The Himachal Pradesh fisheries department on Friday imposed a four-month ban on catching trout fish in major rivers and their tributaries spread over 600 km in the state.
“In order to promote the breeding of trout fish in the cold-water regions of Himachal Pradesh and to conserve this natural resource, a complete ban on trout fishing has been implemented from November 1, 2024 to February 28, 2025,” Director Fisheries Vivek Chandekl said in a statement issued here.
These include the Pabbar river in Shimla district, Beas, Sarvari, Parvati, Gadsa, and Sainj rivers in Kullu district, Uhal river in Mandi and Kangra districts, and Bhandal Nala in Chamba district, the statement said.
Chandel said the ban is necessary to conserve trout fish during their natural breeding season, allowing for natural seed collection in reservoirs. This four-month ban will ensure the long-term preservation of Himachal Pradesh’s fishery resources and boost trout fish production in the state, he added.
He said during this period, the fisheries department has made special arrangements to ensure the safety of trout waters. A dedicated monitoring force has been deployed to patrol these water areas, and leaves of departmental employees working in these cold regions have also been cancelled.
Last year, the department’s eight trout farms produced 1.5576 million trout seeds, he informed.