The Northern Areas are endowed with many rivers, streams and lakes capable of supporting trout. Brown trout was first introduced to the Gilgit area in 1908. The fish established a self-sustaining population, and their offspring were subsequently transplanted to virtually all the accessible waters of the region. Though the main Indus River itself often becomes too silted for trout to tolerate, many of its tributaries support thriving populations. Worthy of note are:
All the above rivers support breeding populations of brown trout, and some also contain rainbows, which were first introduced into the Northern Areas only in 1978. Since locations suitable for trout farming can be found on most of these rivers, the technical potential for this industry in the Northern Areas is very large. The main limitation on development of sites is the difficulty of road access for many areas.
In addition to its rivers and streams, the Northern Areas contains many cold, clear-water lakes. Most of these can support trout if stocked, and those with streams available for spawning draining into them can support self-sustaining populations. The most notable lakes are Gaasho and Nultar in Gilgit District; Phandar, Shaimal, Matati, Kinis and Shandur in Ghizer; Rama and Pakora in Diamer; and Sadpara, Upper and Lower Kachura Lakes, and Hosho Dam in Skardu. Many of these lakes offer good conditions for the development of trout farming in floating cages, but again the main restriction on the use of most is the difficulty of road access.
Big springs are not common in the Northern Areas, or indeed elsewhere in northern Pakistan, but the exception at Hosho (described above) appears to be a first class trout hatchery site.
Since the chief obstacle to development of trout farm sites in the Northern Areas is poor road access, it is recommended that priority be given to acessible locations close to the main centres of Gilgit and Skardu.
The best “green field” sites for trout hatcheries, and for the initiation of on-growing to market size using all the usual technologies, i.e. concrete raceways, earth ponds and floating cages, are close to the town of Skardu:
Hosho. The Hosho spring was briefly described above. The land adjacent to the spring is gently sloping and ideal for construction of water channels, ponds and raceways. Soils are good for earth ponds. The area is already owned by the Department of Agriculture, but is used only as rough pasture. Several hectares around the existing semi-derelict hatchery are available for fish farm use, and there is sufficient head of water from the spring to allow gravity supply into the roof of a new hatchery building as well as to ground-level constructions. Given the additional availability of good road access and power, this site seems perfect for construction of a trout hatchery and on-growing facilities for market fish production in earth ponds and concrete raceways.
Though local Department of Fisheries staff report that minimum spring flow is at least 200 l/sec, this must be confirmed by observations during winter and spring seasons. If correct, the site is capable of producing at least 20mt of market fish per year, as well as fry and fingerlings. However, for the purposes of the project, targets of 350, 000 rainbow trout fingerlings from a hatchery/nursery, 5mt of market fish from concrete raceways, and 3mt from earth ponds annually by 1996 have been set.
To meet these targets, it is proposed that Hosho will import 600,000 eyed eggs per year until its own broodstock is built up. These will require eight 3.5m-long “California”-type fibreglass incubator troughs, each equipped with 7 egg trays. They will be housed inside a hatchery building of at least 5 × 5m. 20 fibreglass fry tanks, each 2 × 2 × 0.5m, will be installed outside the building under a lightweight roof. Maintaining maximum stocking levels below 15kg/m3 these tanks, together with the incubator troughs, are capable of holding the fry hatched from the imported eggs until they reach an average size of about 1g. Thereafter they will be thinned and graded into eight 4m diameter circular fibreglass tanks situated outdoors (but protected from the sun by shade netting). At an average size of around 5g, fish required for yearling production will again be moved into concrete raceways. Excess fingerlings will be available for release at selected sites to enhance wild populations for capture and sport fishery improvement.
Hosho is required to produce sufficient yearlings for its own market fish production, to supply the cage site at nearby Sadpara Lake (see below), and for on-growing at Mehdiabad trout farm in Ghanche District. Together, these units are expected to produce at least 24mt of market size trout per year. This requires around 125, 000 one-year-old fish for transfer to the on-growing sites. Due to its excellent position and water supply it is proposed that Hosho should also be the major location in the eastern half of the Northern Areas for production of yearlings to supply to private sector and community level organizations wishing to begin trout farming. To fulfil the project targets of encouraging and assisting private sector production of at least 20mt annually by 1996, Hosho should increase its target for yearling output to around 200,000 fish. Calculations of raceway requirements have been done on this basis:
In addition, production of the target 3mt of market fish in earth ponds will require construction of around 200m3 of ponds at Hosho (e.g. two 20 × 5m ponds).
