Photo credit: Yousuf Jan (Pakistan) Description: Yousuf Jan and Abdel Rahman El Gamal (Founder of the website)
Historically, the culture of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in Pakistan; in particular in Gilgit Baltistan dates back to 1906-1908 starting with aged ova that were carried to Gilgit by Potters and then hatched under the supervision of experts of that time.
In recent time, the initial governmental interest has been placed on the production of trout juveniles for stock enhancement into natural waters targeting to enhance the sport fishing as required by tourism sector.
There are currently several rainbow trout hatcheries and farms in the Northern regions of Pakistan including Gilgit Baltistan region. Based on FAO overview, the touristic sector is the target market of farmed trout during summer as tourists are attracted to the areas with cold weather throughout the summer. During winter, trout is still sold and consumed by local people who increase their fish consumption during cold.
