Shimla, April 12
In a historic first, the Himachal Pradesh government has introduced a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for reservoir fish, marking a major policy shift aimed at securing the livelihoods of thousands of fishermen across the state.
Announced in line with the Budget 2026–27 by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the move fixes a composite MSP of ₹100 per kilogram for fish harvested from reservoirs. To cushion fishermen against volatile market rates, the government will provide a subsidy of up to ₹20 per kg through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) if auction prices fall below the MSP—ensuring assured income and transparent payments directly into bank accounts.
Alongside this, the government has delivered another big relief by slashing royalty on reservoir fish to just 1 percent. The royalty, which was earlier brought down from 15 percent to 7.5 percent, has now been reduced further, a move expected to directly benefit over 6,000 fishermen by significantly improving their net earnings.
Officials say the twin decisions—MSP assurance and steep royalty cut—are aimed at shielding fishermen from market uncertainty while boosting the overall fisheries economy.
Himachal Pradesh’s reservoir fisheries span five major water bodies, including Gobind Sagar, Pong Dam, Ranjit Sagar Dam, Chamera Dam and Kol Dam. Key fish species include Rohu, Catla, Mrigal, Common Carp and Grass Carp, with Silver Carp dominating most reservoirs, while Singhara is prevalent in Pong Dam.
Backed by sustained interventions such as annual stocking of advanced fingerlings, reservoir fish production has seen a steady rise—from 549.35 metric tonnes in 2022–23 to 818.02 metric tonnes in 2025–26.
The state’s overall fish production has also grown, increasing from 19,019 metric tonnes in 2024–25 to 20,005 metric tonnes in 2025–26, reflecting the expanding role of fisheries in rural livelihoods and the state economy.
