Snapshot of the industry in 2024
Our annual trade statistics report, available free to OATA members, showed that in 2024 there was a more favourable market environment compared to previous years due to decreasing inflation, increasing consumer confidence, stable exchange rates and lower energy costs. But analysis of pet shop licencing revealed a 22% decrease in the number of UK aquatic retailers.
From our Chief Executive
This will be my last report as Chief Executive for OATA following my retirement announcement earlier this year.
I joined in July 2016 from the Defra CITES team. While I had some experience of interacting with the previous Director Keith Davenport it was still quite a baptism of fire when I arrived and had to get my head around the incredible range of issues OATA deals with. It’s certainly been a fascinating near decade.
My arrival was just a few weeks after the Brexit vote and who could have predicted that nearly 10 years later there is still no effectively operating border between the UK and the EU. There was hope that leaving the EU would provide opportunities – such as regaining certain banned products like water hyacinth which fell foul of the EU’s one size fits all approach. We remain hopeful that this important pond season seller will return to shops but we still await the reforming legislation to allow it. But at last there is some good news in the form of the anticipated UK/EU Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary Agreement which could make plant and animal imports less convoluted. This is an issue that will rumble on for some time for my successor!
When I look back at what I wrote in my first Annual Report I recognised the anti-wildlife/animal trade lobby was another key issue OATA would be up against. It’s interesting to note how little progress has been made in attempts to introduce positive lists, despite the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission’s report that recommended this approach in Scotland and significant ongoing pressure from the anti-trade lobby. Even the European Parliament Agricommittee recently rejected calls for positive lists. And, despite a lot of anti-wildlife trade noise during the Covid years, there was actually a measured response to the calls for outright bans on wildlife trade from global organisations during that very torrid period. But there’s no complacency in OATA – we continue to bang the drum with politicians and officials that we need a wide range of pets to share our homes with because not every pet is for everyone.
I now hand the reins to Dr Matthew Bond, formerly OATA’s very capable Scientific and Technical Advisor, and now Deputy Chief Executive, who has been gradually taking on more of my role during 2025, in readiness for my departure in September. He’s a fishkeeper himself, he’s worked in aquatics shops, he has a robust scientific background and he’s supported by a great office team. I know OATA is in safe hands.
I remain impressed by the passion and commitment I see for this industry and the great hobby of fishkeeping when I chat to our Board Directors and member businesses. In my experience, you are business people who care about the animals you sell and want to create a lively, interesting hobby for your customers into the future. OATA continues to punch above its weight for such a small organisation and it can only do this because of the businesses which join as members.
I commend all of you who invest in OATA membership – you are helping to protect the future of your business and I hope more will follow your example because there is always plenty that OATA needs to fight about!
From our Chair Laura Carlin
Reflections on my tenure
After a jam packed two years in the position of Chair I step down in December 2025 when I will hand over to Dr Donna Snellgrove, Fish Research Manager at the Waltham Petcare Science Institute. As this is my last Chair’s report I thought I’d take this opportunity to reflect on what we have accomplished.
As a member you are probably not aware of the team’s wins because many of our successes are in preventing things from happening. Things such as import bans, restrictions and unnecessary red tape. We fight it before it becomes a problem for you to deal with, as well as that working on improving animal welfare, biosecurity, sustainability, education, training and research, and of course illegal trade.
On illegal trade, it is worth mentioning that I am not inferring that OATA is an enforcement body. But it does seek to ensure a level and just playing field for all in the industry. We do that by working with Government to ensure rules are fair and evenly applied to all and of course to uphold the highest industry standards so that we can all continue to work into the future without interference.
There have been a lot of battles behind the scenes during my time as Chair and I’d like to share some of those with you. Firstly, at the UK Border. Ever since we left the EU how the Border is managed has been an issue of confusion and uncertainty. We have lobbied consistently in seeking to avoid unnecessarily difficult new rules and to improve current systems. It has been a long hard slog but we are at last seeing some positive results from our efforts.
There has also been an ever-increasing pressure from animal rights lobbyists who are sadly gaining traction with the authorities with their positive lists proposals. These lists are under consideration by the Scottish Government and the European Union. This is worrying because if adopted in one place it increases the likelihood of being adopted here, with a high risk of massively reducing the species available in trade. OATA has worked closely with domestic, European and international partners to coordinate opposition to this ill-considered and dangerous idea.
At the CITES marine ornamental fishes’ workshop in Australia we coordinated a group of pro-industry representatives to stop the suggested introduction of highly restrictive new controls and possible introduction of more species bans.
