4 - Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture

National Workshop-cum-Tra~ning on Bioinformatiu and Information Management in Aquaculture
and culture in the country by conducting several national level training
programmes both on and off-campus comprising more than 1,000 participants
from all over the country during last 8 years. CIFA has developed a feed for
some of the commercial varieties of ornamental fish containing 40% protein.
Further, a pigment-enriched fish feed for rosy barb and gold fish for enhancing
colours in fish has also been formulated. A medicine called CIFACURE for curing
certain bacterial and fungal diseases has been commercialized and other
medicines and vaccines are under pipeline. This Institute has also made a
documentary film on 'Ornamental fish breeding and culture' in collaborat~on with
SAARC Agricultural Information Centre (SAIC), Dhaka, Bangladesh for promotion
and popularization of ornamental fish farming among SAARC member countries.
The CIFA has also given the technical guidance for making two regional films on
ornamental fish farming by UNDP and GRAMSAT, Bhubaneswar. Similarly for the
North-eastern region, the Institutes regularly conduct the training programmes
as also awareness Droarammes to conserve and breed the im~ortant ornamental
species besides hatchery establishment in Meghalaya, ~runachal Pradesh,
Nagaland and Assam.
8 CONCLUSION
There is great scope for developing small scale units with an investment of about
Rs. 2 lakhs per unit towards both capital and operating costs. With backyard
units comprising a few concrete tanks with a constant water source and seed,
ornamental fish can be produced by farmer, unemployed youth and farm women.
In a limited area of 500-1,000 sq. feet, they can earn Rs 2,000 to Rs. 5,000 per
month with an investment of about Rs. 1 lakh. On a commercial scale,
entrepreneurs have invested up to Rs. 10 lakhs, with a monthly net income of Rs
10,000 to 30,000. The practice is often a family enterprise, with the members
joining hands in different activities of breeding, tank fabrication and
maintenance, feed preparation, transport and sale, etc. From the existing level
of 2,000 breeders, 1,000 retail outlets and 2,000 commercial units; in the
country the present ornamental fish trade is around Rs 100 crores. This can be
enhanced by three folds. Similarly, the export could be tripled with attention on
the quality seed, pigment enhancement, feed development and health aspects.
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has taken steps for the
production of quality ornamental fishes, both freshwater and marine, through its
National Seed Project being operated in different centres of the country in last
two years.