A year ago, these middle-aged women were just like any other housewives involved in monotonous household chores and today they are experts in marine ornamental fish breeding, thanks to the technical support and guidance given by the Mandapam Regional Centre of Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) here.
The small-scale marine ornamental fish production unit, an all-women enterprise, inside the CMFRI campus is a source of inspiration for the womenfolk and self-help groups, which look for additional income-earning prospects.
S. Suseela Mary, M. Nesamani, V. Dharmalakshmi, P. Nagajothi, S. Danabakiyam and S. Pushpalatha absolutely had no knowledge of marine ornamental fishes when the unit was launched on May 12 last.
Now, a year later, they learnt the expertise and look for a better future.
“We have not earned much in the last one year, but more than the monetary benefit, we have mastered the breeding technology,” say Ms. Suseela Mary and others.
If G. Gopakumar, CMFRI Scientist in-charge, took the initiative in setting up the unit, B. Johnson, CMFRI Scientist, gave the hands-on training to the women, and his wife J. Anitha, an MBA graduate, motivated them and supervised their activities.
The CMFRI made available the infrastructure and provided the technical support, but the women had the instinct to learn the technology, Mr. Johnson said.
“Thanks to their active participation, we could establish a model marine ornamental fish breeding unit on the campus to inspire others,” he told The Hindu on Wednesday.
In November, five pairs of brooders of Amphiprion Sebae, a rare clownfish, were given for breeding and the women were successfully hatching the species, with a survival rate of 70 to 80 per cent, he said.
They would be soon getting brooders of two more species, the Maroon clownfish and Ocellaris clownfish and propose to expand.
The women look for a bright future as a single fish would fetch them Rs.100. They would also be too willing to train the womenfolk living in the coastal villages and interested to take up marine ornamental fish breeding.
“The low investment trade is ideal for an alternative income as ornamental fishes command good prices in the domestic market,” Mr. Gopakumar said.