Sadpara Lake. This extremely attractive lake about 6km from Skardu is accessible all-year-round via a jeepable track. Sadpara is about 4km2 in area, and is said to have a maximum depth of about 150m. The reservoir is formed by a dam across the valley of the Sadpara Nullah built during the last century to hold water for irrigation and power generation. The stream running out of the lake is now called the Hargisa, and joins the Indus River near Skardu town. Flow rate in August 1991 was around 3m3/sec, but winter levels may be under half this. There is one island in the lake. Temperature records are not kept, but the lake seldom freezes over. The water is said to always be clear.
Sadpara attracts tourists from other areas of Pakistan and overseas. There is a small privately-owned restaurant and shop on the lake shore, and limited accommodation is available at a guest house which overlooks the lake. Boats are available for hire at a rate of Rs 200 for use on the entire lake, or Rs 60 for a tour around the island. Boats operate from a jetty adjacent to the restaurant. The lake is government property.
The lake supports a good population of both brown and rainbow trout, both of which spawn in the Sadpara Nullah. Browns were first introduced shortly after Independence, rainbows in 1984. Fishing is by spinner only, and licences are sold at the rate of US$2 per day for foreigners, Rs15/day for Pakistanis. Season tickets are available for Rs200. The fishing season is 10 March – 9 October. In 1990 250 day and 20 season tickets were sold, and approx. 1,200 fish landed. Most of these were brown trout, the largest being 6kg. A full-time fisheries warden is employed by the Department of Fisheries to sell licences and control illegal fishing. His house overlooks the lake, and is being extended to provide additional accommodation for DoF staff.
Unofficially trout are also taken by gillnet. Some of the catch is sold at the restaurant for a price of Rs170/kg fried.
Sadpara appears to be an excellent site for cage culture of rainbow trout. Clearly there cannot be much wrong with water quality, since it supports healthy populations of trout already. The good water exchange through the lake, and favourable depth, make it potentially capable of supporting a cage farm producing at least 100mt of fish per year, but a target for the project period has been arbitrarily set at 15mt/year by 1996. Though the lake is normally calm, at times strong winds funnel down the valley in the same direction as the river flow, forming sizeable waves. Therefore the best location for mooring floating cages is probably in the shelter of the island. At that point the land shelves very steeply, so that deep water can be found close to the shore. It may thus be possible to construct a pontoon directly connected to the land, making servicing of cages possible without the use of a boat.
Assuming fish are brought to Sadpara from Hosho hatchery as yearlings, and a maximum stocking density of 15kg/m3, only 1,000m3 of cage space is required to produce the target 15mt of market fish, i.e. eight 5 × 5 × 5m cages. However, due to the lower cost of cage construction compared with that of concrete raceways, it will probably prove more economic to transfer fingerlings from Hosho into cages at Sadpara during their first year of life, and grow them there over two summers. Allowance for this alternative strategy has been made in the project document by including sufficient materials to manufacture extra cages. Similarly it may also be found more cost-effective to hold broodstock at Sadpara instead of or in addition to Hosho. This also has the advantage of splitting the risk of broodstock loss.
Apart from the cages themselves and the working platform or pontoon, it will be necessary to construct a storage shed and food preparation room on the lake shore, and a watchman's hut on the island adjacent to the cages. Boats, engines and the usual feed-making and ancilliary equipment are also needed. Currently there is no electricity to the lake shore, but it is estimated that only a transformer and 15 poles are needed to bring it from the small power station down-river. Though the cages can initially be serviced from the existing jetty, once the farm is established it may be advisable to build a new one for the sake of independence.
Upper and lower Kachura Lakes. Though it is not proposed to develop them during the initial project period, these lakes are worthy of mention as examples of the potential available in the Skardu area.
The lower lake is the site of a Shangri-La hotel, where a high standard of accommodation is available to tourists. Most foreign guests come on package tours, whilst the resort has the reputation amongst Pakistanis as a romantic setting for honeymoons. The ca.25ha lake is stocked with rainbow fingerlings by the DoF, and the hotel hires out boats and sells licences to anglers. Though shallow, the lake has some potential for cage culture of trout, but its value is probably greatest as a stocked fishery for use by hotel guests.
