The hill State of Himachal Pradesh is gradually emerging as a fishing hub. It has been given the best Inland Fisherman-Reservoir Award for outstanding work in fishery sector.
The award was given to Tilak Raj, President of Bhakra Fishery Cooperative Society of Govindsagar Reservoir in Bilaspur district in a function organised at New Delhi on World Fishery Day by the Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh.
Forest Minister Thakur Singh Bharmouri said here that it was a matter of pride as the State had been given a National level Award in the fishery sector for the first time. He said in all 12 progressive fisherman of the country were awarded on this occasion. He congratulated the Bhakra Fishery Cooperative Society for this achievement which was nominated by the State Government for this award.
Bharmouri said Govindsagar reservoir had maintained the lead in record per hectare fish production in the country for the past few years. The fish production in this reservoir had reached upto 149 kilogram per hectare which was much higher than the National average of 33 kilogram per hectare.
He said the Fishery Department had also achieved another milestone by introducing rainbow trout imported from Norway and this technique has been transferred to the private sector where more than 275 trout fish producers had established 570 trout units in the State.
The Minister said the trout production had also been started in the tribal areas Bharmour, Pangi, lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur where 141 trout units had already been set up.
Additional Chief Secretary, Fisheries Upma Chaudhary said that new schemes like cold chain scheme, modern fisherman village-housing scheme, mobile fish market scheme and cab culture etc. had been introduced to increase fish production in the State. She said a national workshop was being organized at Bilaspur from 11-13 December, 2015 in which fishery experts, scientists, administrative officers, Directors of the Fishery Department and progressive fisherman of the country would be participating.
During the last three years, 21,793 tonnes of fish valued at nearly `20 lakh was produced in the State. A total of 491.37 tonnes of table-size trout was produced from the State-run and private farms.
Under the Fish Farmers Development Agency programme, 30.46 hectares was included in aquaculture and 29.50 hectares of old ponds were renovated, an official said.
A new scheme "Mobile Fish Market" was launched under which four mobile fish market vehicles were purchased to provide fresh fish to consumers. Trout, both brown and rainbow, are found in the Beas, Sutlej and Ravi rivers in the higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh. Being a game fish, the brown trout is also an angler's delight.
To promote trout farming, one trout farm with an expenditure of over `4 crore is being set up in Bharmour in Chamba district besides an aquarium house-cum-museum centre with total outlay of `40 lakh being set up in Chamba. Carp farms at Nalagarh in Solan district and Deoli in Una district have been modernised and expanded by spending `8 crore.
The government has spent `5 crore for creating 80 hectare water area in the shape of new fish ponds and 20 hectare water area in shape of nursery ponds, the spokesperson said.
With the provision of financial support and technical knowledge, more and more people are coming forward to adopt fish farming.
A financial assistance of Rs1,00,000 is being given for construction of a pond of one hectare to the youth belonging to the scheduled caste and scheduled tribe, while Rs80,000 to the general category farmers under the centrally sponsored scheme.
The major fish species available in the streams of the state are trout, mahseer, barilus and glyptothorax. Two new species Hungarian common carp and Amoor common carp have been imported.
Himachal Pradesh with its five rivers, numerous streams and reservoirs has a big potential for fish production, say experts. Of the 3,000-km network of fisheries' water resources, 600 km of cold water streams are conducive for trout farming. The average annual production of a small fish farm is 900 kg, whereas a large farm could produce up to 3,400 kg, said a study by the Shimla-based Himachal Pradesh University's Agro-Economic Research Centre.