Vol. No. 17 No. 12 ~ FISHING CHUtES Ornamental fish culture and trade: current status and. prospects

P. Jayasankar Scientist (Senior Scale) eM.F.R.I., P.B. No. 1603, Tatapuram, Kochi -682014

Ornamental fishes are often called as climate (Bassleer, 1994). The industrial consequent ab\Bldant resources offreshwater 'living jewell;' due to their colour, shape, chain which determines the price is and marine ornamentals. is still way beh~d behaviour and origin. They are peaceful, explained as, fishennanlbreeder -4 exporter other developing CO\Bltries in the matter of generally tiny. available in attractive colours ~ airline-4 importer/wholesale r~ retailer development ofthis trade. In fact, thenatural and capable ofliving in confmed spaces. In --> hobbyist. resources of India are more varied as China aquaritUll fish keeping has been a The importer/wholesaler plays a very compared to those of Sri Lanka. Africa, hobby from ancienttirnes. When domestic important role as the link between producer Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia. Several electricity became available at tum of the and consumer. Only perfect, good and healthy freshwater varieties oflndian fishes are well centwy hobbyists began to keep in aquaria fish have good market value. The extra cost known in the international market. The species other than gold fish which required of quality control in a fish house (at both lagoons and coral reefs ofLakshadweep and heating and certain other special conditions. export and import level) with good seawater Minicoy islands. Andaman & Nicobar By about 1930 it became possible to keep management and trained staff thus adds to islands, Okha-Pintan-GuJfofKutch complex, saltwater fish in captivity although high the value ofthe fish . Accordingto statistics, coast: ofKerala around Cape Comorin. Gulf costs and supply distances restricted their 50% of the suppliers are located in Asian ofMannar and Palk Bay abound with highly acquisition. Becauseofhlgh mortality and countries. Singapore. Thailand, Hong Kong, attractive and varied specjes of ornamental expenses, marine aquaria were not found Japan and Malaysia are the major suppliers fishes. We could certainly make a good deal commonly in private homes before the of freshwater fish. while Indonesia, of money and enjoy a considerable share in middle 1960's. Recently, several useful Philippines and Sri Lanka are the major the world trade by supplying marine publications have appeared, facilitating a suppliers of wild-caught marine fish. ornamental fishes and live rocks originating budding fish hobbyist to organise and Philippines is knOWll for the direct export of from the vast resources which ~re the basic maintain hislher marine aquarium tank on marine exotic \'arieties. Singapore exports materia) essential in keeping the aquarium scientific lines (Ranta, 1996a,b,c; Straton, relatively few salt water fish. originating environment healthy. Live rocks afford 1995 Wilkens. 1995; Lamberton, 1996; from its own resources but depends mainly organisms living in it a much )onger life Mills 1987). on re-export of Indonesia-caught fish and span. Poor knowledge on the part of our Global trade in ornamental fishes invertebrates, while Sri Lanka exports her people about aquariculture and livefish trade OWll reef fishes and fishes coming from could be the principal reason for our During the last four decades, there has Maldives. Those fishes originating from the backwardness in this field. been considerable growth and Maldives are either usually available in lesser India's contributionto global aquariwn diversification in the international trade in numbers in Sri Lankan waters or are only trade is worth a mere 10 crore rupees ornamental fishes which is valued at about seasonal. The largest import markets for (Srivastava, 1994) v.hile we have a great US $ 5 billion. The major players in this tropical fish are USA. EEC and Japan. potential to increase the level of exports to market include USA , Europe, Japan, Approximately 14 percent of British homes about USS 30 million (about Rs. 110 crores) Australia. Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines and 8 percent ofuSA homes keep ornamental . everyyear(Ninawe, 1997). Thereareatleast and Sri Lanka. In recent years much interest fish. According to Andrews (1992) 150 150 varieties for commercial exploitation,' has been shown by the home hobbyists and million ornamental fish are sold on a world­ public aquaria to keep marine ornamentals. including clown fishes, damsels, marine wide basis each year. CWTent opinions angels, moorish idol, surgeon fishes, tangs, lnerebytheproportion of marine fish in the suggest· that about 90% of the freshwater butterllyfishes, etc. Table I furnishes names total global trade has jwnped from less than ornamentals traded are captive-bred, while 15% to about 40%. of important marine ornamental fishes 99% ofthe marineomameotals exported are reported from Andaman & Nicobar islands, The market for ornamental fishes wild-caught. Lakshadweep, gulfofMannar and Palk Bay. consists of 99% home-hobbyists and 1% Indian Scenario Calcutta, Mumbai and Chenoai are major public aquaria and research institutes. The breeding centres for freshwater omamentals. market is mostly located in areas with high India. despite its vast expanse of sea There are about 150 fuU time and 1500 part density population, ind ustrial areas and cool coast and flow of perermial rivers and timeomamenlJll fish breeders in the country , (jj=' March 1998 Vol. No. 17 No. 12 I ~ FISHING (JHIMES Tablet. CommerciaUy important marine ornamental fishes but they caWlot even meet the demand (Srivastava. 1994). Ofthe 20 orso aquarium from Indian waters fish exporters in the COmttry only half of SI. No. Family Common Name Scientific Name them are active (Elamparithy, 1996). I. Acanthuridae Grey surgeon AcanthunlS caeruleus Why aquarium fisbes? Powder·blue surgeOn A. leucmternon Aquarium fish can fetch about I 00 times Clown surgeon .4. iineatus more price than the food fish and marine Convict Tang A. criostegus ornamentals are about ten times costlier Unicorn tang Naso breviroslris than their freshwater counterparts (Bassleer. Smooth head unicorn fish N. lUuratus 1994; Gomes, 1996). Approximate export Bro\W tank Zebrosoma scopas value (only indicative price) in us $ per piece: damsels: 0.50-1. 00; Wrasses: 0.85- Yellow-tail sailfm Tang Z. veliferom 2.00; tangs: 3.25-3.75; moorish idol: 3.25- 2. Balistidae Undulate Triggerfish Balistapwi undulatus 3.50; powder blue surgeon: 11.00-12.50; Blue-fmned Triggerfish Balistoides viridescens butterfly fishes: 1.65-4.25; cardinal fishes: Picasso Triggerfish Rhinecanthus aculealllS 0.60 - 0.70. Sargassum triggerfish Xanthichthys n"ngens The economics and profitability of an Belted Triggerfish R. rectangllilLS ornamental fish-exporting mit works out 3. CaUyodontidae Striped Parrotfisb Callyodon toenil/rus to be highly lucrative provided the activity 4. Chaetodontidae Threadfin Butterflyfish Chaelodon auriga is taken up on scientific hnes with Pearlscale Butterflyfish C. chrysurus appropriate marketing strategies. The Citron Butterflyfish C citrinellus activity is possible not only on large scale White-colar Butterflyfish Ccollare but also on small scale. It provides good Saddle Butterflyfish C ephippium opportunity even to small entreprenems to Double-daddle Buttenflyfisb C. falcula enter into the field. Institutional fimding Klein's butterflyfish C. Idein; for R&D activities is. however. essential. Lined Butterflyfish C Uneolatus Commercial banks can formulate schemes Raccoon Butterflyfisb C lunula for extending financial assistance to Black-backed Butterflyfisb C. melanollts prospective entrepreneurs for short-term Meyet's Butterflyfish C. m~eri training programmes on production of Ornate Butterflyfish C. ornatissimus ornamental fishes. Two of the major areas which Tequire immediate attention are. la) Dotted Butterflyfish C pelewensis in-house breeding of selected species of False Vagabond ButterflyfishC picturs marine ornamenta I fishes which are in great Two Spot Butterflyfish Cplebeius demand to release the pressure on wild­ RafiJes Butterflyfish C rafflessi captme and (b) scheme ofeducating/training One spot Butterflyfish C. specuilim a good number of fisherfolk in the more Three-striped Butterflyfisb C Irijasciatlls skilled and specialised techniques of One spot Butterflyfish C Ilnimacll/atus collecting handling. storing and transport Vagabond Butterflyfish C. vagClbrmdus of ornamentals which could revolutionise Goldbeaded Butterfly fish C. xanlhocephalus the fishing industry to soInt extent. provide Pennant Coralfish Jlenichus acuminatus enhanced cash income and thus better