Upper Kachura Lake, on the other hand, is at least 50ha in area and said to be 100m deep. Its surroundings are beautiful, but it is reached with difficulty via a very rough track. The lake supports a brown trout population, and has excellent potential as a site for production of rainbows in cages.
The Kachura lakes are about 30km from Skardu, and with the exception of the last 2 or 3 kilometres the road is good.
The Department of Fisheries, Northern Areas, maintains an office in Skardu which is well placed to serve as a support centre for trout farming developments in the area. The building is constructed to a good standard in stone and mortar. It houses three offices, a kitchen, 2 accommodation rooms, a garage/workshop, and a shop on the roadside which sells fish direct to the consumer when available. In addition there is a covered area which could cheaply be walled in to provide further accommodation, perhaps for an ice machine, and a walled garden usable for storage of equipment, e.g. cage materials, fish boxes etc. With a little modification at modest cost, this building can be used as a supply and service base for Hosho, Sadpara, Mehdiabad, and other government and private sector trout farms which may be developed in the eastern half of the Northern Areas. An Assistant Director Fisheries is already employed here to oversee operations. A four-wheel-drive pickup should be based at Skardu to provide transport of personnel, feeds, fish and equipment locally.
Trout farming developments in the western half of the Northern Areas are best serviced from Gilgit. The DoF head office there is the base of the Deputy Director Fisheries, the departmental head who will be the NPD of PAK/91/008. The Department's building already houses several offices, accommodation and storage space. In addition a new teaching room and office/laboratory for use by international staff assigned to the project are being built on an adjacent site.
During the project period, the following trout farms will be developed in the Gilgit area:
Kaulot hatchery has been described above. Under the project, this unit will be upgraded and modernized to enable it to meet a target output of 450,000 rainbow trout fingerlings annually by 1996. The following additions and modifications are necessary:
Kargah trout farm. The facilities at this farm were described above. For the purposes of the project, it is proposed that the unit will be used only for on-growing rainbow yearlings to market size, and as a subsidiary store for broodstock in the Gilgit area; sharing the risk of loss with Kaulot hatchery. The target output set for this unit is 4mt per year by 1996, and this is attainable without constructing any additional raceways. However, a number of repairs, additions and modifications are needed to bring the farm into efficient operation, as follows:
Small units. Total production targets for the 7 existing small Northern Areas trout farms during the project period have been set at 200, 000 rainbow fingerlings and 3mt of market fish annually by 1996. Only essential repairs and minor modifications are proposed, as follows:
Daril hatchery requires only the usual change to its raceway outlets to enable it to efficiently grow-out fish for market. Using its good spring water supply, the hatchery will also function. With the addition of two modern “California”-type incubators, the unit can aim to contribute 100, 000 fingerlings to the area programme. These may be used for its own fish production and to supply nearby Khanburry and private sector partners for on-growing, with any excess fingerlings going for restocking.
Naltar hatchery is so dilapidated that it would be better abandoned. However, for reasons of local politics, government may decide to re-open it. If so, only the larger raceways should be repaired and used to grow-out small quantities of market fish for local sale.
Gahkuch hatchery has usable raceways which can produce market fish. Only raceway outlet modification is needed. Its derelict hatchery is not worth repairing, given the expanded capacity which will be available at Kaulot.
Kharbe farm should be treated in the same way as Gahkuch, though its hatchery has better potential for refurbishment with the addition of modern incubators.
Khanburry Fisheries Station can be supplied with fingerlings from nearby Daril, or from Kaulot. With the usual outlet modifications the existing concrete raceways are usable for market trout production. Considerably more capacity will be created by partitioning the 33 × 14m concrete pond into four parallel raceways. To provide additional water, the supply canal from the river needs deepening and widening.
Bara hatchery has limited potential for development due to shortage of both water and space. Its hatchery will be kept running, although only a modest output of around 25, 000 fingerlings should be expected. These can be accommodated in the existing raceways, which also have room for on-growing small quantities of market fish for local sale. Broodstock should not be retained at this unit, but instead eyed eggs be supplied from Hosho.
Mehdiabad can produce at least 1mt of market fish annually for local sale, with only raceway outlet modifications. Its small hatchery could rear its own fingerlings if required, though it would be more rational to supply these from Hosho.
