The Aquaculture Sector in Nepal
Nepal is a landlocked country located north of the Indian border, with no sea access and therefore it is heavily reliant on inland marine resources to meet and sustain the domestic demand for fish and fish-based products. A predominantly Hindu nation, more than 80% of Nepal’s population are Hindus, fish-based protein is an important source of nutrition and sustenance, given the lower intakes of red meat Hindu nations have when compared to other countries. Aquaculture in Nepal started in the 1940s, so it’s by no means a new industry, but progress has been slow, stalled or hampered, by a lack of R&D in the sector. Freshwater fish are normally cultivated in natural ponds and the most popular species to be bred in captivity are carps and carp variants, possibly because they are easier to cultivate in controlled environments when compared to other species of fish, and over the years, carp poly-culture in ponds has become the most viable type of aquaculture in Nepal and currently acc