Newindpress

Bangalore, Aug 8: The Silicon city, which already houses state of the art IT and BT parks, will soon have the country's first Aqua Park with the aim of giving a boostto the fast developing ornamental fish culture in the state.

As part of the celebration of 50 years of the state fisheries department, Karnataka government has plans to establish an Aqua Park on a 13-acre area owned by it at Hessarghatta on the outskirts of the city initially and later expand depending upon the need.

Joint Director of Fisheries Dr N R Ramakrishna told this website’s newspaperthat the main objective of establishing an Aqua Park was to encourage youngentrepreneurs to set up breeding and marketing units with the government'sassistance.

This will help capture the ornamental fish market which is witnessing a turnover of several crores of rupees. The creation of the Park is estimated to cost Rs 150 lakh. A team of officials and experts have already visited everal places across the country to study ornamental fish culture.

According to Ramakrishna, Bangalore city alone has over 500 Aquarium shops and several thousands ofhouses, corporate and business firms, restaurants and star hotels that house aquariums.

The demand for ornamental fish in Karnataka is huge and is currently being met by suppliers from Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram.

Stating that very little progress had been made in India with regard to ornamental fishing industry compared to the advances made in edible fish industry, Ramakrishna said that several people interested in fishes in metros imported fabricated aquarium, aquarium accessories and varieties of ornamental fish.

The department has a state budget of Rs 60 crore to support its planned activities this year, Ramakrishna said. Though both the state planning and finance departments have given approval for the establishment of the park in principle, the Fisheries department has to find the "ways and means" to establish the Park in the beginning.

The department would have to ensure all common facilities at the park.

Individual plots would be allotted to the entrepreneurs for taking up both breeding and rearing of ornamental fish. Besides catering to the needs of the ornamental fish industry in India, the entrepreneurs can also exploit the huge export potential.

The exporters would have an advantage in the future as well because Hesaraghatta, where the park is being set up, is close to the new Bangalore international airport.