Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh government has introduced a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for reservoir fish and slashed royalty to just one percent, aiming to provide income security to fishermen and reduce their financial burden.
Announced in the Budget 2026–27 by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the decision marks the first time that an MSP has been fixed for fish harvested from reservoirs in the state. The move is intended to protect fishermen from price fluctuations and ensure stable earnings.
Under the new policy, a composite MSP of Rs. 100 per kilogram has been set for reservoir fish. If auction prices fall below this level, the state government will provide a subsidy of up to Rs. 20 per kilogram through Direct Benefit Transfer, ensuring that the difference is compensated directly into the bank accounts of fishermen.
In another key decision, the royalty on reservoir fish has been reduced sharply to one percent in the current financial year. The royalty was earlier brought down from 15 percent to 7.5 percent, and the latest cut is expected to benefit over 6,000 fishermen by increasing their net income.
Himachal Pradesh has five major reservoirs supporting fisheries, including Gobind Sagar, Pong Dam, Ranjit Sagar, Chamera and Kol Dam. These water bodies support a variety of fish species such as Silver Carp, Singhara, Rohu, Catla, Mrigal, Common Carp and Grass Carp.
Reservoir fisheries in the state have seen steady improvement due to sustained efforts like the annual stocking of advanced fingerlings. Fish production from reservoirs has increased from 549.35 metric tonnes in 2022–23 to 818.02 metric tonnes in 2025–26.
Overall fish production in the state has also grown, rising from 19,019 metric tonnes in 2024–25 to 20,005 metric tonnes in 2025–26, reflecting the impact of ongoing policy interventions and infrastructure development in the fisheries sector.
The government maintains that these measures will strengthen the fisheries economy, promote sustainable practices and create better livelihood opportunities for fishermen across Himachal Pradesh.
