home > aquanaut > market > ornamental marine fish imports

 

Figures prepared in the OATA office using official statistics, show that around 10 million ornamental marine fish are imported annually throughout the world. The total weight of these fish may lie between 70-100 tonnes. While official statistics are not always reliable, they are the best we have to work with. This figure should be contrasted with the total of 100,000,000 tonnes of sea fish caught for consumption, and the 17,000,000 tonnes of by-catch (waste) that is thrown back into the sea each year by the world's fishing fleets.

Closer to home, H. M. Customs and the State Veterinary Service figures indicate the UK imports approximately 350,000 marine ornamentals a year, which weigh under 3 tonnes. Previous reports have indicated much higher figures for the weights because their authors have failed to properly recognise the very small percentage of the weight of ornamental fish freight which is actually live fish, the remainder being water and packaging.

Another concern that has been expressed recently, is the likelihood that ornamental marines may be introduced as alien species around the world. In the UK, not only are tropical species highly unlikely to become established, but there are far larger areas of concern. A recent report estimated that 42 million tonnes of ballast water was discharged into British waters by ocean going ships. This is the equivalent of every marine aquaria in the country being emptied into the sea three times a day, every day of the year.