Meeting organised on fish production as an important livelihood in Himachal
A review meeting was held today at the Directorate of Fisheries in Bilaspur, focusing on enhancing fish production as a key livelihood in Himachal Pradesh. The meeting was chaired by Director Vivek Chandel and attended by various state fisheries officers, including Joint Director Matsya Shri Pawan Sharma, Assistant Director Matsya Shri Pankaj Thakur, Senior Fisheries Officer, Deputy Director, and others.
Goals for Fish Seed Production Independence
Director Vivek Chandel reviewed the current fish seed production at state fish seed farms. He instructed all farm in-charges to prepare new fish species broodstock to make the state self-sufficient in fish seeds and provide advanced seeds to fish farmers. This year, broodstock of Amoor, Jayanti, and Amrit Katla is being prepared at departmental farms in Nalagarh and Gagaret, which will later be distributed to other farms.
Balanced CIFA Brood Feed Production
The director announced that the production of CIFA brood feed has started at the Gagaret feed mill this year. This balanced feed is expected to increase fish seed production by 20 to 25 percent. All farm in-charges were instructed to use this feed.
Fish Spawn Production
Currently, 746.00 lakh fish spawn are being produced across seven state farms (Nalagarh, Gagaret, Kangra, Ghaghas, Alsu, Badripur, and Sultanpur). Additionally, over one lakh golden Mahashir fingerlings have been produced at the state’s only Mahashir farm in Machhyal, Mandi district, setting a new record for the year.
Trout Seed Production
Director Vivek Chandel highlighted that Himachal Pradesh is self-sufficient in trout seed production, with seeds being exported to other states. The current demand for trout seeds in the state is 45.00 lakh, while production is around 60.00 lakh. The director urged all trout farm in-charges to increase the production of brown trout seeds to promote angling tourism.
Employment Opportunities
This year, 358 new individuals have been employed in the fisheries sector. The director also instructed officers to conduct more regional visits and training camps to benefit fish farmers.
