He was accompanied by Joint Director Fisheries (Central) M. Manzoor Wani, Assistant Director Fisheries Doda Joginder Lal , Assistant Director Fisheries Kishtwar Bharat Bushan, Hq. Officer Fisheries Department Jammu Mohd. Shabir besides concerned field staff remained present during special drive of stocking.
While speaking on the occasion, the Director stated that, in its endeavor to give fillip to fish breeding in natural water bodies, the Department of Fisheries takes regular management measures of natural water resources by augmenting them with quality, disease resistant varieties of fish seed both in Carp waters as well as in Trout waters.
"Under this programme Fisheries department has already stocked Ranjit Sager Dam reservoir with Indian Major Carp and exotic carp seed and now it has stocked Dul Hasti reservoir with quality seed of Indian Major Carps and Exotic Carps excepting Grass Carp." -he added.
He further stated that Department of Fisheries cares not only the development of Fisheries in natural water bodies, private sector and community water resources but also undertakes measures for development of Mahigir Community by way of providing Low Cost Houses, Insurance cover to the family members associated with fishing for earning their livelihood and also provides timber for manufacture of fishing boats as well as Nylon twine for manufacture of their nets used in fishing.
"Stocking of natural water bodies is a regular programme which is being under taken by the department throughout the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir as per the feasibility and existing fish biomass" he maintained.
He further stated that, fisheries department has constructed 5320 Nos of Low Cost Houses upto 2020-21 and has settled 234 insurance claims of Mahigirs (Fishermen), besides it has also taken steps for development of world famous angling streams -the Trout streams of the Union Territory of J&K. Under the stocking programme the department has stocked Sharekhi Nallah and Thanalla Nallah of Bhaderwah area, District Doda with 15000 Nos of advanced fry ( 4-5 grams ) of Rainbow Trout fish seed.
It is pertinent to mention here that the said seed has been produced at Trout Fish Farming Project Bheja of District Doda. The Trout Fish Farming Project Bheja has been established during the years 2006-07 to 2008-09 and has six pair of raceways having maximum production capacity of 12 tonnes of fish subject to the consistency of the water source availablity, as the water source is subject to seasonal fluctuations depending upon the magnitude of snow and rains.
