The government will invest NT$2 billion (US$62.11 million) to develop Taiwan into an ornamental fish breeding powerhouse, an agriculture official said Thursday. 'With annual exports worth some NT$100 million (US$3.12 million), Taiwan has the potential to become an ornamental fish `kingdom, '' said Sha Chih-yi, director- general of the Fisheries Agency under the Council of Agriculture (COA). Taiwan has many advantages in ornamental fish breeding, including a subtropical climate that is very suitable for ornamental fish raising, as well as distinctive water quality, Sha said. 'Southern Taiwan has rich alkaline water ideal for ornamental fish breeding, ' Sha said. 'Moreover, Taiwan's water has higher levels of dissolved minerals, another element conducive to fish growth.' These factors combine to allow a booming ornamental fish business in southern Taiwan's Kaohsiung, Pingtung and Tainan counties, Sha said. Taiwan now has about 250 ornamental fish farms, with medium- and high-priced species such as bloody parrot, American and African cichlids, as the main species raised, Sha went on. With superb artificial breeding technology available, he added, local operators have developed more than 300 ornamental fish varieties, some of which even outstrip those from their places of origin in terms of quantity and quality. 'In recent years, our breeders have often displayed their new varieties at trade fairs in Japan, Germany and China, and they have often amazed foreign ornamental fish enthusiasts and traders with their stunning new strains, striking colors and decorative patterns,' Sha said. Taiwanese ornamental fish breeders are also very competitive in providing customized services, Sha continued. 'Many major foreign customers often order 70 to 80 different fish species in a single shipment, and our breeders manage to satisfy customers' demands by packaging the different species in a variety of ways and delivering them on time, ' Sha said, adding that local breeders' abilities in this regard have won wide recognition. According to Sha, the United States accounted for 30 percent of Taiwan's 2008 ornamental fish exports. 'The Fisheries Agency is now helping local ornamental fish breeders to tap the European market, ' Sha said. 'Europe is a lucrative market given its brisk sales and the good prices obtainable there.' Noting that the worldwide ornamental fish trade is worth US$5 billion per year, Sha said many countries around the world have been developing and breeding new ornamental fish varieties, seeking a slice of the pie. With limited land and water requirements, as well as its technology-intensive and high unit production value, ornamental fish farming stands high on the Executive Yuan's priority list for sophisticated agriculture development, Sha said. Moreover, Taiwan's outstanding achievements in fish fry reproduction technology and ornamental fish breeding expertise are expected to contribute to wild fish conservation, he continued. Describing Taiwan's achievements in ornamental fish industry development as embodiments of its 'soft power, ' Sha said the COA is determined to invest up to NT$2 billion to help local breeders further develop new breeding and packaging technologies, explore new transit destinations, beef up their abilities to offer customized services and improve inspection and quarantine operations. As part of their export promotion efforts, local ornamental fish breeders have continued to improve packaging technologies so that live fish can now survive being transported for up to 72 hours, Sha said, adding that this is a remarkable achievement. At present, Taiwanese ornamental fish usually enter Europe via Germany's Frankfurt Airport or the Netherlands' Schipol. If such flights are required to make transit stops in Hong Kong or Singapore, time and transport costs are increased. Sha said his agency is scouting new transit destinations to help local exporters shorten flight times and save transport costs. 