SRINAGAR: The Centre has approved fisheries development projects worth Rs 706 crore for Himalayan and hilly states, including cold water fisheries initiatives, and has identified Anantnag in Jammu and Kashmir and Kargil in Ladakh among four dedicated clusters for the development of cold water fisheries, the Union Government informed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
Replying to an unstarred question by Rajya Sabha MP Vinod Shridhar Tawde, Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh said the Department of Fisheries is strengthening cold water fisheries through infrastructure development, modern technology and value-chain support under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) and the Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF).
The Minister said PMMSY, with an investment of Rs 20,050 crore, is being implemented across all States and Union Territories to address gaps in fish production, productivity, technology, post-harvest infrastructure, value-chain development, traceability, fisheries management and fishers’ welfare, including in the cold water fisheries sector.
He informed the House that, in addition, the Centre has been implementing the Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF) since 2018-19 with a fund size of Rs 7,522.48 crore to bridge infrastructure gaps in fisheries and aquaculture.
The Minister said the Department of Fisheries has approved fisheries development projects worth Rs 706 crore for Himalayan and hilly states, including projects specifically aimed at promoting cold water fisheries.
He further informed Parliament that the government issued Model Guidelines for the Development of Cold Water Fisheries on March 14, 2026 to support states in developing cold water fisheries and related infrastructure. The guidelines provide specifications for developing raceways, Recirculatory Aquaculture Systems (RAS), hatcheries, feed mills, disease prevention systems and market linkages to increase production, value addition and marketing of commercially important cold water fish species such as Rainbow Trout, Golden Mahseer and Snow Trout.
According to the reply, the Centre has also notified four dedicated cold water fisheries clusters at Anantnag district in Jammu and Kashmir, Pithoragarh district in Uttarakhand, Kargil district in Ladakh, and Kullu district in Himachal Pradesh.
Responding to queries on emerging technologies, the Minister said the Department of Fisheries is promoting RAS, Biofloc technology, cage culture, Internet of Things (IoT)-based water quality monitoring, GIS mapping, automated feeders and digital market platforms to strengthen supply chains and improve market access for fish farmers in remote and mountainous regions.
He added that, under PMMSY, the ICAR-Central Institute of Coldwater Fisheries Research (ICAR-CICFR), Bhimtal, has developed a model RAS for intensive trout production and year-round breeding of Golden Mahseer, while the ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT), Kochi, has supported fish processing and ready-to-eat facilities in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
The information was provided in response to questions on the government’s roadmap for achieving the objectives of the National Vision for Cold Water Fisheries 2030, support for states in developing cold water fisheries infrastructure, adoption of emerging technologies and the sector’s potential to reduce fish imports.
