Ornamental Fish Centers To Strengthen Domestic Market

Jakarta, Nov 6 (Antara) - The Maritime and Fisheries Affairs Ministry has set up ornamental fish centers in numerous regions in a bid to strengthen the domestic market, particularly in the face of the ASEAN Economic Community 2015 (AEC 2015). "Strengthening the domestic market becomes the main target of the Maritime and Fisheries Affairs Ministry in order to enhance the competitiveness of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) products by setting up centers of ornamental fish in different areas across the nation," Maritime and Fisheries Affairs Ministry`s Chief for Research and Development Board Achmad Poernomo stated in a written statement on Thursday. Therefore, he emphasized that the community of ornamental fish breeders in the country should also be ready to face the AEC 2015. Achmad remarked that the ornamental fish business holds immense potential due to an increasing market demand for the commodity. He opined that the ornamental fish market`s potential can be further tapped if it is supported by adequate technology to boost its competitiveness. "The application of technology should be oriented to maintaining dynamic and sustainable productivity," he stated, adding that the Maritime and Fisheries Affairs Ministry`s Training and Development Board has come up with a package of technology and innovation for the fishing community. According to him, the innovations constituted marine technology, fish catching and production, and processing technology and its derivatives. Achmad noted that through an initiative called, "science and technology of society," these technologies have been passed on to the community. As a result, he affirmed that with the implementation of these technologies, the endangered species of ornamental fish such as rainbow fish can be bred in large numbers. He further explained that ornamental fish have shown high potential in improving the livelihood of the people and is an important commodity for Indonesia.