About India’s Cold Water Fisheries:
- Cold-water fisheries are practiced in high-altitude snow-fed rivers, streams, lakes, and reservoirs with temperatures ranging between 5°C and 25°C, dissolved oxygen above 6 mg/L, and pH levels between 6.5 and 8.0.
- They flourish across Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Meghalaya, and Nagaland, along with hill districts of West Bengal, Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.
- Species such as rainbow trout, golden mahseer, and snow trout are cultivated using specialized infrastructure, including hatcheries, raceways, RAS, biofloc systems, and cold chain facilities.
- Trout farming is generally practiced above 1,500 metres altitude, while mahseer culture is suitable at relatively lower elevations.
- Current Status and Production:
- Jammu & Kashmir has emerged as India’s leading trout-producing region, followed by Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
- Policy Initiatives:
- Under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) during 2020–26, projects worth over ₹5,638.76 crore sanctioned specifically for cold-water states.
- The Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF) approved projects worth ₹7,761.78 crore during 2018–26 for hatcheries, training centres, and fisheries infrastructure.
- The Blue Revolution Scheme (2015–20) laid the foundation for scientific trout farming through support for raceways, hatcheries, and reservoir stocking.
- Under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PM-MKSSY), with an outlay of ₹6,000 crore, support is being provided for aquaculture insurance, performance grants to fisheries startups/microenterprises, and value chain efficiency.
- The Government has also issued Model Guidelines for Cold Water Fisheries Development, 2026, covering site selection, hatchery standards, disease management, biosecurity, branding, certification, e-trading, and skill development.
- India is also strengthening international collaborations with Norway and Iceland for knowledge exchange.
