Bhubaneswar: The ICAR-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (ICARCIFA), Bhubaneswar, in collaboration with the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), Hyderabad, recently organised a two-day national stakeholder consultation on Sustainable Development of Ornamental Fisheries in India. The event brought together more than 65 stakeholders from across the country, including ornamental fish breeders, farmers, traders, manufacturers, and hobbyists, as well as fisheries department officers from 11 states and scientists from ICAR fisheries institutes such as CMFRI, NBFGR, CIFE, CIFRI, and CIBA. Joining the occasion as chief guest, NFDB chief executive BK Behera spoke about various developmental schemes of the NFDB, including entrepreneurship models and insurance schemes among others. He informed that the NFDB plans to promote the ornamental fisheries through the development of the cluster approach. He motivated the participants to avail the board’s different promotional initiatives.
ICAR-CIFA director PK Sahoo stressed the importance of adopting scientific practices to produce quality ornamental fish, thereby increasing India’s share in the international market. Topics discussed on this occasion include boosting India’s ornamental fish export, advancing domestic production, enhancing retail trade and hobby promotion, fostering indigenous manufacturing, and addressing policy and institutional issues. The stakeholders focused on key areas such as the production of quality ornamental fish on a mass scale through better scientific practices, expanding research and development, strengthening the export framework and encouraging local manufacturing among others.
ARINDAM GANGULY, OP