Aquarium Fish
The trade of ornamental fish is a multibillion-dollar industry in more than 125 countries – the UK is the number one importer in Europe. SMARTAQUA aims to support the development of the ornamental fish industry in Wales and provide aquarium hobbyist with sustainable-farmed tropical fish.
Fishkeeping is a centuries old hobby – now it is getting trendy and profitable. Clinic waiting rooms, hotel lobbies and restaurants have ornamental aquariums – they are both beautiful and relaxing. Watching fish and other aquatic organisms exploring their environment, hiding behind a plant or probing the substrate is hypnotic but also soothing – it decreases blood pressure and has a positive impact on our wellbeing.
Every year over 2500 fish, species are traded for the aquarium industry, but the market is dominated by 30 freshwater species; the most common are the guppy, neon tetra, angelfish, gold fish, zebra danio and discus. These freshwater species are mainly bred in captivity, which contrasts with the 98% ornamental marine fish collected from the wild. In Europe, the UK is the number one importer by value – in 2017 the UK spent ca. 19 million pounds in ornamental fish imports. Most ornamental fish come from far away tropical countries like Singapore, Japan, and Thailand; but some fish come from the Czech Republic or Spain.
