KUALA LUMPUR: The ornamental fish industry holds significant economic potential for the country, particularly in terms of exports and income for breeders, with production projected to reach 352 million fish valued at RM550 million by 2030.
Deputy director-general of Fisheries (Management) Wan Muhammad Aznan Abdullah said that Malaysia produced 241 million ornamental fish worth RM373 million in 2023, with 21 per cent of these being exported.
“This underscores the robust potential for growth in Malaysia’s ornamental fish industry. The Department of Fisheries (DOF) remains committed to supporting and enabling local ornamental fish breeders to succeed in the global market,” he said in a statement.
According to DOF statistics for 2023, Johor led in ornamental fish production with a value of RM261 million, followed by Perak at RM87 million, Penang at RM8 million, and Sarawak at RM3.5 million.
Among ornamental fish with commercial value (excluding Arowana), tetra recorded the highest sales value of RM24.2 million, followed by koi at RM12.2 million, discus at RM11.3 million, guppy at RM11 million, molly at RM10.8 million, and betta at RM9.4 million.
The DOF has implemented several initiatives to support the ornamental fish industry, including providing equipment and fish feed assistance through the Aquaculture Delivery System and Extension Support Services (SPeKS). It also offers technical advisory services such as water quality inspection, biosecurity certification, compliance, and training programs for breeders.
The statement also said that in efforts to promote the industry and enhance the quality of Malaysian farmed fish, DOF encourages entrepreneurs, breeders and exporters, to participate in national and international exhibitions.
It said that at the Aquafair Kuala Lumpur 2023 exhibition, 10 participating entrepreneurs were at the booths set up by the department. Apart from that, eight entrepreneurs, including Chew Thean Yeang (CTY) Aquarium Sdn Bhd, participated in the DOF pavilion at the Interzoo 2024 in Germany.
It added that the ongoing 4th CTY International Guppy & Plecostomus competition and the 2nd Guppy Asia Cup, organised by CTY Aquarium Sdn Bhd, from June 21 to 23, has attracted enthusiasts of guppies and invasive plecostomus (ikan bandaraya) from across the country.
A seminar on managing plecostomus was also held to educate the public on proper ornamental fish care practices.
