Assessment of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Constraints among Ornamental Fish Entrepreneurs along the Tamil Nadu Coast: A Market-Oriented Approach.

Iyyappan, T.; Santhakumar, R.; Oli, G.A; Padmavathy, P.; Athithan, S.; Subash, P., and Ramkumar, S., 2024. Assessment of knowledge, attitudes, and constraints among ornamental fish entrepreneurs along the Tamil Nadu coast: A market-oriented approach. Journal of Coastal Research, 40(6), 1189–1200. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208. This study assessed the current level of knowledge, attitudes, and constraints towards market-oriented approaches among the ornamental fish entrepreneurs (OFEs) in Tamil Nadu, India. A validated questionnaire was given to 290 OFEs, and SPSS was performed for data analysis after pilot-testing. The results revealed a strong understanding of social media for marketing among OFEs, but with a moderate level of attitude toward market-oriented approaches. Respondents (4.33 mean) agreed on avoiding similar fish species production to prevent price crashes and demand slumps, which depicts their focus on consumer-oriented markets (4.31). Entrepreneurs (4.19) agreed that a successful producer prioritizes quality, attractive, and unique fish varieties in the market. They also agreed that social media is a prominent tool for business (4.3). The industry lacks quality brooders and seeds and struggles with a poor marketing system. A significant (P < 0.05) moderate correlation (r = 0.33) existed between knowledge and attitudes, but not with constraints. This study indicates the current state of market approaches and the access patterns of the OFEs in Tamil Nadu, and the results offer clarity for policymakers, planners, and stakeholders to further consider and develop market-oriented strategies for achieving successful business production and marketing in the ornamental fish industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]