By comparison with the Northern Areas, AJK has relatively few waters suitable for development as trout farm sites, or which are able to support good populations of wild trout. Wild populations are known to exist in the River Neelum and its tributaries upstream of Kutan. Here brown trout are able to reproduce, and form the basis of a fishery. Rainbows have also been stocked, but it is not clear whether these have formed self-sustaining populations. Similarly Ratigalli Lake, a 4km2 high-altitude lake in the Neelum region, has been stocked with both species, but the extent of natural spawning is not known. There is no road access to this lake. Rainbow trout have also been successfully stocked into the Leepa River, a tributary of the Neelum, and catches of the species are made by local residents including army personnel.
The potential for angling-based tourism has not been realizable in AJK due to the difficult security situation in the Neelum Valley. For the same reason, DoF staff have difficulties operating three of the four trout hatcheries established in this area (described above), and UNDP/FAO personnel are currently not permitted to enter that part of the Neelum Valley which is the best for rearing of trout. Under these circumstances it was not considered possible to go ahead with the implementation of PAK/88/048 as originally planned, since the main thrust of the programme was the upgrading and further development of Kutan, Dawarian and Salkhala trout farms, all of which are located in the restricted zone of the Neelum. Consequently an alternative strategy utilizing sites outside this area is proposed. It should be noted, however, that if the security situation improves sufficiently during the project period, the strategy may be revised to include the existing Neelum units. Since the trout hatchery consultant was not permitted to visit these farms, however, it is inappropriate for him to make detailed recommendations for their refurbishment at this time.
The main problems encountered in identifying waters with potential for development as trout hatcheries/farms outside the Neelum area were:
The long-term potential of AJK, both for commercial trout farming and for development of commercial and sport fisheries for these species, must therefore be regarded as much more modest than in the Northern Areas: probably less than 10%. For this reason the objectives of the project in AJK were modified and widened to place more emphasis on fisheries management and capture fishery development based on non-salmonid local species. Details of this part of the programme are given in the project document and the report of consultant I. Cowx, and will not be repeated here.
Despite these limitations and reservations, however, several sites apparently suitable for medium-scale trout farm development, and many suitable small-scale sites, were identified. For the purposes of the project, the following recommendations were made for specific locations:
Chinari River (also known as Qasi Nag or Katahi). This tributary of the River Jhelum carries ample water all-year-round. Due to present and planned hydro-power developments, the Electricity Department of AJK has kept records of flow rates in this river for many years. Minimum flow was recorded at just over 1m3/sec, in December 1982. For most of the year, however, the river carries over 2m3/sec, and the annual average is about 4m3 /sec. The river is prone to flooding in spring, when turbidity is high, but at other times the water is clear. A maximum temperature of 20.5°C was measured during August, but further regular monitoring is needed to ensure significantly higher levels are never reached. With this reservation, the Chinari River appears the best prospe for trout farm development in AJK outside the Neelum Valley. It is therefore proposed as the main centre for trout hatchery/on-growing for PAK/88/048.
The easiest site for development on the Chinari is at the Katahi hydro-power station, about 1km from the confluence of the river with the Jhelum. Road access is available to this site, which is also linked to the main electricity grid. The station draws its water supply from the river via a concrete canal 1km long and averaging 1 × 1 × 1m in cross-section, which carries 300 l/sec. The water finally falls approx. 100m through two penstocks to the power house turbines, and thence via concrete channels back to the river. Sufficient land is available adjacent to the power house for construction of fish raceways, and the power house itself is big enough to function as a hatchery building. Around it a concrete apron could accommodate 3m diameter fry tanks, and there is a house for staff on an adjacent site. Since the power station and canal are currently disused, and have been so for at least two years, the proposal was made to take over the site for trout farm development. Unfortunately the Electricity Department declined this on the grounds that it is planned eventually to repair and re-open the station for power generation. The proposal must therefore be shelved for the time being, but should not be forgotten in case the repairs to the power station do not materialize and the re-opening plan is abandoned in future. In this case the modification of this site would be the easiest, cheapest and most convenient way to further develop trout farming on the river.
For project purposes, however, it was necessary to find another site on the same river. The choice was restricted by the Electricity Department's plans for further power generation on the Chinari. A much larger, tunnel-fed power station will be constructed during the next few years, upstream of the Katahi unit. To avoid the adverse effects on water quality caused by disturbance to the river, which will inevitably occur during the construction phase, it was decided to seek a trout farm site upstream of the proposed new power station intake. A location was eventually chosen at Chak Hama, about 5km upstream from Katahi.
