Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association (OATA Ltd)

02/06/2026

This week on Facebook, we’ll be sharing a series of videos giving you a behind-the-scenes look at some of the work OATA does for its members and the wider industry — focusing on a range of the documents and resources we produce on your behalf.

Today we’re taking a closer look at two of OATA’s industry reports — Wild Caught Fish: the trade, the benefits, the facts and Fishing for Facts: An introduction to the UK ornamental fish industry.

These publications were created to shine a light on important areas of the ornamental aquatic industry, helping to share facts, research and real insight into topics that are often misunderstood or overlooked, particularly around the collection of fish from the wild.

They’re a great example of how OATA works to support the industry with reliable information and positive messaging.

Check out our YouTube channel for the other videos we'll be sharing this week if you can't wait to see more!

01/06/2026

We've very pleased to be a sponsor of National Pet Shop Day this year. Sign up to showcase all the great things you do in your shop!

Big news! We are thrilled to announce our official headline supporters for National Pet Shop Day 2026.

British Independent Retailers Association - Bira and Pet Industry Federation - PIF are back for another year. If you've followed our campaign before, you'll know just how much their support means to independent retailers across the country.

And we have an exciting new addition…welcome Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association (OATA Ltd)!

OATA is the voice of the ornamental fish and aquatics trade, and their involvement helps us represent the full spectrum of independent pet retail.

The more voices behind us, the louder the message. And the message is simple: independent pet shops matter, and it's time your actions showed it.

Learn more about our supporters here: https://nationalpetshopday.com/official-supporters/

28/05/2026

Let's see lots of aquatic shops sign up!

In our first year, over 200 independent pet retailers across the UK took part in National Pet Shop Day.

Last year, that number more than doubled.

We want to double it again this year.

Every shop that registers adds another voice to a national conversation that is changing the way people shop for their pets.

The momentum is building, and the more shops that get behind us, the stronger the message becomes.

If your shop isn't registered yet, do it today. Head to nationalpetshopday.com and be part of something wonderful.

27/05/2026

Thanks to Maidenhead Aquatics for sharing this information to their customers. The more people who sign the petition the better so that we can show how unpopular the idea of a positive/permitted list (a pet ban by another name) is to politicians.

A new proposal being discussed in the UK could significantly change the future of fishkeeping.

This proposal centres on a ‘positive list’ system, in which only a limited number of approved species would be allowed to be kept, sold, or traded. While the intention is to improve animal welfare, there are growing concerns within the industry about the potential unintended consequences.

Industry experts, including the Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association (OATA), warn that this approach could:

• Restrict fishkeeping to a very small number of species
• Exclude many commonly kept fish simply due to a lack of available data, rather than any proven risk
• Create more welfare issues, rather than solving them

At present, there is no clear evidence that a positive list system would improve animal welfare outcomes.

This is an important moment for fishkeepers, hobbyists, and businesses to have their voices heard.

You can help by supporting the petition: Protect Your Pets - Say No to Harmful Positive Lists. Read more and sign the petition:
https://ow.ly/iOAw50Z3osz

21/05/2026

We echo these sentiments from Advanced Aquarium Consultancy Ltd //Essex Coral Farm. Please support local fish shops - they are full of passionate people who love what they do and want to share that passion with fellow fishkeepers. It's a beautiful Bank Holiday Weekend coming up so make sure you take a trip to your local fish shop! 🐠🐠🐠❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

🐠 Please Share This Post & Support Your Local Fish Store 🐠
This isn’t normally something I would post, but the reality is that independent aquatic stores including us, across the UK, are under more pressure than ever before, and many are loosing skilled staff and or quietly disappearing. Running a specialist marine store today is incredibly challenging and it hasn’t stopped being a challenge since Covid/Brexit/fuel bills and more since 2019. 7 dam years, and most of that was down to governments not taking control.
Rising costs across livestock, imports, electricity, staffing, shipping, rent, business rate cuts and huge wholesale supplier increases are making it harder and harder for small family run businesses in general to survive, or have the will to keep trying to survive for little reward.

