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Welcome to Ornamental Fish International's Web Site

Ornamental Fish International (OFI), founded on 1 June 1980, is the worldwide trade association representing all sectors of the ornamental aquatic industry in some 44 diffe rent countries worldwide.

Membership ranges over consultants, manufacturers, publishers, wholesalers, collectors, breeders, retailers, importers, exporters, plant specialists, freight forwarders, airlines and exhibition companies. The over 190 OFI members have all made a commitment to comply with the OFI Code of Ethics. As a result OFI members have obtained a reputation of reliable business partners, and suppliers of quality products.

About OFI - Code of Ethics - OFI-Journals on-line - EU Health Cerificates - Mission Statement - Shop - The People - Joining - Payments

OFI honors Anil Kumar P. with the OFI Award 2010
Every year OFI honors a person or organization in the ornamental aquatic industry for outstanding contributions to this industry. The laureate was announced at the OFI 30-year anniversary dinner on Friday 14 May. Unfortunately Mr. Kumar was not able to attend due to other obligations. In a response he indicated that he was very honored and immediately referred to the ornamental fish breeders in India, to whom he is very dedicated. Read more.

AQUATIC WHOLESALE GROUP (NETHERLANDS) DECLARES QUALITY

Another OFI member, Aquatic Wholesale Group in the Netherlands has now declared its expertise by filling in the OFI Code of Conduct. The OFI Code of conduct is a voluntary certification scheme in which the percentage is a scale indication of the demands in the scheme met by the company. Criteria deal with good husbandry practices, animal welfare, animal health, proper packing, bio-security, good service and transparency.

ULRICH GLASER SR. RECEIVES OFI AWARD 2009
On 28 May 2009, during the opening ceremony of Aquarama 2009, OFI honored Ulrich Glaser sr. with the OFI Award 2009. Mr. Glaser has been active in the aquarium industry since the early 1970's, lately in his publishing house Aqualog Verlag GmbH.

On 17 May 2010 Mr. Glaser received his award from OFI President Gerald Bassleer in the premises of Aquarium Glaser, Germany.

Read more

OFI publications

OFI Journal
The OFI Journal is the official publication of Ornamental Fish International. It has in-depth, topical, articles about the ornamental industry by authors within the field. The OFI Journal is free to all OFI members. Non-members may subscribe to the Journal.

Subscriptions run per calendar year (3 issues) and are automatically renewed unless unsubscribed. Cost per year, incl. postage: 55 Euro.

Back issues are also available for most issues of the OFI Journals.

OFI educational publications
OFI aims to improve the educational standard within the industry and therefore publishes a series of books with relevant topics for all who have to deal with the occupational aspects of the trade. Titles available:

Standard names for freshwater fishes in the Ornamental Aquatic Industry (2010).
Biosecurity in the Ornamental Aquatic Industry (2009).
Live food cultures for the Ornamental Aquatic Industry (2008).
International Transport of Live Fish in the Ornamental Aquatic Industry (2007).
Water Quality in the Ornamental Aquatic Industry (2006).

Please go to our shop for more information and ordering.

OFI Poll April 2010

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NEWS FLASHES

Again new EU Health Certificates
To make you all very happy: the new EU certificates can now be downloaded from the OFI website. Changes are minor and relate to SVC. The certificates may be used as from 15 May 2010 and until 31 July the old certificates may still be used. After this date only the new ones are allowed. Certificates in all languages (for OFI members only)

Catch certificates for marine shrimps
The former DG FISH, now DG MARE, dealing with fisheries in the EU, has introduced new legislation on import of marine fishery products into the EU. The scope of the legislation also covers marine crustaceans and several mollusks. Contacts between OFI and DG Mare have made clear that this was not the aim of the legislation and DG Mare will correct this a.s.a.p.

CITES will not split up arowana
The CITES Conference of the Parties has decided in March that Asian Arowana
may continue to be declared as Scleropages formosus. A proposal to adopt a literature reference splitting up the species into four separate species was not adopted after interventions of Singapore, Indonesia, Japan and OFI.

Report of OFI Conference on Invasive Alien Species
The report on the OFI Conference on Invasive Alien Species on 30 May 2009 is now available on the OFI website. It can be found on the page dedicated to the IAS. Read more.

Checklist Colombian Freshwater Species
Scientists Javier A. Maldonado-Ocampo, Richard P. Vari and José Saulo Usma published a checklist of the 1435 Colombian freshwater fishes.Read more.

EFSA Opinion on susceptible species
The European Food Safety Authority has evaluated the species susceptible to the diseases listed in the EU Aquatic Health Directive 2006/88 and has made a recommendation. Especially for Epizootic Ulcerative Syndrome this differs considerably from the present EU list of susceptible species. Read more.

Invasive Alien Species
Invasive alien species may cause great damage to biodiversity, economy and human health. The ornamental aquatic industry is one of the potential pathways for Invasive Alien Species. Read more.

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