Fishing gets momentum in Kol Dam reservoir: Bharmouri

Shimla, October 22, 2016: Forest and Fisheries Minister Shri Thakur Singh Bharmouri said here today that fish production has been started at large scale in the Kol Dam reservoir since last one year and Kasol, Bairal and Sunni based fisheries cooperative societies did a business of Rs. 1.5 lakh through these fisheries centres by selling 1.57 metric tonne fishes from 1st August, 2016.

He said that the Fisheries Department provided training to 120 new fishermen of these societies and 150 fishermen were provided grant for purchasing fishery nets. The fishing work had been started in this reservoir which had shown encouraging results and it would get momentum in times to come which would also generate self employment opportunities to more persons.

The Minister said in order to cope with the demand of fish seeds, a Mahasheer hatchery and carp seed production unit would be set up in Nagar village of Sunni area at the earliest.

Shri Bharmouri said that a new reservoir spreading upto 1302 hectare area was formed under Kol Dam during last year in which 30 lakh fish seeds of different species like Rohu, Kamna carp were added to the reservoir by the department. Besides, the seeds of Mahasheer specie had also been added in the reservoir to give boost to angling tourism. The Government had approved to fill up 14 posts of officers and officials for conducting fisheries activities in this reservoir.

He added that licenses had been issued to 340 members of six fish cooperative societies under this reservoir for fishing. Special training camps were also being organized to provide training to the fishermen besides educating them about the rules in this sector.