About 500 metric tonnes production output would be added in Himachal’s fish basket through Govind Sagar Reservoir during the current year.“This would provide improved income to 3963 fishermen, 2169 license holders belonging to 34 cooperatives societies from oustees families to ensure dignified livelihood. A total of over 2,000 displaced families uprooted due to completion of river valley project are engaged in fishing, carrying, transportation, packing of fish, weaving and marketing, etc in the Govind Sagar Reservoir areas in Una and Bilaspur districts,” said a spokesman of the State Government.
He said that the State Government is determined for socio-economic development of fishermen, earning their livelihood through Govind Sagar reservoir on river Sutlej.
The Fisheries Department has harvested 195.34 MT fish production upto October 2020 in Govind Sagar reservoir in comparison to 164.35 MT fish production recorded during October 2019.
The fish harvested in the reservoir has achieved a price at Rs 126 per kg during summer while the fish price during winters has been recorded at Rs 182 per kg during the current season which will add around Rs eight crore income to the fisherman in the state, during current year, the spokesman said. The per hectare fish production in the Gobind Sagar lake during the year 2020-2021 is likely to be achieved at 30 kg per hectare in comparison to 23.78 kg per hectare during 2019-2020, he added.
The spokesman further said that ranching, being the backbone of eye-catching reservoir, development of fisheries was given the highest focus and 44,30,763 species having 70 mm and above legal-sized, quality fingerlings of commercially important genetic carps mainly IMC, Silver Carp, Grass Carp and Common Carp fish species are being stocked in the reservoir under stock enhancement strategy during the current year which will surely help to increase the income of fishermen, he added Notably, a maiden trial for fishing in the reservoir was initiated in 1969 with the release of Gravid spawners and fingerlings of Indian major carps.
Since then a regular stocking programme has been undertaken. Stocking has been mainly of IMC, Silver Carp, Grass Carp and Common Carp fish species which are commercially important and attract great demand in the market.