living Poor Man's Moorish Idol II. ch,ysoslomus standards for those involved. H. varius Humphead Bannerfish Conservatiou of natural resource 6. Pomacanthidae Coral Beauty Centropyge bispinosus Pigmy Angelfish C muitispinis It is imperative to adopt a rational Blue King Angelfish Pomacanthus annllians exploitation strategy of coral reef fishes. Emperor Angelfish P. imperator The growing worldwide interest in marine .aquarium keeping is causing detrimental Semicircle Angelfish P. semicirclilatus effects on the environment. Intensive and 6. Holoceotridae Squirrelfish Hoiocentnlm nlbnlm selective catching techniques. such as Bigeye Squirrelfish A1yriprislis murdjan cyanide poisoning and dynamite fishing 7. Labridae Lyretail Wrasse ThalassomCl lunare pose majorthreats to the delicately ba lanced Bird Wrasse fiomphosus coel1l1elL'~ reef ecosystem and this is of particular Longface Wrasse G. vurius concern in marine ornamental fish trade. Yellow Cleaner v.,'rasse Labroides bie%r These unscrupulous practices result also in (conttLin next page.) I CiT' March 1998 Vol. No. 17 No. 12

Common Cleaner Wrasse L. dimidiatus. natuml stock depletion. The high mortality Twinspot Wrasse Caris angulata rates suffered by captured fish is also a Clown Wrasse C.formosa wanton waste of animal life. Additionally. False Clown Wrasse C. gaimardi the overdependence on natural populations 8. Pomacentridae White--tailed Damselfish Dascyllus antanus coupled with the increasing demands for Reticulated Damselfish D. reticulatus restrictions on capture jeopardise the future ofthe aquarium industry. Developing and Threespot Damselfish D . .trimaeulatus utilising aquacultural techniques, such as Black Velvet Damselfish PomaeentnLS nigrieans broodstock management and captive­ Blue-green Damselfish Chromis caerolea breeding to supply fish to the trade can ease Bicolour Damselfish C. dimidialus the pressure on wild-capture and thus reduce Indian Orange Anemonefish Amphipn'on akallopisos overexploitation ofthe reeffish. ThisshouJd Yel1ow~~iled Anemonefish A. clarkii receivethebighest priority to stop supply of Red Clowsn A.frenatus . sick' fish to the market abroad. to save the Maldivan Anemonefish A.nigrlpes wild stocks from depletion. to save the False Skunk-striped fragile coral environment from destruction. Anemonefish A. peridera ion to avoid conflicts over fishing rights and to Two~banded Anemone fish A. bieinctatus provide continuous and increased Biocellatus Damselfish Abudefdufb;oeellatus opportWlities particularly in rural sector. Damselfisbes A. sexafasciatus Two principal ways in which theomamental A.lacrymatus trade might adversely affect populations of A. d;c/di fish in the wild is through the introduction A. xanthozona of non~native organisms and through the A. glaucUs direct depletion of wild stocks (Andrews. A.septemfasciatus 1990). Murthy (1996) has underlined the 9. Pelcorhynchidae Yellow-Lines Sweetlips Plectorhynehus alboviNatus need f~ considering protection of Strianght-Banded Sweetlips P. gaterinoides environment, adoption of non~destructive Oriental Sweetlips P. orinetalis capture methods, monitoring the Painted Sweetlips P.pietus exploitation, breeding and culture as well 10. Canthigasteridae Amboina Toby Cnathigaster albovinatus as esta blishment of sanctuaries for Bennett's Toby C bennett; formulating policy ofexploitation and export Sharp-nosed Puffer C margen'tatus of marine ornamental fishes. Saddled Toby C valentini Marine aquaria Porcupine fish Diodon hystrix II. Ostraciidae Spotted Cube Ostracion cub icus The concept of seawater public aquaria Spotted Boxfish 0 , meleagris should receive greater attention in our Cowfish iAetoria cornuta cOW1try. These aquaria stimulate interest 12. Platicidae Orbiculate Batfish Platax orbieulan's and develop knowledge about marine aquatic Long-finned batfisb P.teira environments. Conservation is reflected in 13. Apogonidae Cardinal fishes Apogon spp. a subtle blend of science and art, reminding i4. Scorpaen.idae Scorpionfisb Pterm's vohtam visitors that our quality oflife depends on a Spotfin Lionfish P. antennata fragile balance which must be nurtured by Whitefm Lionfish p, radiata all of us. The benefits from establishment of public seawater aquaria could be 15. Serranidae Blue and yellow Reef-cod .' Epinephelus flavocaeroleus summarised as (a) they offer an