A Study on The Ornamental Fish Trade in Dahaka City

Abstract:

In the present study the occurrence, abundance and availability of omamental fish in Dhaka city and its marketing system, their price, modes of transportation, livelihood of the traders, consumer’s perceptions were studied for a period of six months from April 2010 to September 2010. Kataban market is the largest wholesaler and retailer market of the ornamental fish. Data were collected through questionnaire interviews and focus group discussions. Fish marketing is almost exclusively preserve of the private sectors where livelihood of a large number of people is associated with fish distribution and marketing systems. Previously these omamental fishes were collected from the international traders. Now-a-days most of the fishes are bred in our country and minority amount of fishes are collected from the international suppliers. This market buys the fish through an association. This association buys the fish in every two months. The amount of the fish that is sold in each month is 25,000 pieces to 30,000 pieces. The main groups of fish are: Cyprinids, Characins, Cichlids, Anabantids, Catfishes, Loaches, Tropical Egg Lying Species, Tropical Live Bearers and other organisms. It was estimated that the market composition of the Cyprinids were approximately 30%, characins were approximately 1%, the Cichlids were approximately 10%, anabantids were approximately 9%, the catfishes were 16%, the Loaches were 5%, the tropical egg lying species were 4%, the tropical live bearers were 20% and the composition of others aquatic organisms were 5% The cyprinids and the tropical livebearers are the most abundant and cheap species. Their price is varied from 40 BDT to 120 BDT per pair. The Cichlids are one of the most valuable groups of fish, these fish are sold within 600 BDT to 1800 BDT/pair. Silver Arówna is the most expensive fish of this market. Each pair of this fish will cost 1, 00,000 BDT to 1, 20,000 BDT The availability of these fish are 12 months. Most of the fishes are commercially bred in our country. There are about 45 species of fish are commercially sold all over the country. The annual profit of the traders is varied from 3, 50,000 BDT to 4, 00,000 BDT, It was found that 90% of the traders have improved their socio economic condition through omamental fish selling. Traders have broadly improved their food consumption, standards of living, purchasing power, and choice. Governmental concem, bank loan, adequate fish supply, availability of medicine, indigenous feed production are needed for further improvement of this sector in our country.