National Conference on Cold Water Fisheries

The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India organised a National Conference on Cold Water Fisheries at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir on March 14, 2026. The conference marked the first national-level dialogue focused on sustainably harnessing the potential of India’s cold-water fisheries for economic growth and livelihood development.

India’s cold-water fisheries

India’s cold-water fisheries represent a unique component of the country’s aquaculture sector, primarily found in high-altitude and mountainous regions. These ecosystems are spread across states and regions such as Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, and parts of the Western Ghats and the Northeast. Together, these areas cover over 5.33 lakh square kilometres of mountainous terrain.

The region supports more than 278 identified cold-water fish species, offering significant potential for livelihood generation, nutrition security, scientific aquaculture, and biodiversity conservation.

Cold-water fish species

Under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), the Department of Fisheries has launched several initiatives to strengthen this segment. Premium cold-water fish species such as Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, and Mahseer represent a high-value aquaculture segment with strong growth prospects.

Policy Measures

Targeted policy measures have helped increase trout production nearly 1.8 times over the past decade. However, India still imports salmon and premium trout, highlighting the need to expand domestic production capacity.

To address this gap, the government has outlined the National Vision for Cold Water Fisheries 2030, which aims to double the production of cold-water fish species such as trout and mahseer while creating sustainable livelihood opportunities in mountainous regions.

Source: PIB