educational Malabar Reef-cod E. malabarieus window to a diversified aquaculture world Golden-striped GTouper Grammisfes sexlineatus from which some of us make a living. (b) Saddleback GTouper Plectropomus maeulatus facilitate families to observe a simulated 16. Lutjanidae Blue-striped snapper Lutjanus kasmira natural habitat ofa variety ofspecies without Red Emperor L. sebae Black and white snapper Macalor niger donning a wet suit. (c) create awareness on 17. Triacanthidae Black-finned Triplt>-spine Triacanthus biaculeatus the importance of ecology and (d) provide brev;rostris first hand experience with state of Short-nosed Tripodfish T. of~ 18. Muraenidae Snowflake Moray Eel Ech;ndon nebulosa technology in aquaculture. Technologies Echidna Zebra on handling, packaging and transportation Zebra Moray Eel of live marine ornamentals, marine Moray eel Muraena tessalata Zanelus conutus aquarium setting and maintenance, captive 19. Zanclidae Moorish idol ~======:~~======d..:pr~o:p~a=ga:t=i:on:=a=n=d:~:::p:r~od:=u=c:ti:o:n~h:a~v:e:to:::be C§f> March 1998 Vol. No. 17 No. 12 ~ FISHING CIIUIES perfected and the fruits of research have to be College for 3 years. They have claimed Pbang. 1994; Foo el al .. 1995). Th.s has transferred to the fisherfolk. Central Marine significant achievements in breeding, prompted V. P.E. Phang and her colleagues Fisheries Research Institute has established disease control measures etc. Ml'EDA in from the National University of Singapore a public aquarium at the Vizhinjam Research association with the Centre for the to carry out RAPD fingerprinting in guppy. Centre which harbours severa I species of Promotion of Imports from Developing gold fish. discus. tiger barbs and marine freshwater. brack ishwater and marine countries (CBI). N~therlands. took up a clOWTl fish. Average similarity index values ornamental fishes and invertebrates. project for promotion of exports of for the guppy and gold fish were in the range Captive propagation and cnlture ornamental fishes from India. As a'part of typically exhibited by populations that were this. a survey was conducted in'· 1985 and small and isolated or were highly inbred. Technology of captive propagation of 1986 by an expert in ornamental fish culture DNA markers of gold fish were examined freshwater ornamental fishes is perfected and trade. W.A Tomey. He indicated (Yu el al .. 1994: Chen and Leibenguth. (Chye. 1991 : Fernando and Phang. 1994). considerable scope for initiating and 1995). RAllD fmgerprinting was applied to In contrast only a handful of marine species developing export of marine ornamental examine the species and subspecies oftilapia could be successfully bred "in captivity. fish from India. A training mission for (Bardakci and Skibinski. 1994: Naish e/ There are a number of rea SODS for this. One ornamental fish export to Netherlands was al .. 1995: Dineshetal.. 1996) Degani elal. of the main obstacles to the establishment organised (Anon. :986). In 1990. a (1997) have examined the DNA fmgerprint ofa marine ornamental fish fanning industry Workshop was conducted at Guwahati on bands in three strains of angel fi sh. is the complex nature of the reproduction collection. acclimatisation. packing and Plerophyllum scalare. No work has been and rearing of the larvae of these fish in transportation ofornamental fish for export. cited on DNA fingerprinting of aquarium captivity. Due to the efforts of a smaU This wasto educate the local people and the fishes from India. Major potential Durn"ber of private entrepreneurs. a few officials of the Department of Fisheries on applications of UNA firigerprinting in species of marine ornamental fishes could the subject. More recently. a Workshop ornamental fi sh culture wilJ be in the be commercially raised but governmental was organised on 16th May. 1997 at Savera efficient monitoring and genetic support has been insignificant. Most of the HoteL Chennai to assess prospects and improvement of stocks. and in the stock species currently fanned are from thefamily problems of Ornamental fi sh export. W.A improvement programmes. Pomacentridae and Gobiidae which are Tomey presented a paper on 'Ornamental Conclusion considered to be "easier" to propagate. Fish Marketing'. MPEDA has worked out Gome ( 1996) has considered some the economics and profitability of Ornamental fish has emerged as a