Himachal Fisheries Dept honoured with prestigious SKOCH Gold Award 2025; CM congratulates dept
(source : ANI) ( Photo Credit : ani)
Himachal Pradesh’s Fisheries Department just scored a big win: the SKOCH Gold Award for 2025. They earned it for their groundbreaking work in saving the critically endangered Golden Mahaseer through a smart captive breeding program. Officials announced the news from Shimla on September 22.
The award ceremony happened on September 20 at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi. Vivek Chandel, the department’s Director and Warden, along with Assistant Director Som Nath, picked up the honor on behalf of the team.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu praised the department, calling the award proof of the state’s strong push for biodiversity conservation. “This recognition from the SKOCH Group highlights our innovative steps to protect the Golden Mahaseer,” he said. The fish stands as the state symbol for Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, and Jammu & Kashmir, representing the rich aquatic life in these regions.
The Golden Mahaseer has faced tough times. Its numbers dropped sharply over the years from threats like hydropower dams wrecking habitats, overfishing, and pollution. To fight back, the department kicked off a science-backed captive breeding effort. They set up the Machhyal Mahaseer Farm back in 2016, but early results were slim—never more than 5,000 fingerlings a year.
Things turned around in 2023 under CM Sukhu’s guidance. The team partnered with the ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (CIFRI) in Bhimtal, Uttarakhand—the country’s top spot for cold-water fish research. Chandel and his team visited the institute to spot issues and brought back expert training on breeding techniques, fish nutrition, and disease prevention.
The changes paid off big. In the 2024-25 financial year, the Machhyal farm produced a whopping 87,000 Golden Mahaseer fingerlings. They even launched a major release program, stocking 34,500 of them into wild habitats for the first time—20,000 in Pong Reservoir and 14,500 in Gobind Sagar Reservoir.
Looking ahead, the state plans to boost production at a new fish farm in Sunni, Shimla district. This will help tackle short-term risks and build a steady supply for reviving the species long-term.
Why does the Golden Mahaseer matter? It keeps the aquatic ecosystem in balance and draws anglers from afar. In 2024-25 alone, over 3,700 fishing enthusiasts visited Himachal Pradesh, giving a lift to eco-tourism. You’ll find this prized fish in chilly waters of the Beas and Sutlej rivers, plus reservoirs like Pong, Gobind Sagar, and Kol Dam. It’s packed with nutrients and supports local fishermen’s incomes too.
Chandel predicts they’ll hit over 100,000 fingerlings this year, thanks to the program’s success. Overall, Himachal’s fish production jumped from 17,026 metric tonnes in 2022-23 to 19,020 metric tonnes in 2024-25. Reservoir output climbed even faster, from 549 to 749 metric tonnes in the same period.
These efforts are setting an example for other places battling similar fish conservation challenges. The state aims to expand with habitat fixes, stricter fishing rules, and teamwork with communities to ensure the Golden Mahaseer thrives in Himachal’s rivers and reservoirs for years to come.
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