Srinagar, July 24: Jammu and Kashmir has achieved a distinction of a Union Territory with major fish produce locally as the Department of Fisheries reached the highest level of target of 21.34 thousand tones in year 2020-21.
“Jammu and Kashmir is bestowed with numerous fresh water resources which offer ample potential for development of both cold and warm water fisheries and we at the department of are on the path of progress and the fish production during the year 2020-21 has reached to 21.35 thousand tones,” said Director Fisheries Bashir Ahmad Bhat.
He said that the department is continuously upgrading and strengthening the infrastructure for efficient and sustainable aquaculture.
“The UT of J&K, particularly Kashmir, is abundant in natural, clean, pollution-free water resources in the form of rivers, lakes, springs, streams, sars etc., which form the prime centers of cold water Fisheries. This water is well suited for breeding, rearing, and production of Trout Fishes. In view of vast Fisheries Resources and suitable climatic conditions, the Jammu and Kashmir offers potential for diversified Fisheries activities viz. the Cold Water Fisheries, Warm Water Fisheries, Reservoir Fisheries, Lacusterine Fisheries, and the Sport Fisheries,” he added.
During last three decades, massive infrastructure in the shape of Hatcheries, Fish Farms, Fish Rearing Units, Laboratories etc have been established, besides, the establishment of Mega Aquarium at Bahu-Fort, Asia’s largest Trout Fish Farming Project Kokernag, Prestigious Trout Fish Feed Mill at Manasbal as well Hygienic whole Sale cum Retail Fish Market at Jammu.
“Jammu & Kashmir is pioneer in Trout culture where Trout culture has been taken up on large scale. The Trout Fish Farming Project Kokernag is the biggest Trout Farm in the Country and is located at a famous tourist destination, being frequently visited by large people,” Director Fisheries said.
According to him, the propagation of Fish Culture in the Private Sector has been successfully undertaken to provide employment avenues to the educated un-employed youth.
Trout culture was privatized by the Department of Fisheries in the year 2009 under Centrally Sponsored Scheme -Rashtriya Krishi VikasYojana (RKVY). Under this Scheme financial assistance (@ 80%) for establishment of Trout Rearing Units was provided to Rural Educated Unemployed Youth. With the passage of time and under various CSS like RKVY, Blue Revolution etc, 1828 units have been established in the various Districts of Jammu & Kashmir as per the potential and feasibility.
“The privatization of Fish culture in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir is now more than a decade old and the continuous efforts taken by the Department of Fisheries at ground level has started bearing fruits now. Various other schemes which include RKVY/NMPS, State sector, Blue Revolution etc. were launched from time to time to boost the production and cover more and more unemployed youth for income generation,” Bashir Ahmad Bhat said.
He said that till date 1110 Carp rearing units and 718 Trout Rearing units have been established in private sector and 19 Carp Fish Farms and 51 Trout
Farms/ Rearing Units, 16 Trout Hatcheries, 5 Carp Hatcheries, 2 Aquaria, Recreational centers, Marketing outlets, Trout Beats etc have been established under Govt. Sector in the various Districts of the Union Territory. Besides a number of Departmental units are under execution at different stages. It is worth to mention here, that about 17,396 professional Fishermen of the Union Territory derive their livelihood through legalized Fishing in natural water resources.
Centre had announced an economic stimulus package –Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan (Self Reliant India) for Fisheries Sectorto bring “Blue Revolution” through sustainable and responsible Development of Fisheries under the nomenclature Pardhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY).