Himachal Pradesh to set up first fish parlour in Bilaspur, offering live and fresh fish for sale

To promote fish marketing in Bilaspur district and ensure fish availability for both residents and tourists, the Himachal Pradesh Fisheries Department will establish a 'Fish Parlour' in the district, officials said on Sunday.

Operating in conjunction with the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Department's 'Lake View Cafe' near the Fisheries Awareness Centre near Bilaspur's ITI Chowk, the parlour will provide tourists an opportunity to try traditional Himachali fish dishes.

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A team led by the Director-cum-Warden of Fisheries, Om Kant Thakur, inspected the proposed site, necessary infrastructure, and other arrangements required for setting up the Fish Parlour.

For the first time, the parlour will provide consumers with the option to purchase live and fresh fish. Furthermore, in future, the facility could be developed into a structured sales hub for a variety of fishery products.

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This will provide local fishermen and fisheries cooperative societies with an additional platform to market their produce.

The Tourism Department's cafe is already operational on the first floor of the same building. The synergy between the Fish Parlour and the cafe will enable the provision of local and traditional Himachali dishes prepared from fresh fish to tourists and other visitors.

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The Fisheries Department's initiative is expected to boost fish consumption and marketing in the district, while also creating new employment and income opportunities. Furthermore, this will help increase the number of tourists and visitors at the Lake View Cafe.

Through the collaborative efforts of the Fisheries Department and the Tourism Department, this initiative could give a new identity to local fishery products in Bilaspur and integrate Himachali fish-based culinary offerings with tourism activities.