An international clownfish export business founded by Changhua man Hsueh Yung-lin (薛雍霖) won him the Ministry of Agriculture’s annual award for the top 10 workers in the agricultural, fishery or animal industries.
The Changhua Fishermen’s Association also applauded Hsueh’s accomplishment, saying on Nov. 18 last year that the last time a Changhua County fishery worker won the award was 33 years ago.
Hsueh was a B-class student in junior-high school under the former ability grouping system, before he was admitted to National Lukang Senior High School’s Aquaculture Department. He later graduated from the Institute of Aquatic Bio-resources and Aquaculture at National Penghu University of Science and Technology with a master’s degree. He then started his own business breeding clownfish.
Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei Times
Hsueh has cultivated more than 20 strains of clownfish, with 90 percent being exported abroad.
Although only 10 percent of his fish are sold to local buyers, they top the domestic clownfish market, with one in every two clownfish in Taiwan from Hsueh’s aquafarm.
There were many typhoons and a lot of rain last year, but his aquafarm was not affected much, as it has an indoor water-circulation system, Hsueh said.
Clownfish are a spectacular entry-level fish, he said, adding that to increase their exportability, strains with novel colors, such as black and yellow, were bred in addition to the more common orange-and-white strains.
Rare clownfish with splendid color patterns can be sold for up to US$200 each and are usually exported by air, Hsueh said.
The undertaking had a bumpy start, as his parents are not rich, and they are not a “fishery family,” he said.
However, Hsueh said he is grateful that he could stay in his favorite business breeding spectacular fish.
“Despite the hardships, I can forget all of my troubles just by watching a house full of the clownfish that I bred and cultivated,” he said.
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