There has been ongoing lobbying to get improvements to the Licensing of Activities Involving Animals (LAIA) Regulations (this is the licensing responsible for pet shop licenses) which have shown they are not as effective as hoped in improving animal welfare and are overly burdensome.
And we have educated Government officials on the complexities of the coral trade in hopes for them to review their policies restricting coral imports from certain countries when those countries have not identified any conservation concern.
I’d like to thank my fellow Directors who have as always shown endless support for the team. And if you’re interested in joining the OATA Board or finding out more please keep an eye out for the information that will come out for December’s AGM.
Looking forward we enter a time of change for OATA. Our office manager of 25 years, Ray Valovec has retired and been replaced by Dawn Jones. Our Scientific Support Officer Emily Maunder is being promoted and we are looking for her replacement. Our Chief Executive, Dominic Whitmee, is retiring for personal reasons after nine years in the top seat and will be replaced from within by Dr Matt Bond. Despite all these changes I am confident that the new-look team will and have in some cases already hit the ground running.
The pressures against our sector are growing and are only going to become more intense. To give you a real-life example your membership funds the OATA team of just 4½ full-time staff to defend our industry. Just one part of their role is to defend against the pressures of Eurogroup For Animals which, as I check the website today, are a team of 55 people! Fifty-five of them trying to shut us down vs a proportion of our small team trying to defend our industry. Of those 55 people nine are in communications and another nine are in political affairs alone which really shows the communications powerhouse they are and what we are up against.
More than ever we need your support to help tackle the challenges that we face, memberships = hours spent defending YOUR industry. So, if you’re not already a member, please consider joining we can’t do this without you.
Representing Our Industry
It’s been another busy and productive year of doing what we do best—promoting and protecting the ornamental aquatics industry. Our efforts have centred on ensuring businesses can continue to thrive, inspire, and serve the fishkeeping hobby. Here’s a snapshot of some of our key activities over the past year.
Navigating the UK Border
A significant portion of our time this year was dedicated to helping businesses navigate the evolving UK-EU border arrangements. Importers have faced persistent challenges due to issues with the current and new IT systems and documentation requirements, many of which remain inconsistent or unfit for purpose.
We’ve engaged regularly with UK officials to flag specific concerns, particularly around the import of plants and frozen foods. Looking ahead, we are especially concerned about potential disruptions when live animals come fully under the new system—a shift that could introduce serious animal welfare risks. We know that live fish imports are important not just because it drives the whole industry but we are particularly concerned that when there are delays at the Border then these present significant welfare concerns, something we’re at pains to stress in our discussions with Government.
There is some optimism on the horizon. The new UK/EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement could simplify the movement of goods and animals, and we continue to advocate for a smoother, more predictable import process.
Working in Partnership
Collaboration remains at the heart of our approach. This year we continued to work closely with a range of industry partners to address cross-sector issues.
Companion Animal Sector Council (CASC)
We’ve contributed to several key initiatives with CASC:
Animal licensing: Our feedback helped shape CASC’s report to Defra on the review of the Licensing of Activities Involving Animals regulations in England where we have pushed for a rationalised licensing system that works better for our sector.
Pet Know How: This free online tool, designed to help prospective pet owners make informed choices, has now launched. We’ll be working with CASC, The Pet Charity and the veterinary community to encourage its adoption across the ornamental aquatics community.
Annual Forum: We took part in CASC’s forum, engaging in vital discussions on issues including positive lists, owner education, and extreme breeding practices. Pictured are Dr Matt Bond (Deputy Chief Executive), Pauline Davey (PR & Parliamentary Officer) and Emily Maunder (Scientific Support Officer) who attended to spread the word about pet fish.
National Pet Shop Day
We supported the second annual event, spearheaded by Johnsons Veterinary Products (a fellow OATA member). This day celebrates the important role of bricks-and-mortar pet shops—especially as three-quarters of those selling live animals include fish in their offering. We look forward to playing a bigger role in this initiative in the future to help highlight our message that pet shops are great places to buy some pets – like pet fish.
European Pet Organization
Despite the UK’s departure from the EU, the European Union continues to shape our industry. Our ongoing membership in EPO ensures the UK has a seat at the table on crucial policy issues, including the potential introduction of EU-wide positive lists and CITES.
Making our voice heard
One of the most important roles of a trade association is advocacy—amplifying the voice of our industry where it matters most. This year, we engaged in a range of political and policy initiatives to ensure ornamental aquatics businesses were properly represented. Here’s a snapshot of what we’ve been up to:
Traceability and Sustainability
We responded to draft proposals from the global Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures, which aimed to create traceability metrics for food fisheries and the ornamental fish trade. While the goals are laudable, the one-size-fits-all model failed to consider the unique characteristics of the small-scale, artisanal supply chains within the tropical fish industry. We continue to engage with the Taskforce to help develop more practical, industry-appropriate solutions.
