Culturing and keeping ornamental fishes (aquariculture) under restricted conditions started as easy and stress relieving hobby (2nd largest hobby after photography) and is now being adopted by hobbyists for aesthetic pleasure and by the fish farmers for the financ
ial gains. Now day’s ornamental fisheries is coming up on big scale as a commercial venture. Global ornamental fish trade, worth Rs. 2000 crores with an average annual growth rate of 14 %, is contributing significantly to rural development, through livelihood generation, in many developing countries, including India. Indian ornamental fish market is worth Rs. 50 crores, with 0.32% contribution to global ornamental fish trade. The sector with an export potential of 7.50 crores, is increasing @ 20 % annually. Indian waters possess rich diversity of ornamental fishes (>150 spp.) and around 280 exotic spp. have been introduced in the country so far, out of which over 100 indigenous species and similar number of exotic species are bred successfully in captivity. Presently, ornamental fish trade in India is concentrated in and around metro cities like Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai. However, in the recent past, interest in ornamental fish is growing in many states, including Punjab.
According to Dr. Asha Dhawan, Dean College of Fisheries, ornamental fish farming in Punjab is also emerging as an upcoming entrepreneurial activity and to cater the ever increasing demand of ornamental fishes, the College is working for the last eight years in this field. After undertaking various research trials, the culture and breeding technologies for some of the economically important ornamental fish species has been standardized under climatic conditions of Punjab. She also informed that in order to promote the sector, now the College has well established indoor and outdoor units for taking up culture and breeding of 
ornamental fishes for research, trainings and demonstrations etc. The College has also set up small scale culture and breeding model (Rs. 5000-6000 /month income) for demonstration purpose. 
With an effective “lab to land” extension programme (consultancy and trainings), awareness and skill development for ornamental fisheries is being developed in the farming as well as non-farming communities including rural household women, youth, hobbyists and traders as well. The College is also actively involved in producing and selling ornamental fish to hobbyists, public places like gurdwaras, temples etc. in the State.
According to Dr. Meera D. Ansal, Head, Department of Aquaculture, there is lot of scope in the ornamental fish sector for socio-economic development by generating self-employment especially for the women, because the venture does not need elaborative management and can easily be taken up depending upon the resource availability in the form of space and money. She further stated that the allied activities associated with the sector like aquarium fabrication, supply and maintenance can also be taken up very easily. Hobbyists, entrepreneurs, women, who are interested to take up ornamental fisheries as an small scale or large scale enterprise, can attend the training programs at College of Fisheries (GADVASU), after submitting an application on prescribed format in the College and can also contact on the official phone number 0161 2414061 for any kind of information and assistance.
