India's first ornamental fish tech park to come up in Chennai

Mangalore: India's first ornamental fish technology park in Chennai would become operational in the next three months, MPEDA Chairman A. Jayathilak said on Tuesday.

He said that after its completion, the technology park would be handed over to breeders and farmers of ornamental fish on lease for three years.

Aquatic Rainbow Technology Park (ARTP), an ultra-modern facility exclusively for breeding ornamental fish, is being developed by Fisheries College and Research Institute in Ponneri (Tamil Nadu) with Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) as part of the steering committee for the project.

The MPEDA Chairman said the Rs 10-crore facility would be equipped with advanced infrastructure and technical expertise for boosting production of high value ornamental fish species -- both indigenous and exotic.

It would also develop breeding technologies for high value indigenous ornamental fish species and ensure quality fish seeds in bulk quantities, Jayathilak said during the three-day Aqua Aquaria India (AAI) 2017, which concludes on Tuesday.

He said MPEDA has also been extending financial assistance and technical expertise to various states in freshwater and marine ornamentals.

"States and union territories like Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep have also chalked out plans on hi-tech ornamental fish hatchery.

"MPEDA can assist these states in the execution of their plans by providing complete technical assistance," he said.