Challenging Misinformation about ‘Wild Animals’
We’ve seen a renewed push from anti-pet-keeping groups for the introduction of positive lists, often based on misleading claims that pets like goldfish, tortoises, budgies, and chinchillas are ‘wild animals’ that don’t belong in homes. We responded swiftly to a recent campaign in Scotland by writing to MSPs to correct these misconceptions and ensure a more balanced narrative.
Don’t Let Them Loose Campaign
We prefer collaborative, educational approaches to responsible pet ownership. That’s why we’ve joined with the Government’s GB Non-Native Species Secretariat to help develop its Don’t Let Them Loose campaign, aimed at protecting native wildlife by raising awareness about the consequences of releasing or letting pets escape into the wild.
US Trade Tariffs
We raised concerns with the Department for Business and Trade about potential retaliatory tariffs on imports from the United States—highlighting the importance of US trade to our industry. Many aquatic products, including live ornamental fish, are not produced domestically at scale, making imports essential. With UK businesses already facing high energy costs and subdued consumer confidence, additional trade barriers would be especially damaging. We estimate trade with the US is worth around £12 million a year.
This year has demonstrated once again the importance of a strong, united voice for our industry. Through proactive representation, strategic partnerships, and tireless advocacy, we remain committed to securing a vibrant future for ornamental aquatics in the UK and beyond.
Supporting High Standards Through Advice and Information
One of the key responsibilities of a trade association is to support its industry in maintaining high standards. For our sector, this is especially important when it comes to animal welfare and biosecurity. The ornamental aquatic trade involves the movement of many live animals, invertebrates and plants—from import right through to retail. As many of these species are not native to the UK, it is vital that we educate customers on how to care for them responsibly within closed environments such as home aquariums and garden ponds.
Over the past year, OATA has continued to deliver free expert advice and practical tools to help businesses uphold best practice and raise awareness of key issues:
Antibiotic Use Guidance
We published new guidance on the responsible use of antibiotics in aquatic businesses, contributing to the global effort to tackle anti-microbial resistance. This resource is designed to raise awareness and highlight the important role our industry can play in addressing this critical issue.
New Biosecurity Tool
As part of Invasive Species Week 2025, we launched a free, online biosecurity tool. This updated guidance offers simple, practical tips that businesses can implement to strengthen their practices and minimise biosecurity risks.
Educational Video Content
We expanded our digital advice resources by producing and sharing videos across our YouTube and social media platforms, covering topics such as:
o Fish suitable for unheated aquariums—supporting a growing interest in energy-efficient fishkeeping.
o Why OATA opposes the giving of live fish as prizes at fairs.
o Best practice for transporting fish safely and humanely.
o The importance of water testing in aquatic retail environments.
Improved Trade Statistics Report
Our Annual Trade Statistics Report, available exclusively to members, was further enhanced in 2024. This edition includes new insights into retail trade distribution across the UK, with analysis of aquatic retail outlets per capita. This data helps identify regions that are currently underserved, offering businesses valuable opportunities for growth and expansion.
Through these initiatives, OATA remains committed to equipping the industry with trusted guidance, promoting responsible practices, and supporting the long-term sustainability of the aquatic trade.
Staff Changes
2025 has been a year of transition for our team, with long-serving colleagues moving on and new faces joining us.
The Directors who sit on our Board (as at July 2025)
Laura Carlin (EcoMarines) CHAIR, Dr Donna Snellgrove (Mars WALTHAM) VICE CHAIR, Robert Edgecock (Independent Aquatic Imports Ltd), Caroline Everett (Anglo Aquatic Plants Co Ltd), Jeremy Gay (Fishkeeping News) Neil Hardy (Neil Hardy Aquatica Ltd), Phil Jones (KKC/Swell Aquatics), Simon Langdale (Maidenheads Aquatics @ Iver), Philip Lawton (Kidsgrove Tropicals), Rob Peck (The Coral Centre), Max Pedley (Ornamental Aquatics Worldwide), Brian Schaff (TMC), Mark Smith (Pets at Home) Matthew Stevenson (Seneye), Maurits van de Pol (Aquadistri UK Ltd)
Annual General Meeting
The AGM is on Wednesday 14 January 2026 and all OATA members will be invited to attend.
Credits:
Images: Istock, OATA