Aquatics News | Pet Business World

New documentary warns of dangers of “positive lists”

David Rees — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 18:00:07 +0000

Reptile owners’ platform Responsible Reptile Keeping (RRK) has created a documentary film warning of the dangers of “positive lists”, or legally-enforceable registers of permitted pets. The film has been prompted by a campaign called Don’t Pet Me, backed by the Scottish SPCA and animal-rights groups OneKind and Born Free, which urges the Scottish Government to [...]

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New directors join OATA Board

David Rees — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 15:48:53 +0000

Two new directors have joined the board of the Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association (OATA) Kevin Barton, of ALF Aquatic Distribution Ltd, has returned to the Board after a few years away, and the Revd David Walker, of Birley Moor Aquatics Centre in Sheffield, also joins the 14 other voluntary Directors who make up the OATA [...]

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Monkfield Reptile acquires tortoise business Zoological International

David Rees — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 13:32:50 +0000

Monkfield Reptile has acquired Zoological International, a major breeder and supplier of tortoises to the UK pet sector. The strategic move will enable Monkfield Reptile to provide a consistent, high-quality supply if tortoises to UK pet shops, says the company, with exclusive supply agreements through Zoological International’s established worldwide network enabling retailers to pre-order animals [...]

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Innovation in aquatics recognised at PATS

David Rees — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 13:31:12 +0000

Innovative new products for pond keepers plus keepers of reptiles and amphibians were acknowledged in the Aquatics Zone at PATS 2025 last weekend. The dedicated area for reptile, aquatics and watergardening specialists had its own New Product Showcase and New Product Awards chosen by a team of retail experts in three categories – outdoor, indoor [...]

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Cloverleaf celebrates 40 years

David Rees — Fri, 08 Aug 2025 10:45:03 +0000

Aquatics supplier Cloverleaf is celebrating 40 years in business this year. Beginning in the 1980s with the creation of Cloverleaf shaped filters, the business has expanded and evolved to become a designer and developer of water treatments for both indoor and outdoor aquatic environments as well as a supplier of specialist fish foods, targeted water [...]

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OATA criticises ‘deliberately misleading’ pet keeping report

David Rees — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 10:36:52 +0000

The Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association (OATA) has written to a group of MSPs to question their support for a document recently launched in the Scottish Parliament opposing exotic pets. The SSPCA, One Kind and Born Free Foundation collaborated on the Don’t Pet Me report, which tries to link the idea that all exotic pets are [...]

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PATS Aquatic Zone set to be biggest yet

David Rees — Thu, 22 May 2025 16:27:03 +0000

Organisers of the Pet & Aquatics Trade Show (PATS) maintain that the Aquatics Zone at this year’s show will be “bigger and better than ever” as the exhibition moves to its new home at the NEC Birmingham. UK and international suppliers already confirmed to exhibit in the dedicated Zone include: ALF, Anglo Aquatic Plant, Aquadip, [...]

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OATA appoints new office manager

David Rees — Thu, 22 May 2025 16:23:50 +0000

The Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association (OATA) has appointed a new finance and office manager. Dawn Jones joins from Goodings Accountants, where she was personal tax manager and client manager for a number of years. She will take over from Ray Valovec when he leaves in June and will be the first point of contact for [...]

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OATA relaunches biosecurity assessment tool

David Rees — Wed, 14 May 2025 11:06:07 +0000

The Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association (OATA) has revamped and relaunched its Business Biosecurity Self-Assessment Tool for the aquatic sector. The tool is now available in an enhanced and user-friendly online format and the updated resource is designed to support businesses in evaluating and strengthening their biosecurity protocols. The updated tool, launched to coincide with Invasive [...]

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OATA chief announces retirement

David Rees — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 00:34:09 +0000

Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association (OATA) chief executive Dominic Whitmee has announced his intention to retire in September after nine years at the helm. Whitmee joined the trade association in July 2016 from the civil service where he had worked on the CITES team in the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). He will [...]

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