Fisheries in Uttarakhand

Dr.Balbir Singh Rawat (Dehradun)

It was very encouraging to learn that the Government of Uttrakhand has got a separate big budget for fisheries development in the State. What is special about this project is that it is being looked at as a regular supplier of much needed protein in the food of the inhabitants, specially in hilly areas.
Some facts about  Fisheries in India are -

India is third in Fisheries in global prospective
Contribution of Fisheries to Indian GDP is 1.07
Contribution to Agriculture GDP is 5.30
The Fisheries production(FP) is 6.4 MMT
Inland FP- 3.4 MMT
Marine FP- 3.0 MMT
Potentiality -8.4 MMT
        

                          Inland Resources for Inland Fisheries 

Rivers and irrigation Canals

Ponds and Tanks

Artificial Created Ponds and Tanks

Reservoirs

Upland Lakes

Brackish Water

Flood Plain wetland

Estuaries  

                          Some Facts about Fisheries Potentiality in Uttarakhand 

Rivers are available-2686K.M.

Big Reservoirs- 20075

Natural Lakes-297

Ponds and Tanks in rural regions-676

               Fish Production in Uttarakhand 

Year ------------Fish Productions (‘000Tons)---------------Fish Seeds Production (Million Fry)

2004-5----------2.57------------------------------38.52

2005-6------------2.79-------------------------------31.69

2006-7-----------3.0----------------------------------28.21

2007-8-----------3.09------------------------------37.42

2008-9------------3.169-------------------------------38.32

2009-10---------3.488-------------------------------34.47

                                       Actions Requirement for Fisheries Growth in Rural Uttrakhand 

1. The cold water fishery (TROTS) in glacial rivers and high altitude lakes, if launched proficiently, can get a boost and become highly commercially successful venture run by local Panchaayats/ Fish Producer Companies of local persons, specially organized by the Department for this purpose.

2. The river valleys can be made major fish production areas, if large artificial ponds of commercial fisheries sizes are set up and adequate cold storage and transport facilities  for successful marketing, are provided as a  package with production activities.

3. All the lakes and hydro power reservoirs have a great potential for fisheries development as commercial and fishing sports activities, therefore, the potentials need to be fully exploited on commercial scales. There is a huge market for good quality fishes all over the country.  If the displaced population is trained and organised for this activity, it will have a high social impact too.

4. Private fish ponds can too be encouraged in the plains as well as hilly areas of the State, provided these are of economic sizes  enabling to have a daily supply of fish for family food at a cost of not more than 30/- a kilo.  Such private ponds in the hills have great risk factors. These will be away from the homes of willing people, fish poaching will be a  highly discouraging reality,  grazing animals will have easy access into the ponds and affect the BOD of the pond water. Regular and  all the year round supply of fresh water will be a great restraining factor to be faced. Therefore selection of suitable sites will determine the success rate.  

 .

5. The Break Even point of the private fishery ponds in  areas high up in the hills, may be too high to attract sufficient persons, therefore a realistic feasibility study is essential before starting these ventures over there.

6. Adequate training facility and  sufficient and efficient supply of  fingerling, fish feeds, ponds' maintenance, harvesting, grading, chilling and packaging is essential before launching the entrepreneurs into these ventures, which will be totally new to the activity.

I hope my submissions will get sufficient attention.

Sincerely yours,

Dr. B S Rawat,  ARS, retd. Principal Scientist (ICAR)

45, Garh Vihar, Phase 1, PO  IIP Mohkampur, Dehradun 248005.

Mob 94 58 91 15 05, dr.bsrawat28@gmail.com