ABSTRACT
In recent years, the marine ornamental fish trade is a global multimillion dollar industry worth an estimated US$ 200-330 million, annually. Even though, India is bestowed with ornamental fish resources, wild collection from coral reefs can lead to destruction of the reef habitats. It is well understood that a long term sustainable trade of marine ornamental fishes can be developed only through the development and commercialization of hatchery production technologies for the species which are in high demand in the trade. The technologies developed, have to be scaled up and demonstrated for commercial level production. Hatchery production and culture of marine tropical ornamental fish can prove to be more economically feasible than that of marine food fish culture, due to the high unit price of ornamental fishes. The clown fishes and damselfishes of the family Pomacentridae offer immediate scope for hatchery production due to the availability of seed production methodologies.
