Sajad Lone

Kupwara, January 16 (KNS): Fish farming is emerging as a growing sector in the Union Territory of J&K, presenting a prospective career option for young farmers in the frontier Kupwara district, where a large number of youths are venturing into fish farming to earn a livelihood and create employment opportunities for others.

In the private sector, the number of fish farmers has significantly increased, attracting hundreds of people to engage in fish farming in Kupwara. The district holds excellent fish farming potential with numerous water bodies, Nallahs, and cold-water streams.

According to the Kashmir News Service (KNS), during this fiscal year, Kupwara district has produced 812.72 tonnes of fish, including 60 tonnes in Trout/Carp fish production in the private sector.

To expand self-employment opportunities, the fisheries department and the district administration in Kupwara have established 68 Trout units, 68 carp units in the private sector, and 6 centers in the government sector, with 3 in each category of trout and carp.

Under the PMMSY scheme, the fisheries department has extended financial assistance of 26.4 lakhs to 12 farmers. The department has issued 54 Angling Permits, allowing only artificial flies, and each license permits the angler to keep six fish a day at a cost of 1,000 rupees.

In terms of annual production, fish farmers have generated revenue of about Rs 2.80 crore in trout fish farming and Carp fish units. The department has also earned Rs. 29 lakh from various resources in the government fisheries sector.

The Department of Fisheries in Kupwara has taken comprehensive steps to tap into the aqua potential of the district, implementing centrally sponsored schemes on the ground to create employment avenues and double the income of fish farmers. Major technological interventions have been introduced, such as Recalculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS), Biofloc, establishment of Feed Mill, Hatcheries, and Ice Plants under the private sector, aimed at boosting fish production and maximizing farmers' income.

According to Assistant Director Fisheries, Sajad Ahmad Dar, the Fisheries department in Kupwara has significantly increased its trout fish production from 5 tonnes eight years ago to around 60 tonnes annually. The department has provided financial assistance under the Livelihood scheme of Rs 16.68 lakhs in to 556 fishermen the private sector and 26.4 lakhs to 12 fish farmers in the year 2023.

This year the department has provided assistance of 18.69 lakhs to 623 fishermen.

District Kupwara, with its vast pristine water resources, offers ample scope for the development of cold-water fisheries, particularly trout. The department plays a crucial role in employment generation, with a growing number of youth choosing fish farming as a source of livelihood in Kupwara.(KNS).