Govt. strengthens blue economy through record fish production and extensive welfare support

· Fisheries sector generates Rs. 972 crore economy with 60,800 MT fish production in three years

· Creates 1,553 new livelihood opportunities

· Over 43,700 fishermen benefitted from insurance cover and KCC support

Under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the fisheries sector in the state is witnessing an unprecedented transformation and is now emerging as a powerful engine of rural growth, employment generation and economic prosperity. Through progressive policies, technological innovation and targeted welfare measures, the present State Government has revitalized the sector, created new opportunities for thousands of fishermen and fish farmers while strengthening the state’s blue economy.

The success of the state government’s initiatives in the fisheries sector is clearly reflected in the remarkable growth in fish production over the last three years. Between January 2023 and March 2026, Himachal Pradesh produced a total of 60,799.66 metric tonnes of fish worth Rs. 972.46 crore. Annual fish production increased steadily from 17,721.64 metric tonnes in 2023-24 to 19,019.83 metric tonnes in 2024-25 and further to 20,005.97 metric tonnes in 2025-26. This consistent growth highlights the increasing contribution of the fisheries sector to the state’s economy while creating better livelihood opportunities for thousands of fishermen and fish farmers across Himachal Pradesh.

The sector has also become an important source of employment and entrepreneurship. During this period, 1,553 employment opportunities were generated under various fisheries development schemes, including 385 in 2023-24, 539 in 2024-25 and 612 in 2025-26. Modern aquaculture technologies such as biofloc fish farming, recirculatory aquaculture systems (RAS), pond-based fish farming and trout culture have opened new livelihood avenues for rural youth. Government support for fish marketing through motorcycles and three-wheelers equipped with ice boxes, along with subsidies for hatcheries, fish seed production and feed mills has strengthened the entire fisheries value chain.

With the efforts of the state government, trout farming has emerged as one of the state’s biggest success stories. Between January 2023 and March 2026, departmental trout farms produced 42.29 metric tonnes of table-size trout worth Rs. 235.16 lakh and generated revenue of Rs. 338.16 lakh. During the same period, private trout farmers produced 5,000.87 metric tonnes of trout valued at Rs. 333.40 crore. The government has also operationalised a Cold Water RAS at Patlikuhal, reducing the time required to produce market-size trout from around 14 months to just 10 months. In another significant achievement, fish farmers exported 2.5 lakh eyed ova and 8.5 lakh rainbow trout fry to Uttarakhand during 2025-26 which showcases the state’s growing expertise in quality fish seed production.