The Department of Fisheries, Government of India, will organise the first National Conference on Cold Water Fisheries at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, on Saturday.
The conference will be held under the guidance of Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Rajiv Ranjan Singh. Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Minister of State for Fisheries Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel, Minister of State George Kurian, and Jammu and Kashmir Agriculture Production Minister Javid Ahmad Dar are expected to be present.
The event will serve as a national platform to discuss ways to sustainably develop India’s cold water fisheries sector and explore opportunities for growth and livelihoods in mountainous regions.
Cold water fisheries in India are largely concentrated in the Himalayan states and parts of the Northeast and peninsular highlands. The sector spans regions including Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, covering more than 5.33 lakh square kilometres of mountainous terrain.
These regions are rich in rivers, streams, lakes and reservoirs that provide favourable conditions for cold water fish species. India has identified over 278 cold water fish species, offering potential for livelihood generation, aquaculture development and biodiversity conservation.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), the Department of Fisheries has sanctioned investments worth ₹2,299.56 crore to strengthen cold water fisheries infrastructure in these states. The initiatives include development of hatcheries, raceways, seed and feed systems, cold-chain facilities and transport networks to support fish farmers and improve production.
During the conference, Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh will release the Model Guidelines for the Development of Cold Water Fisheries. Scheme benefits will also be distributed to traditional and progressive fishers, fisheries cooperatives and Kisan Credit Card beneficiaries. Awards will be presented to the best fisheries farmer producer organisations and fisheries start-ups from Jammu and Kashmir.
The technical sessions will focus on research and innovation, technology adoption, infrastructure development and entrepreneurship in the cold water fisheries sector.
The conference will bring together policymakers, researchers, experts and stakeholders from several states including Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala to explore collaborative approaches for sectoral development.
Premium cold water fish species such as Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout and Mahseer represent a high-value segment in the fisheries sector. Government data shows trout production in India has grown nearly 1.8 times over the past decade. However, the country continues to import salmon and premium trout, indicating scope for expanding domestic production.
To boost the sector, the government has outlined the National Vision for Cold Water Fisheries 2030, which aims to double production of species such as trout and mahseer while creating additional livelihood opportunities in hilly regions.
Over the past decade, the government has also launched several programmes including the Blue Revolution scheme, Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF), PMMSY and PMMKSSY, with a total investment plan of over ₹39,272 crore for fisheries development across the country.
Under PMMSY alone, more than 5,600 raceways, 54 hatcheries, 5,600 trout rearing units, 293 cold storages, 8,044 transport vehicles and 260 feed mills have been approved, helping improve production and supply chains in cold water regions.
In addition, four Integrated Aqua Parks located in Anantnag (Jammu and Kashmir), Udham Singh Nagar (Uttarakhand), Ziro (Arunachal Pradesh) and Mokokchung (Nagaland) are expected to support fisheries development through modern infrastructure and value chain connectivity.
The Department of Fisheries has also identified cold water fisheries clusters including Anantnag in Jammu and Kashmir, Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand and Kullu in Himachal Pradesh as leading districts for sector development.
The government is also exploring the use of drone technology in aquaculture logistics. Pilot projects have shown that drone transport can reduce spoilage, improve access to markets and increase returns for fish farmers in remote mountainous areas where conventional transport is difficult.