important issues in the propagation ofmarine ornamental exporting units. Central Marine resource with considerable economic ornamentals. such a s broodstock Fisheries Research Institute is also potential. India is endowed with rich development. larval management. larval fonnulating projects for propagation and resources of freshwater and marine tank characteristics. environmental culture of marine ornamental fishes with a ornamental fishes. India can certainly conditions. water management. larval view to promoting trade and tourism. become a major contributor in international nutrition and di sease control. Shariff and trade of ornamental fish es. Apart from Subasinghe( 1992)havedescribed aquarium DNA fingerprinting in improving foreign exchange reserves. this fish health management. The Tropical ornamental fishes trade can generate more job opportlUlities Marine Centre (TMC ) in UK is one of the Unambiguous identification of the and self-employment in rural areas. It is the major commercial producers of hatchery colour variants is essential in efficient onerous duty of those engaged in aquarium reared clown fishes. TIle TMC is Europe's monitoring and genetic management of ~ trade and industry to abstain from overfishing premier importer and wholesa ler of a wide stocks. and in stock/strain/variety as well as the use ofdestmctive methods of range of m.arine ornamentals including improvement programmes. Conventional wild capture for managing the sustainable molluscs. live rocks and crustacea. There methods ofstrainivariety identification and yield ofthese beautiful creatures. arealso a few isolated reports on the success selective breeding programmes are either References of spawning of marine ornamental fish in inadequate or cumbersome. Ornamental A.lAVA. V.R. and GOMES. LA.O. 1989. aquaria. such as .-Imphiprion clarkii and fish breeders have twO major objectives. Breeding marine aquarium animals: The A.perc li /a (Alava and Gomes. 1989). First is the improvement of fi sh stocks to Anemonefish. Naga, The /ClARMQllal1erly. Das(::dlll .~ albisdla and D. arllanllS enhance their viability , reproduct ive fitness pp. 12-13. (Danilowicz and Brown. 1992) and and adaptability to environmental c~es Amphiprhm 1,C!rni/a (Malpass. 1996). and stress. The second is the continual ANDREWS. c. 1992. The ornamental fish trade and fi sh conservation: Infofish R&D elTorts introduction or development of novel and exotic fish variants to captivate and sustain lnt. , 2: 25-29. ~arine Products Export Development the interests offish hobbyists. ANON . 1986. Report on the training Authority (MPEDA) funded a project on mission on ornamental fi sh export to the . Mass production of aquarium fishes" Demand for fancy varieties hasNSElted Netherlands. Marine Products Export including new strains through induced in stringent selection for desirable colours Development A Ulhorily. Cochin. India, 24 breeding and least cost growth promoting and other economic traits over generations. pp. agents. carried out by Madras Christian leading;to hi~ inbreeding depression in guppy. R.ol!cilia reticula/a (Fernando and BARDAKCLFandD.O.F.SK IIlINSKI1994. (jJ ) J March 1998 Vol. No. 17 No. 12 ~ FISHING CHUtES

Application of RAPD technique in tilapia CHAN and V.PE PHANG 1995, Inheritance RANfA J.A, 1996c. Starting a marine fish: species and sub-species identification. ofRAPD markers in the guppy fish, Poecilia tank Part-3. Tropical Fish HobbYIst, Heredity, 73: '117-123, reticulata, Zoo!' Sci, . 12: 535-541, November, ppA0-50, BASSLEER, G., ]994. The international FRANKEL,J,S" 1992, Inheritanceoftrunk SRlVASTAVA L,S" 1994. Ornamental trade in aquariwn ornamental fish. Infofish coloration in the three-spot gourami fish - New export opportwJ..ities fojana. Nov. Int , No. 5 : 15-17, Tn·chogaster trichoptenls Pallas. J. Fish 15:22, CHEN. H and F. LEIBENGUfH 1995, Bioi,. 