In a significant stride for coldwater aquaculture in India, the ICAR-Directorate of Coldwater Fisheries Research (DCFR) in Bhimtal has introduced new feeds and Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) technology tailored for rainbow trout production.

Developed, tested, and now commercialized, these innovations include three high-performance feeds – starter, grower, and broodstock feeds – specifically formulated for rainbow trout. Additionally, the RAS technology promises to revolutionize coldwater fish farming by drastically reducing water usage and enhancing productivity.

A partnership was forged between ICAR-DCFR and Growel Feeds Ltd., marked by a memorandum of understanding for the transfer and licensing of rainbow trout feed package technology. Dr. Pramod Kumar Pandey, director of ICAR-DCFR, hailed this collaboration as a crucial step towards expanding rainbow trout production in India’s uplands.

Dr. Pandey highlighted the importance of such advancements, emphasizing their role in bolstering the aquaculture landscape while highlighting the significance of public-private partnerships in fostering impactful technologies for fish farmers.

The RAS technology, with its forward-looking and climate-resilient design, promises water conservation, reducing usage by a staggering 1/100-fold, while simultaneously increasing rainbow trout productivity up to four-fold within shorter culture durations.

Dr. Biju Sam Kamalam and his team spearheaded the development of rainbow trout feeds, boasting notable improvements in growth rate, feed efficiency, size uniformity, flesh quality, reproductive competence, and offspring quality. More importantly, these feeds also contribute to reducing fish culture duration and health issues.

The announcement was made at a hybrid event attended by ICAR-DCFR scientists and research scholars, signifying a milestone in the advancement of coldwater aquaculture in India.