With huge potential remaining untapped, aquaculture farmers in Andhra Pradesh are now evincing interest in ornamental fish culture as a new hope to get assured returns on their investments. With Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressing keenness on making Andhra Pradesh the aqua capital of India by raising the turnover to Rs. 200,000 crore in next 20 years, there is high hope that vannemei (white-leg shrimp) and ornamental fish will be the new option. Incidentally, A.P. is the seventh largest exporter of aqua fish to the United States. Aqua fish from East Godavari, Bhimavaram, Nellore, Visakhapatnam and parts of Odisha form a lion’s share of Rs. 7,500-crore exports from Visakhapatnam port. A world-class aquatic quarantine facility is also coming up in the city. Marine Product Export Development Authority (MPEDA) is now encouraging the farmers to diversity into ornamental fish as there is huge demand for using them as pets in glass aquariums. There is also belief that watching ornamental fishes dancing and swimming in the aquariums will help people in managing their cardio-vascular and blood pressure efficiently. Federation of Indian Fishery Industries president Y.G.K. Murti told The Hindu that ornamental fish had a lot of demand in the export market and AP fishermen should explore culturing it commercially taking advantage of incentives being offered by various government agencies. Delegates from A.P., who recently attended the three-day Aqua Aquaria India (AAI) at Mangalore, showed their interest in taking up ornamental fish culture. These fishes are most sought-after in different sizes and colours. India’s first Aquatic Rainbow Technology Park (ARTP) was also recently inaugurated in Chennai. This is an ultra modern exclusive facility for ornamental fish equipped with multi-species hatchery and live feed culture units. MPEDA sources said this would be operational in next three months. The facility is established by Fisheries College and Research Institute (FCRI), Ponneri in Tamil Nadu, the second largest exporter of ornamental fish after West Bengal. MPEDA, a nodal agency of the Union Commerce and Industry Ministry, has been a part of the steering committee for the project. The facility will help farmers of Tamil Nadu and neighbouring States boost production of high value ornamental fish species, both indigenous and exotic, MPEDA Chairman A. Jayathilak said. Financial aid MPEDA is keen on extending financial assistance and technical expertise for taking up freshwater and marine ornamental fish. The Centre recently launched a pilot project on ornamental fisheries under the NFDB with an outlay of Rs. 61.89 crore.