India’s cold water fisheries sector is emerging as an important component of the Blue Economy by generating livelihoods, improving nutrition, promoting eco-tourism, and supporting sustainable mountain development. Once limited to traditional fishing in Himalayan streams, the sector has evolved into a modern aquaculture ecosystem supported by scientific farming and advanced infrastructure.
Cold-water fisheries are practiced in high-altitude snow-fed rivers, streams, lakes, and reservoirs with temperatures ranging between 5°C and 25°C, dissolved oxygen above 6 mg/L, and pH levels between 6.5 and 8.0. Species such as rainbow trout, golden mahseer, and snow trout are cultivated using specialized infrastructure including hatcheries, raceways, RAS, biofloc systems, and cold chain facilities. Trout farming is generally practiced above 1,500 metres altitude, while mahseer culture is suitable at relatively lower elevations.
Cold-water fisheries flourish across Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Meghalaya, and Nagaland, along with hill districts of West Bengal, Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. Together, these ecosystems cover more than 5.33 lakh sq. km of mountainous terrain. India has identified over 278 cold-water fish species, making the sector important for biodiversity conservation and sustainable mountain development.
