An ornamental fish farm with the aid of government subsidy at Sakkammalpuram has provided a sustainable economic growth for G. Saravanan, an ornamental fish farmer. Through sale of cultured ornamental fishes in this farm, he was racking up a profit of Rs. 2 lakh every year. Demand for such cultured colourful fishes were on the rise in India and abroad and these were being marketed to buyers from Kolkata, Mumbai, Cochin, Bangalore and Andhra Pradesh also, he said while Collector M. Ravikumar interacted with him after inspecting his farm.
The farm spans across nearly an acre and was established at a cost of Rs. 8 lakh with 25 percent subsidy provided by National Fisheries Development Board during 2012-13. With 79 different colourful species mostly exotic varieties nurtured in fresh water in over hundred concrete aquarium tanks, a stock of 25,000 ornamental fishes was available. Fishes cultured in enclosed concrete tanks had not only yielded desired results for the entrepreneur but had also offered livelihood support for women, mostly from rural areas, the fish farmer said.
Subsequently, the Collector along with the Fisheries Department officials visited a fish seed bank at Maramangalam village in Srivaikuntam taluk. Considering the significance of inland fisheries, three nursery ponds and six fish farm ponds had been serving as the fish seed bank of the area and were in existence since 2012-13 with a subsidy of Rs. 3 lakh, Ponraj, an entrepreneur said. Seeds of ‘katla,’ ‘rogu’ and ‘mrigal’ were being reared into fingerlings and in forty days around 20,000 fingerlings could be got in a single harvest, Mr. Ponraj, who earned success through this venture, informed. Joint Director of Fisheries R. Amal Xavier, Assistant Director of Fisheries (Marine) AP. Isaac Jeyakumar, Assistant Director of Tuticorin Fishing Harbour Management S. Siva Kumar, Inspector of Fisheries T. Vijayaraghavan and others accompanied.
