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Research
opens new option for fishermen
CUDDALORE: A five-year research by marine
biologists has now made it possible to breed
marine ornamental fishes in hatcheries even
using low saline estuarine water – a heretofore
impossible. The new technology gains
significance because — it has opened up a new
livelihood opportunity for fishers who can set
up hatcheries and the hatchery production of the
marine fishes will avoid the need to fish them
in seas. The second cause will help prevent the
destruction of coral reefs and will put a stop
to harmful fishing practices like cyanide
fishing. Explaining about their research, the
team leader, Prof T T Ajith Kumar of the Center
of Advanced Study in Marine Biology, Annamalai
University, told news agencies here that they
have successfully bred two varieties of marine
ornamental fishes — Clown and Damsel — using
backwaters which are relatively less saline than
sea water.
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The team
has also formulated simple methods to breed the fishes
enabling it to make this a livelihood opportunity for
fishers given the fact the ornamental fishes are a
surging trade and a multi-million dollar industry. Ajith
Kumar says that with a minimal initial investment of Rs
25,000 the fisher can set up a hatchery in his backyard
and expect a minimum monthly income of Rs 3,000. “If
they are ready to make higher investment, they can get
very high returns,” he added. The institute has extend
support interested persons free of cost.
