Emerging scope, technological up-scaling, challenges and governance of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum, 1792) production in Himalayan region

Rainbow trout is one of the promising cultivable fish species in coldwater and has enormous scope for its expansion in the Himalayan region. Being a low volume high value commodity, the trout has good potential for domestic consumptions as well as foreign export. In spite of having excellent positive traits and prosperity, the development and expansion of trout farming in Himalayas has yet to be intensified for large-scale productions. There are enormous aquatic resources in the form of river, reservoirs and lakes in the Himalayan region yet agricultural production of trout is very limited. This paper presents the available trout production system, available infrastructure and production trend highlighting the need of improved feed, infrastructure, improved strain, application of triploid trout production for stocking in cages and pens and also the possibilities of organic trout farming so as to clinch the production intensification, environmental management and trout promotion objectives. Based on 15 years experience of trout culture in India, potential success in trout production could be acquired through technological modernization, better governance and significant improvement in the management practices. The knowledge needed to form a comprehensive trout-farming ecosystem beyond farm activities has been suggested in this paper which will be useful not only to the country but also to the transboundary Himalayan region where trout farming is still rudimentary.