Director Fisheries, Mohammad Farooq Dar, today conducted an extensive tour of Ramban and Anantnag to review progress on various development schemes being implemented in the districts under Fisheries sector.
Director inspected the Departmental Trout rearing units established at Karol, Ramban and Kharkote, Banihal during the tour. Director said that districts falling in Chenab valley including Ramban, Doda, Kishtwar and others have abundance of streams and hilly torrents which are blessed with tremendous potential for development of Cold water fisheries.
He emphasised optimum use of technological interventions to tap completely vast potential for exploitation of Cold Water fisheries and fish culture in tese districts.
Director said that the fish farming with new technology in hilly and remote areas of the districts of Chenab valley shall help in economic upliftment of the local people besides supplementing quality protein in their diet.
Director instructed the District Officer to identify potential areas in the districts to prioritise setting up of more Trout Rearing units in private sector under cluster based approach. He also asked to facilitate organised marketing channels for benefit of the farming community to sell their produce for better returns.
He asked the concerned officers to utilise different media channels for creating awareness about PMMSY and various beneficiary oriented schemes of fisheries sector proposed under Holistic Development of Agriculture and allied sectors.
Later, Director visited Trout Fish Farm Kokernag to inspect progress on ongoing Trout breeding and seed production activity being undertaken in the farm. Director inspected various components of the farm viz. European Raceways, American Raceways; Trout feed mill, Ova House and other facilities.
While reviewing status of Trout seed production and distribution, Director was appraised that 8.2 lakh fingerlings were supplied to private Trout growers besides 2.1 lakh advanced fingerlings were provided to different Departmental Trout rearing units for rearing to table size from the farm.
Besides, about 3.2 lakh Trout Fingerlings were supplied to different districts for stocking in the feasible natural water bodies/streams for conservation of Trout fisheries.
It was informed that the farm has also supplied 1.7 lakh Eyed ova of Rainbow Trout to Department of Fisheries, Sikkim and Tamil Nadu. To cater to the demand of Trout fish, about 35 tonnes of fish has been sold during the current financial year.
The Director expressed satisfaction over the seed production and its distribution among the fishers and advised to further enhance the quality seed production of Rainbow Trout for benefit of private fish farmers and entrepreneurs.
Later, Director also visited the inservice Fisheries Training Centre, Kokernag and interacted with the trainees. He emphasized that the skills and knowledge attained during inservice training are important to bring positive attitudinal change among the staff.
He added that the technically sound and trained manpower have ability to command and deliver effectively at the field level. Director was accompanied by Joint Director Fisheries South, Kashmir, Chief Project Officer, Trout Fish Farm, Kokernag, Principal, Inservice Training Centre, Kokernag, Assistant Director Fisheries, Ramban and other senior officers of the department.