishes to prone to developing intensities of ecto-parasites.

4. Figure 2: Medium scale rearing tanks
 Small scale investment companies
The main target of these type of companies are sailed the
ornamental fish for internal market . They introduce the new types of ornamental fishes
for buyers and control internal market.
Small-scale investment companies have only small storing tanks
and retail outlets. But some owners try to breed and produce new generation for more
valuable fishes, that is enough to supply internal market.
Treading sector
A special feature of the aquarium fish industry is the large numbers of small
medium scale individual producers who help the industry in the aspect of quality
maintenance for these breeders, aquarium fish are breed as pet and not purely for
commercial reason.
Because of it places special emphasis with in world market on the need to
maintain the highest level of quality, careful culling and the strictest quarantine measures
ensure trouble free delivery.
In sri lanken ornamental fish industry had two types of Byers: Exporters and local
dealers. For exporters, large scale operated through an mid scale outgrowing arrangement.
Outgrowing is common arrangement in the ornamental fish industry. As exporters expend
their volume, they need larger tract of land to hold more ponds. Because of best methods

5. to expansion is to contract out the job of growing and breeding fish. Exporters provided
mid scale farmers with the fingerlings to be grown over 45 to 60 days. After the fish were
grown, they were sold back to the exporters.
Exporters supplied fingerlings under various terms. Some required that the mid
scale out grower purchase the fingerlings outright. In this case when the fish were
harvested the farmer were free to sell them ever they wished.
Some exporters did not require outright purchase but rather asked for a bond in the
form of bank cheque equivalent to the cost of the fingerlings. Then held this cheque until
the fish were harvested and sold back to it.
Another exporters did not require either outright payment or bond but simply
deducted the cost of the fingerlings from its payments to the out grower upon harvest.
These type of exporter forced to try return the grow fish to their and not to sell them to
other buyers. Normally the survival rate of fish was 70% to 90%.
Local dealers paid mid scale farmers one and a half to two times more than did
exporters. However out grower still preferred selling to exporters since they would buy
larger quantities of fish. Some out grower sold to dealers and exporters to maintain there
sales volume. They sold bigger portion of their fish to exporters during peak export
season (Early September to mid April), and to local dealers during the lean export season
(mid April to august). Those who did not link to local dealers simply experienced a drop
in income the lean period.
In the sea experienced scuba divers collect the marine fish, without the use of
chemicals. They are then carefully quarantined to guarantee the highest quality.
Sri lanken ornamental fish exported countries are mainly included in European
countries. There are
Germen
United kingdom
French
Netherlands
Italy
Spanish
Belgium

6. Other than European countries,
United state of America
Japan
Singapore (Re export country)
Figure 3: Treading arrangement of ornamental fish industry in Sri Lanka
The main varieties of fish produced by the mid scale farmers were as fellows.
Mainly for export market: 45 day growing period
Large Scale
Companies
Large Scale
Companies
Small, Mid, Large
Scale Companies
Mid & Large Scale Companies
Large Scale
Companies
Small Scale Companies

7.  Barbs: Tiger barb (punties partipentazona)
Golden barb
Rosy barb
Backruby bard
Golden barb Backruby barb Tiger barb
 Danios: Zebra dania
 Guppy: Poecilia reticulata
 Molly:
 Platy: Xiphophorus maculates
Platy
 Fighters: Siamese fighter (Betta splendeus)

8. Fighter
 Swordtails: Xiphophorus helleri
Sward tail
 Tetra: Neon tetra
Serpea tetra
Black window tetra
Neon tetra
Mainly for domestic market: 60 days growing period
 Angel: Silver angel
Zeebra lace angel
Marble angle
 Gold fish: Fantails
Orandas

9. Black moors
Callico fantails
Shubunkins
Red caps
 Koi carp: Cyprinus capio
 Oscars: Veiltail oscar
Albino oscar
Tiger oscar
Red oscar
FUTURE PROSPECT TO DEVELOPMENT OF ORNAMENTAL
FISH INDUSTRY
Current state of international market
The hobby of keeping ornamental fish in either aquariums or ponds is popular on
global. A recent survey from FAO estimates that world wide annual sales of ornamental
fish are close to U.S $ 200 million. The total wholesale value of ornamental fish and
accessories is estimated at U.S $ 1 billion and the retail trade about U.S $ 3 billion.
According to international ornamental fish market data, show that around 10
million ornamental marine fish are imported annually through out the world. The total
weight of these fish may lie between 70-100 tons with water and packing.
The European countries import larger account of world ornamental fish
production per annual. In United Kingdom imported approximately 350 000 marine
ornamentals a year, which lie weight under 3 tons without packing. It is estimated that
14% (3 – 3.5 million) of all households own either an aquarium or pond. This makes them
the third most popular pats group after cat and dogs.