41 (4) : 663-665. SHARIFF. M and R. SUBASINGHE 1992, Studies on muliilocus fingerprints, RAPD lAMBERTON. K. 1996, Some perfect Aquarium fish health: do we really care? markers and mitochondrial DNA of a marine echinoderms. Tropical Fish InJofish Int" 6:43-47, gynogeneticfish (Carassjus auratus gibelio). Hobbyist, December, pp, 60-69, STRATTON, R.L 1995, Some Biochemical Genetics, 33 (9/10): 297-306, MALPAS. D, 1996, RaisingAmphiprion suggestions for the marine community tank. CHYE. W,c' 1991, Ornamental fish percula. Tropical Fish Hobbyist, August. Tropical Fish Hobbyist. DeGember. pp. 62- breeding, InJofish In'" 5: 54-59, pp, 56-61, n DANILOWICZ. B.S. and <;,L. BROWN, MILLS, D., 1987. The Practical TOMEY, WA 1985, Swvey in the Union 1992, Rearing methods for two damselfish encyclopedia of the Marine Aquarium. territory ofLakshadweep, the Bombay and species: Dascyllus alb is ella (Gill) and Do Salamander BooksLtd., London. New York. Madras area: Promotion and export trade of aruanus (L.)Aquaculture. 106: 14.1-149. 209 pp, Indian ornamental fishes from marine as DEGAN!. G" J, PITCOVSKI. T DOBSKI MURTY. V. SRiRAMACHANDRA 1996. well as freshwater origin and ornamental and Y.PLOTSKY, 1997, DNAfinge'Print bands Marine ornamental fishes of India. water plants. Report to CBl, the Netherlands applied to analysis of variations in angelfish Proceedings of the Seminar on Fisheries - a and Man·ne Products Export Development (Pterophyllum sealare) (Cichlidae) strains. multibillion dollar industry. Aquaculture Authority, Cochin, J, Aqua, Trop" 12 (I): 43-51, FOlfHdation of India & The Fisheries TOMEY,W.A 1986. Promotion of export DINESH. KR. TM, LIM, WK CHAN and Technology FOnlm : pp. 23-34. tradeofIndian ornamental fishes from marine V.P.E. PRANG 1996. Genetic variation NAlSH. KA. M. WARREN,F, BARDAKCI. as well as freshwater origin and aquatic inferred from RAPD finge'Printing in three D,O,F SKIBINSKI, G.R CARVALHO and G,c' plants for the aquarium industry: the pilot species oftiJapia. Aquaculture international, MAIR 1995, Multilocus DNAfinge'Printing project conclusi~s and recommendations. 4, 19-30: and RAPDreveal similar genetic relationship Report on the project results to CBIIMPEDA. ElAMPARITHY. B., 1996, Culture of between strains of Oreochromis nilotic1l.f WILKENS. P .• 1995, Filter-feeders in the ornamental fishes and their export potential. (Pisces: Cichtidae), Ho!' Ecol,. 4: 271-274. marine aquarium. Tropical Fish Hobbyist, Proceedings of the Seminar on fisheries - NINA WE. A S. 1997, Ornamenta 1 fish may, ppA6-62, multibillion dollar industry. Aquaculture culture - a new prospects in India. Fish YU.J-K. Y, WEL Z. YULlAN. S, YUand Y, Foundation of India & The Fisheries Farmer, pp, 32-34, SHAOYJ 1994, Sperm mediated gene transfer Technology Forum, pp, 101-104, RANTA, l .A , 19963. Starting a marine and method "of deteGtion of integrated gene FERNANDO.AA- andPHANG, V,PE 1994, tank Part - 1. Tropical Fish Hobbyist. by PCR. Acta, Zoo!' sm/DongwuXuebao, 40 Fresh~a ter ornamental fish aquacultfre in September, pp, 28-37, (1):96-99, Singapore, Singap.ore Polytechnic, RANTA l A., 1996b. Starting a marine Singapore, pp, 39-50, tank Part-2. Tropical j<'ishHobbyist, October, FOO. C,L. KR DlNESH, T.M. LIM, W,K, pp, 60-71. Relief Package for Sri Lanka 1997, It is stated that El Nino led to drought stability to the industry, However. this Shrimp Farmers situation and normal conditions are led to no results. It is stated that the Bank expected Gnly in May 1998, This means is still processing the applications. Shrimp culture activities in Sri Lanka that there will not be any short tenn On the part ofGovemment a campaign suffered a severe set back attributed to EI development in shrimp culture, Added to has been launched under the auspices of Nino phenomenon, fmancial constraints these problems, is the seasonally low the National Aquatic Agency and the and white spot diseases. The affect of this temperature (23 degrees C), This has led Fanners and Exporters Association is stated tohaveaffected shrimp production Prawn to a drop in post-larval availability and it from the ponds, Only 35% of the Sri to educate Jhrimp farmers on hygienic is stated that several attempts to rise water Lanka shrimp farms with an extent of practices. Efforts are being mage to temperature to 29 degrees C have failed. educate the farmers to adopt water around 6,000 acres are stated to have been Fw1hertherewerecomplaintsfrom shrimp recycling system minimising the water stocked by end January 1998, One main in fanners about shortage of artemia supplies. reason for the short fall in the stocking discharge from the ponds. The Central Bank of Sri Lanka has situation is stated to be lack of salinity taken upa relief financial packageof$l, 7 owing to continuous rains since September million around May 1996 to provide March 1998