HP to promote fish farming in Kol dam

State fishery department will stock seeds of sport fishes like mahseer to attract anglers from India and abroad to promote high-end tourism in Kol Dam reservoir

To encourage water tourism in state, Himachal Pradesh government has decided to take up sports and recreational fisheries in Kol Dam reservoir in Bilaspur from next year.

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State fishery department will stock seeds of sport fishes like mahseer to attract anglers from India and abroad to promote high-end tourism in Kol Dam reservoir. At present common carp, silver carp, mahseer and grass carp fish species are being reared in man-made water body.

The fisheries department proposes to start sports fisheries in 1302 hectares pondage falling in four districts—Bilaspur, Solan, Mandi and Shimla by setting up angling huts in Kol dam reservoir. It would involve high-end tourists in angling, thus developing the area as new tourist destination in the state.

In 2018-19, Kol Dam recorded highest 5.595 metric tonnes fish production, while 3.105 metric tonnes fish was recorded in 2017-18. The state government has fixed a target of 9 metric tonnes for 2019-20 and so far has registered record fish production of 7.045 metric tonnes. In 2018-19, maximum price of fish was recorded at ₹101/kg in Kol dam.

In order to address the problem of displacement of families who lost their lands during construction of Kol Dam, the state government has created livelihood opportunities through commercial fish production and has set up five cooperative societies for commercial production of fishes. Dam oustees and erstwhile fishermen of the river and other poor families of the riparian area are enrolled as primary members of the fish co-operative societies.

At present, over 350 fishermen have been engaged in production of fish from Kol Dam to derive their livelihood. Fish fauna of Sutlej river is dominated by schizothoracids, mahseer, minor carps, cat fish and trout in upper reaches. Silver carp fish of Gobind Sagar has also migrated upstream for feeding and breeding purposes where water temperature is almost on the same pattern as it is in its native place.

The fisheries department has created three fish landing centers in this reservoir at Kol in district Bilaspur, Beral in district Solan and at Sunni in district Shimla. The three fish landing centre buildings constructed are well equipped with hi-tech facilities to maintain the quality of fish, so that fishermen could get good price. The fish caught by members of fish co-operative societies is weighed daily and handed over to fish contractors for its further marketing in these centres.

The department proposes to shift fishing close season from present June1–July 31 to June 16-August 15 every year shortly for better auto breeding of fish in the reservoir. The department has done 3.876 lakh fish seed stocking up to November 2019, while in the year 2018-19, 3.747 lakh fish seed stocking was done from departmental farms as well as purchase from outside the state through tender process.