It was a rough 200 km ride for the 90,000 fish fingerlings (technical term for little baby fish) from the Terai (plainland) in the south all the way to Lake Syarpu in Rukum District. We’re not sure whether fish get car-sick, but we can be confident that those fish are much happier now than when in transit. About 27,700 have been placed in nursery cages, while the rest have been released unrestricted into the lake.
This is part of a pilot project to test the feasibility of high-altitude fish farming, a new venture that could provide better nutrition for people in the hills and a good source of income. The local community is closely involved, and will be monitoring the development of the fish. About 450 households stand to benefit from this initial trial, using about 40 hectares of the lake. They are very excited about the possibilities.
Fresh fish and chips in Rukum? Hard to believe, but perhaps this project will help make it a reality!