SRINAGAR: Director Fisheries, M Farooq Dar today visited various trout Fish Farming units of the district including Achabal Trout Farm, Khulchohar Trout Farm, Akad Trout Farm, Nambal trout farm, Chattapal area and inspected/ verified the stock position/ maintenance of Govt. Farms/ property, fish seed status and other aspects of trout fish production.
The Director Fisheries expressed his satisfaction on the job being delivered by the officials as the district is being labelled as Trout district of the entire country. He further applauded the efforts of the District Officers for propagating the fish culture in the district and giving employment to educated unemployed youth.
District Anantnag being a leading Trout District has generated a total production of 553 metric tonnes in Govt. as well as the private sector.
In view of the innumerable fresh water resources, the District has tremendous potential for Trout fish production especially in the private sector. The Dept. is already on the path of progress by providing Trout units in the private sector and also high tech Re Circulatory Aquaculture System ((RAS) of fish culture which are assisted by a number of state/ centrally sponsored schemes viz a viz PMMSY, HADP, State Aquaculture Dev. Scheme and Fisheries Infrastructure Dev. Fund with 50% subsidy in some schemes.
The Dept. is now focusing on the establishment of a sustainable cold chain in terms of marketing and post harvesting management for which the Govt. has set up a common incubation centre under ODOP (PMFME) at Achabal Anantnag at a project cost of 2.45 crores.
The high tech facility centre is equipped with latest technology and automatic operationally fish processing systems like descaling, degutting, slicing, maceration and packaging, canning and manufacture of value added products like fish balls, fish curry, fish kabab, fish pickle, ready to eat fish sauce.
The facility is also fitted with machinery that converts fish waste into fish feed. The CIC will also provide skill development and capability building to the private fish farmers and entrepreneurs because of enhancement in the shell life of the fish and fish products; it will be easy to take the products to the country markets as well as for export.
The District has been designated as Trout District of the country and also Trout fish has been kept as a special product under ODOP (PMFME)
During the visit, the Director was accompanied by the Deputy Director Fisheries Anantnag and other Officers and officials.