New Delhi, 18 October (H.S.): Dr Abhilaksh Likhi, Secretary of the Department of Fisheries, on Sunday visited the cold-water fisheries cluster in Munsiyari, Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand, to review the progress of trout farming. During the visit, he interacted with local fish farmers to understand their experiences, challenges and concerns.

Dr Likhi visited the Johar Matsya Swavlambi Sahakari Cooperative and the Namjala Trout Farm. He said Munsiyari had significant potential for rainbow trout farming because of the glacial streams of the Gori Ganga and favourable water temperatures. The activity is creating new livelihood opportunities for local communities, he added.

According to the Department of Fisheries, the Central Government has notified 34 fisheries clusters across the country under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY). Pithoragarh has been included as a cold-water fisheries cluster. The initiative aims to strengthen fisheries cooperatives, increase farmers’ incomes and promote sustainable fisheries in the Himalayan region.

Dr Likhi said the Central Government had invested more than Rs 2,299 crore under the PMMSY in regions engaged in cold-water fisheries. The investment has supported the approval of projects for developing fish farming units, fish seed centres, feed mills, cold storage facilities and other fisheries-related infrastructure.

According to the ministry, approvals have been granted for more than 5,600 raceway-based fish farming units, 54 fish seed centres, 293 cold storage facilities and 260 feed mills across Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. Trout production in India has increased sixfold over the past decade, reaching approximately 5,000 metric tonnes annually.

In Uttarakhand, fisheries projects worth Rs 317 crore have been approved. These include modern fish markets, fish landing centres and an integrated aquapark at Sitarganj. The state government has also launched a Trout Promotion Scheme with a budget of Rs 170 crore. Under the scheme, it aims to establish 1,500 raceway-based fish farming units, 100 small fish seed units and 600 cold storage facilities by 2028-29.

Notably, Uttarakhand exported trout to Nepal for the first time in June 2026. Trout is also being supplied to the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) under an agreement between the state government and the force.

The ICAR-Directorate of Coldwater Fisheries Research, based in Bhimtal, has also supported efforts to promote trout farming in Munsiyari through assistance in fish seed production, disease management and farmer training.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar