A plan by Malaysia to patent the so-called Malaysian Golden arowana has resulted in protests from Indonesian breeders, who said the fish may actually be a cross-breed that originated from their country.Indonesia is now racing to patent its arowana varieties, of which there are four, to protect its share of the global market in ornamental fish.
“We want this fish stated as ours because it is a part of our national treasure,” said Stephen Suryaatmadja, chairman of Arowana Club Indonesia, which has more than 3,000 members. “Why should anyone else lay claim to our natural resources?”
Malaysia said it is confident that the Malaysian Golden originated from Bukit Merah Lake in Perak, reports Straits Times Indonesia.
The Malaysian arowana market was put at 146 million Malaysian ringgit (£30.4 million) in 2009. A single Malaysian Golden fry can fetch 1,500 Malaysian ringgit to 2,000 Malaysian ringgit (£312-416) while a mature fish can net 15,000 to 20,000 Malaysian ringgit.
Many of the biggest buyers are in Hong Kong, China, Japan, Taiwan and Singapore.
Indonesia, in turn, expects to export $3.6 million (2.4 million) worth of arowana this year, Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan said last month. Arowana here can sell for more than $10,000 (£600), depending on weight, colour and breed.
The red and golden species fetch a premium as these are seen as lucky colours by the Chinese. In many parts of Asia, they are valued as a status symbol, like a Mercedes-Benz or a BMW.
A 2003 study of Asian arowanas, led by scientist Laurent Pouyaud, concluded that the Super Reds, Red Tail Goldens and Silvers are native to Indonesia. But the study fell short of confirming whether the Malaysian Golden found in the Perak lake is Malaysian or cross-bred from the Indonesian species.
The Malaysian Department of Fisheries is now working with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora to develop a standard for identifying the Malaysian Golden.
-http://www.petbusinessworld.co.uk
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