Rajiv Kumar, Director
Shimla June 7
· Fisheries sector generates Rs. 972 crore economy with 60,800 MT fish production in three years
Under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the fisheries sector in the state is witnessing an unprecedented transformation and is now emerging as a powerful engine of rural growth, employment generation and economic prosperity. Through progressive policies, technological innovation and targeted welfare measures, the present State Government has revitalized the sector, created new opportunities for thousands of fishermen and fish farmers while strengthening the state’s blue economy.
The success of the state government’s initiatives in the fisheries sector is clearly reflected in the remarkable growth in fish production over the last three years. Between January 2023 and March 2026, Himachal Pradesh produced a total of 60,799.66 metric tonnes of fish worth Rs. 972.46 crore. Annual fish production increased steadily from 17,721.64 metric tonnes in 2023-24 to 19,019.83 metric tonnes in 2024-25 and further to 20,005.97 metric tonnes in 2025-26. This consistent growth highlights the increasing contribution of the fisheries sector to the state’s economy while creating better livelihood opportunities for thousands of fishermen and fish farmers across Himachal Pradesh.
The sector has also become an important source of employment and entrepreneurship. During this period, 1,553 employment opportunities were generated under various fisheries development schemes, including 385 in 2023-24, 539 in 2024-25 and 612 in 2025-26. Modern aquaculture technologies such as biofloc fish farming, recirculatory aquaculture systems (RAS), pond-based fish farming and trout culture have opened new livelihood avenues for rural youth. Government support for fish marketing through motorcycles and three-wheelers equipped with ice boxes, along with subsidies for hatcheries, fish seed production and feed mills has strengthened the entire fisheries value chain.
With the efforts of the state government, trout farming has emerged as one of the state’s biggest success stories. Between January 2023 and March 2026, departmental trout farms produced 42.29 metric tonnes of table-size trout worth Rs. 235.16 lakh and generated revenue of Rs. 338.16 lakh. During the same period, private trout farmers produced 5,000.87 metric tonnes of trout valued at Rs. 333.40 crore. The government has also operationalised a Cold Water RAS at Patlikuhal, reducing the time required to produce market-size trout from around 14 months to just 10 months. In another significant achievement, fish farmers exported 2.5 lakh eyed ova and 8.5 lakh rainbow trout fry to Uttarakhand during 2025-26 which showcases the state’s growing expertise in quality fish seed production.
Reservoir fisheries continue to provide sustainable livelihoods to thousands of families. A total of 18,649 fishermen received full-time self-employment opportunities in major reservoirs during 2023-24 to 2025-26, including 6,022 fishermen in 2023-24, 6,318 in 2024-25 and 6,309 in 2025-26. During this period, fishermen harvested 2,246.26 metric tonnes of fish valued at Rs. 34.53 crore, with annual catches rising from 566.03 metric tonnes in 2023-24 to 748.76 metric tonnes in 2024-25 and 818.02 metric tonnes in 2025-26.
The government’s commitment to expanding fish farming opportunities is also reflected in the Mukhya Mantri Carp Matsya Palan Yojana, launched in 2024-25. Under this unique initiative, all beneficiary categories are provided a uniform subsidy of 80 percent. Subsidies worth Rs. 146 lakh were disbursed in 2024-25, while Rs. 48.57 lakh was released in 2025-26 for the construction of 4.8963 hectares of fish ponds, encouraging greater participation in fish farming and boosting rural incomes.
Alongside increasing production, the government has focused on innovation, conservation and fishermen’s welfare. Advanced technologies such as biofloc systems and RAS have expanded fish farming opportunities even in areas with limited land and water resources. The state government also launched its first Mahseer Conservation Programme, releasing over 40,000 fingerlings of the endangered Golden Mahseer into Pong Reservoir, Gobind Sagar Reservoir, Pandoh Dam and the Beas River, an initiative that earned the Fisheries Department the SKOCH Gold Award 2025. Improved fish varieties such as Amur Carp, AHR Jayanti and Amrit Katla, which offer 20-25 percent higher growth and fecundity are also being developed for distribution to farmers.
The government has provided Rs. 619.52 lakh to 13,767 reservoir fishermen under the Savings-cum-Relief Scheme, while over 42,000 fishermen and fish farmers have been covered under the General Accidental Insurance Scheme. Additionally, 1,786 beneficiaries have availed Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) to access institutional credit.
Another major relief measure has been the reduction in royalty on fish caught from reservoirs. The royalty rate has been reduced from 15 per cent to 7.5 per cent in 2025-26 and further to just 1 per cent in 2026-27. This historic decision will directly benefit more than 6,000 reservoir fishermen by increasing their earnings and strengthening their livelihoods.
The remarkable growth of the fisheries sector under the leadership of Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu demonstrates how visionary governance, farmer-centric policies and technological innovation can transform livelihoods and drive rural prosperity.