10. Japan and U.S.A are other major import markets. Asian and South American
countries remain the major suppliers of ornamental fish market. While Asian countries
primarily contribute towards ornamental fresh water production. Singapore remains by
the larger supplier to the world market. They re-export fish originate neighboring
countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
Thailand is traditional known as important producer and exporter of ornamental
fish. Commercial export of ornamental fish from the country began some 30 years ago.
The one of the FAO report indicated that ornamental trade of aquatic organisms
for ornamental purposes increase at annual rate of 14%.
Ornamental fish importers with percentage of their imports in world market
Japan
14%
France
8%
Netherland
5%
Italy
7%
Others
16%
U.K
13% Germen
13%
U.S.A
24%
Ornamental fish exporters with percentage of their exports in world market

11. U.S.A
8%
S.America
6%
Sri Lanka
3%
Israel
6%
Japan
4%
Malasia
8%
Africa
2%
Singapore
34%
Others
29%
Redevelopment of the industry
Around 65% of ornamental fish exported from Sri Lanka are marine varieties. In
resent years however western countries have been putting restrictions on the importation
of fish caught from the ocean. This has led the Sri Lanken government to promote fresh
water ornamental fish production in the country. Sri Lanka is endowed with favorable
climatic condition that makes it suitable for rearing and breeding fresh water fish.
Among the problems of the local industry are inadequate stocks of fresh water
aquarium fish, lack of communication between small scale breeders and establish
exporters, lack of research and development in fresh water aquarium fish breeding, lack
of government support to the industry, and lack of adequate facilities for packing air
transport.
Technical training was particularly valued. The technical training programmed
conducted by NAQDA, NARA and some N.G.O motivated trainees to set up ornamental
fish farming project or to venture in to related activities such as breeding. Still buyers and
exporters provided much of the day-to-day technical input. Some of these interviewed
also commented that related organizations should provide more technical help than the

12. inertial one-day training. They recommended the 3 or 4-day training programmed or one
programmed with regular fellow up sessions in quick succession.
The sustainability of the industry is another matter, however. The government has
given minimal support to this industry; research and development have not been given
serious attention. There far instance, inadequate research in developing new and better
genetic pools of ornamental fish. As a result, it is feared that too much inbreeding has
been taken place among fresh water fish in Sri Lanka, specially among guppies, which
constitute high present of Sri Lanks fresh water ornamental fish exports. Still, because the
business has been profitable, people have continued with unguided breeding and grooving
of fish. Fear has also been expressed that water quality is deteriorating in Sri Lanka
because of agrochemical pollution. This may have caused recent outbreak of guppy
disease.
Prospect for growths of the industry have been further hampered by the lack of
information on market preferences abroad. Exporters have usually been caught unwire of
the of the changes in the demand for specific varieties, and were often informed by their
buyers only when the demand was already there. Annabel to anticipate demand, they are
limited by what they have produced and this have missed business opportunities.
Expansion of industry has also been hampered by other problems such as the low
level of technology in packing; with fewer fish being pack in boxes compared with what
is been done in Singapore. An inadequate airfreight facility also constrains the industry.
Direct flights out of Sri Lanka have been less frequent than these from Singapore and
other major exporters of ornamental fish. In view of these drawbacks, promoters of
industry cited the need for greater collaboration between the private sector and
government as well as stronger government support for the industry.
Presently seem high incident of diseases outbreak and health related problem with
in the hatchery and grow out facilities. Disease related problems have caused severe
economic losses to the ornamental fish industry in Sri Lanka.One of the lack or
information on the pathogens of ornamental fish in Sri Lanka and also the lack of trained
fish health personnel in the island to undertake such studies.

13. New trends and future prospect
A group of approach (such as Co-operative society) is helpful if micro
entrepreneurs hope to get in to mainstream markets such as export market. With the
support of government these societies can be started wholesale ornamental fish market in
the specific economic Zone of the country to contact foreign and local exporters and
suppliers. Web sites and international television program can be used to introduce the
word market. Long time lone or leasing facilities can be supplied through government
bank to successful proposals and feasibility reports.
Marine parks, in which fish collecting is forbidden, have been established off the
island, and studies to access the level of harvesting that can be sustained without harming
the reef are underway.
To supply facility to breeding artificially high demand marine ornamental fish and
introduce some colorful indigenes fish species to world market. Such as
 Black-spot barb: puntius filamentosus
 Black ruby barb: Barbus nigrofasciatus
 Striped aplocheilus: Aplocheilus affinis
 Dwart panchax / Green panchax: Aplocheilus blocki
 Climbing perch: Anabas testudineus
 Spike-tail paradise fish: Pseudosphromenus capanus capanus
 White-spotted spiny eal: Macrognathus armatus
In these species, it should be restrict the trade wild collection and promote and
Supply facilities to artificially breed and trade the international market.
Promote and supply information and facilities to access new markets with related
to the ornamental fish industry. Such as aquascaping, machinery equipment for tank
cleaning etc. In aquascaping industry it can be introduce aquatic plants (food plants and
ornamental plants), tanks and ponds filling materials (multicolor sand, colorful rocks,
pebbles, stones, marbles, snail shell, drift wood, aquatic soils etc).

14. REFERENCE
Reference Books:
1. Beter, W. Scott. The Complete Aquarium ( A.practical guide to building
stocking and maintaining freshwater and merine aquaria)
2. Ministry of fisheries and aquatic resource development. Six Year Fishery
Development Programe.
3. Aquarium Fish Of The World (Comprehensive illustrate guide).
Reference Reports:
1. Jayasingha, L.P. Parasites of selected freshwater ornamantal fish in
commercial aquaria with in the greater Colombo reagion.

15. Reference Web Sites:
1. http://www.nicaonline.com
2. http://www.aquaticworldwide.org/index.htm
3. http://www.aquariacentral.com
4. http://www.neqda.com
5. http://www.ornamentalfish.org
6. http://jpsweb.net
7. http://srilankabusiness.com