Aqua park for ornamental fishes soon

Kochi, Aug 9: Kerala Fisheries Minister S Sarma today said work on the country's first aqua-technology park, aimed at tapping the huge potential in oranmental fish production and marketing, would be completed by November 2008.

Talking to the media here, Mr Sarma said the aqua farms at Neyyar in Thiruvananthapuram, Parappanagadi in Malappuram and Pannivelichira in Pattanamtitta would be upgraded as satellite farms under the upcoming park.

He said a company with public-private participation under the chairmanship of Chief Minister and Fisheries Minister as vice-chairman would be formed to run the aqua park.

''The company would be formed by the Fisheries Department and associated departments with partcipation from various banks and KSIDC,'' he informed.

The private players will have a 51 per cent stake in the company and the government will hold the remaining share, the Minister added.

The work on the Rs 14-crore park coming up at Kodungallor near Aluva near here on a sprawling extent of ten-acre would start next month.

The Minister said around 15,000 people would get direct or indirect employment though the park and the satellite farms.

''The park will have basic facilities like electricity, water, quarantine and laboratory to facilitate the production and export of ornamental fishes to potential markets in Europe and Singapore,'' the Minister said.

The world market for ornamental fishes is pegged at four billion dollars per annum and Singapore tops the list in the market.

''India has a market of only 0.08 million dollars and the country has a lot of catching up to do in this business,'' Mr Sarma said.

Kerala with its huge fresh water reservoir and congenial climate was a breeding ground for all varieties of ornamental fishes in the world, he noted.

He said with huge potential ahead, India would be able to garner at least ten per cent of the total market in the coming years and Kerala had a pivotal role to play in that endeavour.

UNI