Backs to the wall

Scarcely any segment in the pet sector has had to deal with as much criticism in recent years as aquatics. Radical animal welfare campaigners repeatedly accuse ornamental fish dealers of wilfully tolerating high levels of fish losses when importing fish. Although all serious investigations to date have stood this unproven assertion on its head, there are some politicians who are prepared to listen to animal rights activists. As a result, a tightening of legislation occurs from time to time, which adversely affects the aquatics sector.
The mood of the age is also anything but conducive to keeping fish as a hobby. An increasing number of people who can afford to travel prefer to do this in their leisure time. Others only have time for their smartphone or to go on their PlayStation. Get an aquarium? More and more young people in particular dismiss the idea, because aquariums simply aren't cool in their eyes.
Even in the pet product sector, fishkeeping is often the poor relation. Since the popularity of keeping dogs and cats as pets has soared in many parts of the world, the aquatics segment has its back to the wall in the pet supplies trade too. The retail area for dog and cat products is being enlarged in many pet stores, while the aquarium department is being downsized. Many pet product retailers are even deciding to remove live pets from their range completely, even ornamental fish.
The latest report to strike fear in the hearts of aquarists comes from India. The government there has passed a new law that has dealt a heavy blow to the aquatics trade in the country of 1.3 billion inhabitants. Aquatics experts believe that the restrictions listed in the law are so stringent that it will become virtually impossible to run an aquatics business. 
"Every aquarium shall have a fisheries veterinarian or a fisheries expert employed full time", "Every aquarium...shall be closed at least one day in the week" - these are just two of a whole raft of requirements laid down by the new act, many of which are not entirely comprehensible. It is no wonder that trade organisations like Ornamental Fish International (OFI), importers and exporters of ornamental fish and the aquarium industry are raging against the new law and still hope to be able to fend off the worst extremes.