Uttarakhand - Department of Land Resources

average of 1.47 liters per house hold per day. The marketing of milk is done through
SHGs cooperatives and dairies (Annexure Table 2.17)
FISHERIES
Fish is a nutritious food product it not only helps in eradicating malnutrition but also
helps in creating livelihood opportunities for the rural folk. The state of Uttarakhand is
developing a fisheries policy in this regard so that fisheries can help in economic growth
of the State. The State of Uttarakhand has a large variety of fish species and various
types of water sources both natural and manmade. Aquaculture can be a source of
livelihood for the locals by providing opportunities for angling and ecotourism also. The
length of major rivers in the State is about 2686 km. There are a number of natural
lakes in the higher reaches of Garhwal Himalayas and a number of lakes in Kumaons
middle Himalayas. The area of these lakes is about 300 ha. The State is also known for
world popular Trout and Mahaseer fish which are an angler‟s delight. The State at
present is producing fish seed of an amount of Rs. 3.5 crores. These seeds are then
given to the fish growers and also released in various water sources.
Cold water fisheries: The fishes of commercial importance in cold water are
Mahaseer, Trout, Snow Trout and Mirror Carp only and are present in number of lakes
and rivers of the State. The Mahaseer, Trout, Snow Trout and Mirror Carp are highly
suitable fish species for Sport / Game/ Food fisheries in the hills, and have potential to
attract a large number of tourists. The state has cold water streams of about 2686 km.
length which is suitable for food and game fishes like, Snow Trouts, and Mahaseer. At
present the production of these fishes from the streams is very poor and are not well
managed from recreational and conservation point of view. If developed scientifically,
this is likely to generate considerable revenue for the state Govt. through promotion of
tourism related to game fisheries. In the recent years the population of Mahaseer has
depleted drastically in the state. To maintain the natural stock of Mahaseer species,
there is a need to launch conservation programs by the department.
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