44 MARCH 2013 • WORLD AQUACULTURE • WWW.WAS.ORG Spawning and Larval Rearing of Marine Ornamental Fishes in Brackishwater in India: Opportunities and Challenges T.T. Ajith Kumar*1 and V. Gunasundari A prevalent belief is that aquaculture of ornamental species is good because it can reduce the need for environmentally harmful collection techniques. In addition, cultured ornamental fish tend to be more suitable than fish captured from the wild for continued holding in captivity in aquaria. Rapid growth of food-fish aquaculture in the 1980s brought major public concern about unchecked growth and consequent environmental degradation. It has taken over a decade to acquire better understanding of the interactions of food-fish aquaculture and the environment, but negative perceptions persist. Ornamental aquaculture is likewise poised on the cusp of rapid expansion and the potential environmental impacts of this sector need to be fully understood too. Marine Ornamental Aquaculture for Rural Development Coastal aquaculture comprises diverse farming systems, many of which have relevance for poor inhabitants of coastal areas. In the context of rural development, aquaculture often complements catches from traditional fisheries, which continue to play an important role and, in many areas, remain adequate to satisfy subsistence needs and provide a valuable source of cash income. The aquaculture of marine ornamentals can be a source of income generation. Ornamental aquaculture becomes an attractive and important component of rural livelihoods in situations of increasing population pressures in coastal regions, environmental degradation or loss of access and limit catches from capture fisheries. The prevalence of destructive harvesting techniques, such as use of cyanide and explosives, has caused dramatic and drastic impacts on the health and biodiversity of many marine ecosystems. Developing hatchery technology for marine ornamental species is an urgent need for the sustainable supply of these organisms, while minimizing negative impacts on the environment. In recent years, researchers, traders, collectors and hobbyists have begun a worldwide effort to minimize the growing pressure on natural populations of marine ornamental species and to promote the sustainable use of these high-value resources (Corbin 2001). Marine ornamental aquaculture is a livelihood alternative with great potential to integrate conservation and sustainable development goals in developing countries. Presently the proportion of marine ornamentals in India that are commercially cultured is limited to a few fish species, mainly clownfish (Wabnitz et al. 2003, Ajith Kumar and Balasubramanian 2009, Ajith Kumar et al. 2010) and damselfish (Gopakumaret al. 2002). Trade in Ornamental Species Ornamental aquaculture provides employment opportunities in rural areas and earns foreign exchange for many developing countries. Over 1.5 million people are involved in this industry and over 3.5 million aquarists constitute the market (Dey 2010). Around 2500 species of fishes, invertebrates and corals are traded worldwide with the best estimate of annual global trade ranging from 20 to 24 million individuals of fishes alone. Clownfish and damselfishes make up almost half the trade and other species, such as angels, surgeons, wrasses, gobies and butterflyfishes, account for approximately another 25-30 percent. (Wabnitz et al. 2003). India is blessed with a wide array of marine ornamental species, but contributes only 2.5 percent (US$ 3.8 million) to the global market. Compared to other Asian countries, the ornamental fish sector in India is petite but exciting, with tremendous potential for growth and large-scale gainful employment generation. Presently ornamental fish export from India is dominated by wild-caught species, catering to a small portion of the international market. In 2007, the value of the trade in ornamental species in India can be divided into marine (48 percent) and freshwater (52 percent), with essentially no trade from brackishwater species (FAO 2009). Spawning Ornamental Fish in India There has been an increased focus on rearing of marine aquarium fishes in closed systems. Aquaculture can be an environmentally friendly way to increase the supply of ornamental species by reducing pressure on wild fish populations and producing a wide variety of species throughout the year. Furthermore, rearing aquarium fish in captivity is likely to lead to the production of hardier species, which fare It has taken over a decade to acquire better understanding of the interactions of food-fish aquaculture and the environment, but negative perceptions persist. Ornamental aquaculture is likewise poised on the cusp of rapid expansion and the potential environmental impacts of this sector need to be fully understood too.
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