Srinagar, Mar 14: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday called for adopting improved scientific techniques and developing modern infrastructure and value addition to enhance cold water fisheries production in Jammu and Kashmir while ensuring sustainability and livelihood security for fish farmers.
The Chief Minister was addressing a day-long National Conference on Cold Water Fisheries held at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC), Srinagar. The conference, described as a first-of-its-kind national dialogue on sustainable harnessing the potential of India’s cold water fisheries for growth and prosperity, was organised by the Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Government of India.
Welcoming the Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh and other dignitaries to Srinagar, the Chief Minister thanked the Government of India for choosing Jammu and Kashmir as the venue for such an important conference on the development of cold water fisheries.
“I would like to warmly welcome the Union Minister and his colleagues and thank them for choosing Srinagar for this very important conference on how we can further increase the production of cold water fisheries,” the CM said.
Highlighting the importance of learning and innovation in the sector, Abdullah said the conference had already provided new insights into emerging practices in fisheries.
“Till now, we believed that cold water fisheries were limited to mountainous regions like Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and the Northeast. We assumed that these areas alone had the advantage because of their geography. But today we learned something new,” he remarked.
Referring to innovative aquaculture practices in other parts of the country, the Chief Minister cited the example of a youth entrepreneur from Hyderabad producing trout through advanced techniques in a tropical climate.
“We heard about a young entrepreneur in Hyderabad who has established a facility producing around 200 metric tonnes of trout. This shows that technology can overcome geographical limitations. It also means that regions like ours must improve techniques and adopt modern scientific practices to stay ahead,” he said.
The Chief Minister said the government has a responsibility to support fishermen and aquaculture entrepreneurs who depend on fisheries for their livelihoods.
“Our responsibility is to strengthen those who have taken up fisheries as their livelihood. We must help them increase production, improve infrastructure in remote areas and ensure better post-production facilities,” he said.
Calling for greater use of science and research, Omar Abdullah stressed that innovation would be crucial for the future growth of cold water fisheries. “Science and research must guide the development of this sector. We need to identify new techniques and innovations that can help increase cold water fisheries production in a sustainable manner,” he said.
The Chief Minister also highlighted the importance of balancing production with environmental protection.
“While increasing production, we must ensure sustainability. Our environment must not be damaged, and our natural fish stocks must remain protected,” he added.
He further pointed out that climate change poses new challenges for agriculture, horticulture and fisheries in the region. “Climate change is becoming increasingly visible. We recently witnessed unusual temperatures in Srinagar in February and early flowering of trees this year. Even the Tulip Garden is ready much earlier than usual. These changes will inevitably impact sectors like fisheries, and we must be prepared,” he said.
Emphasising the value of knowledge sharing, the Chief Minister said hosting the conference in Srinagar would help Jammu and Kashmir learn best practices of other states and share its own long experience in trout farming.
“It has been about 126 years since trout was first introduced in Kashmir around 1900. We have a rich experience in this sector, and we must share it with others while also learning from the best practices of states like Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and those in the Northeast,” he said.
Omar Abdullah expressed confidence that collaborative efforts between the Centre, states and stakeholders would further strengthen India’s fisheries sector. “Fish production in the world has reached new heights. With the focused attention now being given to this sector and the creation of a dedicated ministry, I am confident that the day is not far when India will be among the leading countries in fish production globally. In that journey, cold water fisheries will hold a special place,” he said.
Concluding his address, the Chief Minister welcomed delegates from across the country and expressed hope that the conference would result in meaningful knowledge exchange and future collaboration.