AAC, isn’t “just a shop” to us… it’s our life.

I, along with many of the team, have spent decades building not just a business, but a genuine community of reefkeepers, hobbyists, families, and friends. We’re incredibly proud of the fully trained team around us and the environment we’ve worked hard to create — somewhere people can come for honest advice, inspiration, conversation, and support within the hobby. Alongside reefing events, often at no profit, or even at a loss, to keep you all excited, like Coral Freaks, AAC birthdays or contributing to the idea of Love2Reef for example, yes it was us, AAC that listened to you first as hobbyist’s- to bring you these nice things you wanted at a huge cost/gamble!
A good fish store is far more than tanks of fish and coral frags.

Remember when your looking at pricing for example in your LFS, 20% of a coral /frag / fish pricing, will go to the VAT man for starters, a % goes to staffing, a % goes to rent, rates and fuel bills and then there’s the source material too! There’s not much left I can assure you !
Something to think about maybe for those of you that simply ‘frag for fame’ unknowingly devaluing corals or worse deliberately trying to undercut their LFS whilst moaning about their pricing. And of course we also have to be legally licensed and have public liability ( for your safety) -nothing that a spare frag tank has to think about.
Maybe offer your frags to your LFS if you only want ‘cheap’ for them or exchange for the goods you need.

An LFS is where people first likely discover the hobby. Without LFS there would be no hobby or very little left of it.
It’s where problems get solved.
It’s where experience gets shared.
It’s where friendships are formed.
And for many people, it’s genuinely a place of escape, peace, and mental wellbeing.

We truly love being part of your reefing journey — whether you’ve visited for your very first clownfish, a dream coral colony, advice during a difficult time in the hobby, or simply a chat about fishkeeping 😊( or jaffa cakes 🤣).

But the truth is, behind the scenes, the costs involved in keeping a high-quality marine store running properly at the standards you expect are enormous. After livestock maintenance , heating systems, coral systems, staffing, import charges, and all the other day-to-day expenses are covered, there is often very little left. Massive turnover is only vanity. Profits are sanity.

If you value having a proper local aquatic store with real experience, healthy livestock, and passionate people behind it, please continue to support local where you can. Even if you only need a bag of carbon or some fish food- give your local store the support rather than Amazon or whoever. Pop in and see us.
Share our posts.
Recommend us to friends.
Buy local when possible.
Every bit of support genuinely matters more than people realise no matter how small.

We don’t want more specialist aquarium fish stores to become another disappearing part of the high street 🥺

Thank you, sincerely, for all the support over the years and for continuing to be part of the AAC journey 🤍

🐠 Paul, Angela & the AAC Team 🐠

20/05/2026

Have you signed up for National Pet Shop Day which is happening on Saturday 11 July? We really think local aquatic stores should get involved! Let's showcase how great pet shops are - so sign up to get yourself on the map!

19/05/2026

We've had some issues with the QR codes for our caresheets so if you use these in your business you will need to download fresh QR code sheets to display.

And if you don't know about our QR code labels then they are a great way for customers to get instant access to care information - and will help with animal activity licensing requirements.

We've created a separate QR code for each of our 60+ customer caresheets which means customers can find free online care information for a wide range of aquatic animals, right on their smartphone. Just display the QR code near to the animals you sell!

Find a link in the comments.

13/05/2026

Interzoo offers a great chance to catch up and plan for the future. Our Chief Executive Matthew Bond attended OFI’s AGM yesterday - it looks like it was well-attended!

We love gathering the OFI family !

OFI AGM 2026 received a great attendance result with industry members attending from all around the world. Through collaborations and discussions, we work together as one United body to face and resolve the upcoming challenges ahead of our industry.

Thank you to all who made this meeting a special one: in person or online.

Thank you Kamihata Fish Industry for sponsoring the event's dinner.

Photo credit: Kathrin Glaw