‘Min Wisithuru 2012’ brings fish into focus

Text and pix by Harsha Udayakantha Peiris
‘Min Wisithuru 2012’, a three-day exhibition of ornamental fish, aquatic plants and accessories, organised by the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development (MFARD) and the National Aquaculture Development Authority of Sri Lanka (NAQDA) commenced on 3 August 2012 at the Sri Lanka Exhibition and Convention Centre in Colombo.

The exhibition with 102 stalls by a number of Government and private partnerships aimed at enhancing professional knowledge and providing further education on ornamental fish industry as well as introducing new species of ornamental fish to the producers and other interested parties who are engaged in it as a favourite pastime. The exhibition also included an ornamental fish clinic, a dedicated information centre and an ornamental fish competition.
Information by MFARD and NAQDA states that at present, there are 80 exporters, 18 importers, 2,350 domestic sales centres and outlets and 4,300 breeders of ornamental fish, 11,500 external aqua cultivators and 100 accessory manufacturers and marketers of related products and services in the country.
National Aquaculture Development Authority (NAQDA), which falls under the purview of the MFARD at present, was established in 1999 under the provisions made available by the National Aquaculture Development Authority Act No. 53 of 1998. It is the main State sponsored organisation mandated for the task of development of the aquaculture and inland fisheries sector in Sri Lanka.
Currently, the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development, National Aquaculture Development Authority of Sri Lanka, Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency, Sri Lanka Export Development Board, Department of Animal Production and Health, Department of Forest conservation and the Central Environmental Authority act as the prime Governmental institutions that directly coordinate with the ornamental fish industry in Sri Lanka.
Bringing foreign exchange into the country, creating more self employment opportunities, enhancing rural economy, improving mental and physical wellbeing of the community through love and kindness towards living beings and making the most possible avenues to accurately utilise domestic resources have been identified as key initiatives of the ornamental fish industry in Sri Lanka.
This year NAQDA has also implemented several important initiatives with the objective of further improving and developing the industry of ornamental fish. The initiatives include, extending laboratory facilities for aquaculture, providing training on maintenance of such laboratories, registering and empowering ornamental fish associations, providing qualitative parental fish for the industry, providing grants to develop existing tank farms for ornamental fish maintained under ‘Divi Neguma’ project, issuing licenses on aqua culture management for ornamental fish cultivation, acknowledging on fish diseases management, implementation of the Live Rock pilot project and designing a dedicated and comprehensive website with complete details on the ornamental fish industry and all related partnerships.
In 2011, export of ornamental fish brought an income of Rs. 1,112 million to the country’s economy. The income generated from the industry through export of ornamental fish from 1999 to last year was Rs. 10,100 million.