Development of cold water fisheries

The Department of Fisheries, under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, is implementing the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) with an investment of Rs 20,050 crore across all States/UTs to address critical gaps in fish production, technology, post-harvest infrastructure, and fishers' welfare, including cold water fisheries. Additionally, the Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF) with a fund size of Rs 7522.48 crore has been in effect since FY 2018-19. The government has approved Rs 706 crore for fisheries projects in Himalayan and Hilly States, and issued 'Model Guidelines for the Development of Cold Water Fisheries' to support states. Emerging technologies like Raceways, RAS, Biofloc, IoT-based monitoring, and digital platforms are promoted. Specific clusters for cold water fisheries development have been notified in Anant Nag (J&K), Pithoragarh (Uttarakhand), Kargil (Ladakh), and Kullu (Himachal Pradesh). Research institutes like ICAR-CICFR and CIFT are also involved in developing intensive trout production and processing facilities.