The Project - Fisheries Development in Azad Jammu and Kashmir was originally planned to start from 1st. September, 1994, however, it became effective since July, 1995, for a duration of 30 months. In support of GOAJK plan, FAO is executing the on-going project with UNDP financial support of US $ 308,840.
The development objective is to increase the incomes of small farmers in AJK by a sustainable increase in production fish. Attainment of this objective will contribute to the national effort to increase the productivity of small farmers and provide employment and higher incomes to the rural population.
The project also aims at preliminary studies on physical and chemical qualities of water of Rivers - Neelum and Jhelum, the studies on local cold water fishes, their breeding behaviour, natural breeding grounds and artificial propagation of local species.
The project immediate objectives are;
4.1 Build up the institutional and technical capabilities of the fisheries department in AJK and Northern Areas to be able to produce fish seeds of different species of cultivable warm water fishes (Chinese, Indian and Common Carps) within the project period.4.2 Disseminate the technical know - how of warm water fish culture, poly - culture, integrated fish culture as well as fish seed production to farmers in the project area.
4.3 Build up technical capabilities of fisheries personnel to investigate the water qualities of Neelum and Jhelum rivers physically and chemically, to protect the breeding grounds of economically important local fish species and to develop the artificial propagation method of these fishes.
