The Ministry Of Agriculture, through the Fisheries Division, seeks to improve Jamaica’s share into the United States multi-million ornamental fish import market. The Fish Production Project which began in 2005 aims to:

1. improve the country’s export of ornamental fish above the current one per cent of the US market,
2. create employment and economic diversification opportunities in inner-city communities through the introduction of back yard ornamental fish culture systems.

Training Component
The Aquaculture Branch has devised and manages the six-week training programme on the breeding and production of selected species of ornamental fish. The curriculum further covers disease and pest management, aquarium plant propagation, fish biology, nutrition (home-made fish diets) and aquarium construction. Training sessions are held at the Aquaculture Branch headquarters at Twickenham in St. Catherine.

Students of the programme are also exposed to the writing of Development Business Plans. The Jamaica Business Development Centre provides technical assistance in this area.

Cost and Sponsor
The project has a budget of over J$179,000 for the administration of the project.  Additional capital input from the Agricultural Development Project (ADP) is used to provide trainees with transportation and lunch stipends. Additionally, a grant of $50,000 is given to graduate of the programme, which should be used to set up their backyard ornamental fishing facilities.

Achievements
This project has seen a total of 250 participants successfully completing the programme.  These successful participants have been showcased at the Denbigh Agricultural Show and are integral to the continuation of the programme. Graduates’ backyard ornamental fish farms have been used as field visit sites, through which new recruits get to see the programme in action and are exposed to new fish farming practices which may have been developed by the former students.

Some of the ornamental fish being cultured, as a result of the project, are:

1. Angel
2. Goldfish
3. Koi
4. Labyrinths (fighters, gourami)
5. Live bearers (molly, guppy, swordtails)
6. Jamaican Blue shark

Monitoring of Trainees/Graduates
To ensure the sustainability of the project, field officers from the Aquaculture Division visit the graduates. Graduates are monitored on their use of inputs (obtained with the grant) and the adaptation of the knowledge gained from the training sessions to their operations.

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