Tamil Nadu: Ornamental Fish Trade Centre To Come Up In Chennai

The minister said the project would be implemented through public-private partnership and it is expected to benefit at least 2,000 families who are breeding, selling and exporting ornamental fish.

Anitha R Radhakrishnan (Source: Twitter)

Chennai: Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare Minister Anitha R Radhakrishnan on Saturday informed the assembly that an ornamental fish trade centre would be set up at Kolathur in Chennai. 

According to a report from The Hindu, the minister said that the ornamental fish trade centre would be set up at the cost of Rs 50 crore and it would be on a par with international standards. He said that the project would be implemented through public-private partnership and it is expected to benefit at least 2,000 families who are breeding, selling and exporting ornamental fish. 

Quoting the minister, the report further said that an integrated ornamental fish culture demonstration centre would be set up at the Fisheries college and research institute at Thoothukudi. It would be set up at the cost of Rs 3.2 crore, he added. 

Explaining that there is a demand for viral (snakehead fish), the minister, according to the report, said that the department would set up a hatchery at Agaram in Cuddalore district to increase its productivity. It would be set up at a cost of Rs 40 lakh, he added. 

According to the report, he further announced the assembly that a fish landing centre would be established at Manappadu in Thoothukudi district at a cost of Rs 45 crore. The report said that it would be constructed after dredging and desilting the sand accumulated at the place where Karumeni river merges with the sea. 

The report said, another fish landing centre would be constructed in Amali Nagar, Jeeva Nagar, Alanthalai, Meenavar Colony and Kulasekarapatinam at a cost of Rs12 crore and it will have an auction centre and a net knitting centre with concrete roads. 

Similar fish landing centres will be set up in Ekkiarkuppam in Villupuram district at a cost of Rs 10 crores, in Kesavaputhanthurai, Keezha Manakudi and Mela Manakudi at a cost of Rs 79 crore and in Chengalpattu district at a cost of Rs 57 crore.