The National Ornamental Fish Management Implementation Group

The ornamental fish industry in Australia, which includes traders, fish breeders, retail outlets and the hobby industry, is estimated to be worth $350 million a year. Aquarium fish make great pets, but if they are released into the wild they can pose a serious threat to Australia’s aquatic biodiversity.

Ornamental fish and aquarium plants can be dumped or accidentally released, often making their way into our waterways. This has resulted in a number of exotic fish species establishing a presence in Australia, seriously affecting the biodiversity of our freshwater systems.

While some controls are already in place, through quarantine regulations and State fishery regulations, there has not historically been consistency between the regulatory agencies dealing with the issue of these noxious, or potentially noxious, aquatic pests.

In 2006, the Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council endorsed a national strategy; A Strategic Approach to the Management of Ornamental Fish in Australia. The strategy was developed by the Ornamental Fish Policy Working Group in close consultation with industry and other stakeholders. It considers the potential for aquarium fish to become pests and makes seven main recommendations on managing and regulating their trade. Key recommendations include the need for a nationally recognised noxious species list; new management frameworks for the ornamental sector; better communication with stakeholders; and a public awareness campaign on the dangers of releasing fish where they can get into waterways, and what to do with them if they are no longer wanted.

The Ornamental Fish Management Implementation Group (OFMIG) was created to progress the implementation of this strategy. This group has members from all state and territory jurisdictions as well as industry, hobby and Australian Government representatives. A copy of the national strategy is available through the Australian Government Bureau of Rural Sciences Shop.

Current Activities of the OFMIG

For information on the current activities of the OFMIG

For further information on the activities of the OFMIG, or its members, please contact the Secretariat:

John Gilliland
Manager Aquatic Pest Response
Aquatic Pests, Biosecurity SA
Phone 08 8207 7854
Email john.gilliland@sa.gov.au