Adoption of best aquaculture practices  

SITUATION ANALYSIS

Ornamental fish trade is a blooming business in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and there is a good future for its potential growth. Presently aquarium fishes are brought from mainland, Kolkata and Chennai to meet the ever-growing demand the imported fishes face 30-40% mortality due to stress and disease outbreak.

Shree. C. Arjun from M/s. SSM aquarium, has an aquarium outlet and currently imports 25 varieties of ornamental fishes. Initially, he faced 40-50% mortality in the newly imported fishes due to stress and diseases outbreak. Due to intervention of the scientists from Fisheries Science Division, ICAR-CIARI, he took advice on quarantine, disease diagnosis, control and management of the newly imported fishes and reaped the benefit of 90-95 % survival. Now, he is capable of identifying stressed, diseased and parasitic infested fishes and undertakes appropriate treatment and control measures.

TECHNOLOGY INTERVENTIONS

Technical advice on quarantine of newly arrived fish, basic disease diagnosis, treatment and control has been provided by ICAR-CIARI, which has been very effective in providing a survival of 90-95%.

IMPACT / OUTCOME OF TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION

S.S. Aquarium is earning a profit of 50 ,000.00 per month due to the saving of fishes after adopting quarantine and disease control measures and also enjoys a growing number of customers for their healthy fishes.

INCOME GENERATION

A revenue of nearly Rs.77,460/- was generated annually.

WAY FORWARD

Contributors : J. Praveenraj , K. Saravanan and R. Kiruba Sankar