The Chak Hama site is currently accessible from the road only via a 500m foot track, but government estimates this can be upgraded to jeepable standard using local labour for a cost of around Rs50, 000 ($2,000). Similarly power supply must be brought the same distance from the road. The available riverside site comprises several hectares of gently-sloping land ideal for raceway construction. The stony land is high enough above the river to be unaffected by floods, and currently produces only a little rough grass which is cut for hay. It belongs to government. An existing canal carries water for two mills at a level approx. 3m above the highest part of the site. Widening and deepening of this canal is straightforward, and will provide plenty of water at sufficient height to feed into the roof of a hatchery building, as well as fry tanks and concrete raceways.
For project purposes, annual production targets for this site have been set at 25mt of market size rainbows and 200, 000 yearlings for on-growing here and by private/community-level farms by 1996. Calculations of incubator and fry/fingerling tank space required to meet these targets were made on the same basis as described above for proposed farms in the Northern Areas, and the resulting specifications and costings are included in the AJK project document. The government contribution to the project will cover the costs of construction of the following concrete raceways:
Due to the spring/summer turbidity, water for use in the Chinari hatchery will require filtration. Details of equipment recommended are given in the report of engineering consultant J. Muir.
Chikar. The Chikar Valley contains many small springs, which combine to form the Noonbagla Nullah, which joins the Nagni River, a tributary of the Jhelum. Though the Nagni itself was excluded as a suitable site due to its maximum summer temperature of at least 25°C, the Noonbagla has a more moderate temperature regime due to its spring sources. At the time of the consultant's visit, in September 1991, it had a temperature of 15.5°C, and a flow rate of at least 25 l/sec, which is said to be the minimum for this water. Further observations on temperature and flow rate must, however, be made before investment is made at this location. A good, gently-sloping site was found just downstream of the new bridge (under construction) adjacent to the road. It is understood that the local government here is keen to develop a trout farm, and consequently it was agreed to include plans for a unit with annual production capacity of about 5mt within the project. Due to its spring-fed nature, there is also potential for establishment of a small hatchery on this stream, and a modest target of 50, 000 fingerlings has been set for this.
Calculations of incubator and tank requirements were again based on the same assumptions as above, and cost estimates for equipment required are included in the project document. Government will construct the following raceways:
Pattika. The existing Pattika hatchery will be upgraded by addition of new modern incubators and fry tanks. New building work on a hatchery building and small concrete raceways is already in hand. Target production has been set at 150, 000 rainbow fingerlings annually by 1996. Though most of these fish will probably be earmarked for release for stock enhancement, some can be made available to private/community-level on-growers if demand exceeds initial expectations. During the project period, Pattika will import about 300, 000 eyed eggs annually from overseas, but by 1996 a self-sufficient broodstock to supply all the AJK units should be available at Chinari.
Private sector and community-based units. Considerable interest is already apparent in AJK in the prospect of small-scale private or community-owned trout farms. These will generally concentrate on market fish production, and obtain their fingerlings/yearlings from the above government-operated units. Currently one small farm based on a 7 l/sec spring water supply is under construction by the army's 75 Brigade at Sroopa, Lamnian. Details of this 500kg/year unit are given in the report of consultant I. Cowx. A larger unit, with initial production target of around 2mt/annum, is being planned for the army base at Cham, 6km upstream of Chak Hama on the Chinari River.
In the private sector, strong interest has been expressed by the owners of land at Lamnian, where potential exists for an output of at least 10mt per year using water from the Lamnian River, and at Bheri, where springs sufficient to produce at least 500kg annually are available.
There is also interest from communities at Leepa. Here relatively large volumes of good water are available from both nullahs and springs, perhaps the best outside the Neelum Valley. However, road access is difficult, and the area can be cut off by slides and snow for half the year. Leepa is also very close to the ceasefire line, and exchanges of fire sometimes occur. For this reason UNDP/FAO personnel require clearance from the army before they go there, and this can be difficult to obtain. Consequently it was not considered possible to include the area in the initial project proposal, though it might be brought in at a later date. Private sector developments here, however, will be encouraged.
