In AJK. the cold water fishery in the form of sports was under taken long time before. Few years earlier a Cold Water Fisheries Development Project (PAK/88/048) was initiated with view of greater potential in Neelum and Leepa valleys. But unfortunately the regular accessibility to these potential valleys could not improve on security ground as a result even a Preparatory Assistance Phase of the project was called off. Very recently only the importance of warm water fish culture has been realised as a result the on-going project has aimed to develop warm water fish culture or aquaculture. Presently the sub- sector is represented as an Office of Deputy Director -Fisheries under the Department of TWAF with many limitations. The development status in the form of institution set- up it has one - Deputy Director on permanent basis and two Assistant Director s - Fisheries. Out of the two Assistant Director - Fisheries one who was promoted to this level was working in one of the four existing Trout Hatcheries at remote areas and has been very recently transferred to Chikar and while the second one was on ad-hoc basis stationed at Muzaffarabad to look after warm water fish culture has been withdrawn recently with the new policy of the Government. In the field of fisheries the major constraints have been identified as follows:
9.1 Lack of Long Term Perspective Plan on Inland Fisheries Development
AJK is endowed with very diverse water resources, the fish fauna and different climatic zones. It distinctly exhibits the possibility of cold to warm water fisheries and sports valued to commercial fisheries development. But in lack of Long Term Perspective Plan on Inland Fisheries Development, this sub- sector has always failed to get priority in the development plan even having good potentiality.
9.2 Weak and Fragile Institutional Frame.
The established Fishery Wing under the Department of TWAF is young small and very fragile with very limited number of staff. The given responsibility to the institution is not comparable to its shape and size.
9.3 Lack of manpower in quantity as well as in quality.
The present Fishery Wing consists of only two Officer level staff. Moreover, the existing manpower seriously lacks technical know-how and urgently need technical orientation in the different field of fish culture. Thus the institution seriously lacks the manpower not only in quantity but also in quality.
9.4 Lack of Investment.
In AJK, the cold water fishery in the form of sports was carried out in small scale since long time but no serious effort was made to up-grade the activity with the change of time or technology. A further constraint for the cold water fishery development is the irregularity of access to the most potential valleys due to security reason. Moreover, the importance of warm water fish culture has been realised very recently only and very little work has been done in this field. The existing facility and infrastructure, and the quantity and quality of human resources do not exhibit any evidence having any investment in this field earlier, thus this potential field calls for high investment if some solid impact is to be made.
9.5 Lack of Support to the Private Sector.
The southern districts conditions show good potential in developing warm water fish culture or aquaculture. The private sector farmers have realised the high potentiality of the districts also. Very recently only, some of the private sector farmers have started to receive technical support in the field through the on- going project exhibiting good results This result has encouraged the farmers to get involved in large scale production programme or in developing aquaculture as an industry but are still hesitant in lack of sound technical and financial support in the district.
