In J&K, fish farming emerging as lucrative means of livelihood for youth

FishSRINAGAR: Fish farming is emerging as a lucrative means of livelihood for young entrepreneurs across Jammu and Kashmir with the support of Central Government’s Rashtriya Kissan Vikas Yojna (RKVY).

The department of fisheries is propagating fish culture to give job opportunities to educated youth, besides the development of recreational fisheries as a method of income for those interested in pursuing aquarium fishing as a profession.

In Anantnag, three brothers have started fish farming business after getting help from Department of Fisheries. Ashiq Hussain, owner of a trout fish farm said that they received a lot of help from the department in terms of construction, feed and equipment. “My brothers and I completed our studies but were still unable to find jobs. We approached the department of fisheries and they taught us how to cultivate fish. We received subsidies under the Centre’s Rashtriya Kissan Vikas Yojna (RKVY) for construction, feed, and equipment”, Ashiq said whose unit employs six workers besides generating indirect employment for several others as well.

The avenue is particularly useful for those who already have a good water supply and a small piece of land for the farm. The department has started this initiative to help people prosper in this industry and scheme is most useful for people who have good water supply and feasibility.

Jammu & Kashmir Government is also promoting fisheries culture by using modern technologies of fish farming such as composite fish culture of Indian major carps and exotic carps.

Many national schemes for promotion of the fishing trade are National Welfare Scheme for Fishermen, PM’s Package for creation of employment opportunities, Fisheries Training and extension, Construction of low-cost houses, Group Accident Insurance scheme for active Fishermen, RKVY for houseless fishermen, among others.

The administration is also promoting the sector by filling the natural cold-water streams with trout seeds to endorse sports fisheries across the Union territory.

Notably, Kashmir offers some of the greatest spring-fed and snow-fed trout fishing in the world, along with a number of freshwater lakes as well as pollution-free streams, and rivers with snow-capped peaks.