HP to soon implement MSP for fish harvesting from reservoirs

Shimla, Apr 12 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh Department of Fisheries will soon implement a minimum support price (MSP) for fish harvested from reservoirs, officials said on Sunday.
     A spokesperson of the department said the state government has initiated significant and forward-looking measures to strengthen the fisheries sector and ensure improved livelihood security for fishermen across the state.
     "In line with the Budget 2026-27 announcements of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the Department is gearing up to implement the initiatives at the grassroots level," he said.
     The measures are designed to protect reservoir fishermen from market fluctuations, ensure fair pricing for their produce and enhance their overall income, he said.
     "The composite MSP for reservoir fish has been fixed at Rs 100 per kilogram. Additionally, if the auction price falls below Rs 100 per kilogram, the state government will provide a subsidy of up to Rs 20 per kilogram through the direct benefit transfer mechanism... the subsidy will be credited directly into the bank accounts of eligible fishermen," he said.
     "In another major relief measure, the CM has announced a substantial reduction in the royalty rate on fish harvested from reservoirs. The State Government had earlier reduced the royalty from 15 per cent to 7.5 per cent and it has now been decided to further reduce the royalty rate to just 1 per cent in the current financial year. This decision is expected to directly benefit over 6,000 reservoir fishermen by reducing their financial burden and significantly increasing their net income" he said.
     He further said that Himachal has also recorded notable growth in overall fish production. "Total fish production increased from 19,019 metric tonnes in 2024-25 to 20,005 metric tonnes in 2025-26," the spokesperson added.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)