Arctic char fish trials in Himachal rivers

Arctic char, a fresh water highly-priced delicacy fish from the Arctic region, could soon be found in the Himalayan streams of Himachal Pradesh for the first time in India.

The Himachal government has imported this fish by anglers from Canada. It is said to have the combined flavour of brook trout and salmon. The state government has just begun breeding them on a trial basis at three places in the hill state.

"Some 15,000 arctic char fingerlings (or seed) imported from Canada have been immersed in three equal parts at three fish farms at Sangla and Pathlikul in Kinnaur, and at Holi in Chamba," said Vijay Kumar Puri, an official of the state fisheries department.

"These three places are chosen after an extensive research and could turn out to be the ideal habitat for this fresh water fish," said Puri.

The state fisheries department is expecting to see results soon as arctic char can grow up to 2 kg in less than a year.

"If found successful, this fish could be introduced in a big way at these and other fish farms of Himachal," said Puri.

The traditional natural habitat of the arctic char is the arctic coast. This cold water fish is much like the trout fish which is being bred successfully for decades in many rivers of Himachal Pradesh.

With shades of brilliant red, violet, pink and white it can grow up to 10 kg. In north America, it is marketed mainly fresh as whole dressed fish and steaks. Some of them are canned.