India’s first Aquatic Rainbow Technology Park (ARTP) will be set up in Chennai.
The park being developed by Fisheries College and Research Institute, Ponneri in Tamil Nadu, is an ultra-modern exclusive facility for ornamental fish. It is equipped with multi-species hatchery and live feed culture units. It is scheduled to become operational in the next three months. Once the park is fully developed, it will fulfill a major requirement of the industry for mass production of high value aquarium fish.
Incidentally, after West Bengal, Tamil Nadu is the second largest exporter of ornamental fish. After completion, the park will be handed over to ornamental fish breeders and farmers on a lease for three years. A nodal agency of the union commerce and industry ministry, The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), has been a part of steering committee for the Rs 10-crore project. The project is being funded by the Tamil Nadu Innovation Initiatives of the state government.
MPEDA chairman A Jayathilak during the three-day Aqua Aquaria India (AAI) 2017, which concluded today, said the park will be equipped with advanced infrastructure and technical expertise for boosting production of high value ornamental fish species, both indigenous and exotic. In addition, it will also develop breeding technologies for high value indigenous ornamental fish species and ensure quality fish seeds in bulk quantities.
The other major areas of the project are development of new technologies for an uninterrupted supply of live feeds and advanced disease diagnosis and treatment mechanism. Moreover the ARTP will have a quarantine lab, where exotic fish varieties imported from other countries would be treated for bacterial and viral infections. The entire facility will be provided to fish growers in and around Chennai, especially Kolathur, to equip them with expertise on handling disease outbreaks.
The MPEDA has also been providing financial assistance and technical expertise to different states in fresh water and marine ornamentals areas. During 2015-16, the agency assisted in establishing four units in Himachal Pradesh with a financial involvement of Rs. 23.79 lakh. States and union territories like Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep have also chalked out plans on hi-tech ornamental fish hatchery.
Recently, the Centre under the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) with an outlay of Rs 61.89 crore, launched a pilot project. Eight states - Assam, West Bengal, Odisha, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala have been identified for the project. The authority will also be working in close coordination with NFDB. “We can also impart the necessary technical guidance, wherever required,” said the MPEDA Chief.
SUPRAJA
