National Research and Development Centre for Riverine & Lake Fisheries, Haa

02/09/2026

𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐛𝐨𝐰 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐁.𝐁. 𝐊𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐥'𝐬 𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐛𝐨𝐰 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐦

On 28 August 2026, the Trout Breeding Centre (TBC), under the National Research and Development Centre for Riverine and Lake Fisheries (NRDCR&LF), Haa, successfully stocked rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) at the private trout farm of Mr Birkha Bdr. Kharel, located at Tsahiyangjong village under Kilkhorthang, Tsirang.
A total of 3,500 rainbow trout fingerlings were stocked as part of the Centre’s ongoing seed distribution program to support private trout farmers and promote trout farming development in the country.

Department of Livestock, Royal Government of Bhutan

28/08/2026

𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐡𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐧’𝐬 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞: 𝐇𝐨𝐧’𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐦 𝐃𝐆’𝐬 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐍𝐑𝐃𝐂𝐑&𝐋𝐅, 𝐇𝐚𝐚

The Hon’ble Director General, Department of Livestock, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, visited the National Research and Development Centre for Riverine and Lake Fisheries (NRDCR&LF), Haa, providing an important opportunity to review the Centre’s ongoing work, technical progress and operational priorities in advancing freshwater aquaculture in Bhutan.
During the visit, Madam DG toured the Centre’s rainbow trout input production and sturgeon seed production facilities and reviewed the progress being made in strengthening domestic capacity for quality aquaculture seedstock and production inputs.
A key highlight of the visit was the Centre’s ongoing work on the hatching, larval rearing and juvenile production of Beluga (Huso huso) and Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii). The establishment of these early life-stage production capabilities marks an important milestone towards strengthening the national sturgeon stock base, supporting the Bhutan Sturgeon Farm, and creating a foundation for the future development of high-value sturgeon products, including caviar production in Bhutan.
The Centre also showcased its progress in rainbow trout broodstock management, breeding, hatchery operations, fingerling production, nursery rearing and input supply, highlighting its critical role in ensuring a reliable supply of quality rainbow trout seedstock and providing technical support to emerging trout farms across the country.
The visit also provided a valuable platform for the Centre’s management and technical team to present its key achievements, operational constraints, emerging technical challenges and strategic priorities. Discussions centred on strengthening seed production capacity, broodstock development, biosecurity, water-resource management, production efficiency, infrastructure and quality assurance, while ensuring a reliable and sustainable supply of aquaculture inputs.
NRDCR&LF remains committed to strengthening its role as the national technical hub for freshwater rainbow trout and sturgeon seedstock and input production, with emphasis on applied research, technological innovation, quality assurance, capacity building and technical support to the aquaculture sector.
Department of Livestock, Royal Government of Bhutan

25/08/2026

𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐛𝐨𝐰 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐭 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐚, 𝐋𝐚𝐣𝐚𝐛 𝐆𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐠, 𝐃𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐚

The National Research and Development Centre for Riverine and Lake Fisheries (NRDCR&LF), Haa, in collaboration with the Dzongkhag Livestock Sector, Dagana, and Lajab Gewog Administration, successfully conducted the stocking of rainbow trout fingerlings at Mr. Bhim Bahadur Gurung’s farm in Bana Chiwog, Lajab Gewog, Dagana.
A total of 9,000 rainbow trout fingerlings were stocked into his 12 newly constructed raceways. With proper management, good-quality feed, and favourable growing conditions, the farm is expected to produce approximately 2 MT of rainbow trout.
This marks another important achievement towards strengthening commercial rainbow trout farming and contributing to the development of Bhutan’s aquaculture sector.
Department of Livestock, Royal Government of Bhutan

24/08/2026

𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐞: 𝐏𝐇𝐏𝐀-𝐈𝐈

The NRDCRLF team, in collaboration with the PHPA-II Environmental team has commenced the Monsoon Fish Monitoring Programme today. The team will be engaged in field monitoring activities over the coming days to assess fish diversity and aquatic ecosystem conditions within the monitoring areas.

Department of Livestock, Royal Government of Bhutan

01/08/2026

How the introduction of Brown Trout led to the decline of Bhutan’s native Yue Nya

Bhutan’s native fish species called Yue Nya (Snow Trout and also known asla/asala) has seen a significant decline in the years after the introduction of the invasive fish species called the Brown Trout.

Dasho Benji Dorji shares a story from his younger days about how the yue nya population has greatly declined over the span of decades after the Brown Trout was introduced to Bhutanese rivers.

https://thebhutanese.bt/how-the-introduction-of-brown-trout-led-to-the-decline-of-bhutans-native-yue-nya/



https://thebhutanese.bt/how-the-introduction-of-brown-trout-led-to-the-decline-of-bhutans-native-yue-nya/

31/07/2026

𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐲

On this World Rangers Day, the team at NRDCRLF proudly recognizes and celebrates the dedicated rangers who serve as the guardians of Bhutan's rich natural heritage.

Throughout our aquatic biodiversity assessments, fisheries research, and environmental monitoring, rangers have been our trusted partners in the field. From escorting our teams through remote landscapes to sharing their invaluable knowledge of local ecosystems and ensuring our safety, their support has been instrumental to the successful completion of our fieldwork.

Their commitment, resilience, and tireless efforts on the frontlines of conservation play a vital role in protecting Bhutan's rivers, forests, wildlife, and biodiversity for future generations.

To all the rangers, we extend our heartfelt appreciation for your dedication, courage, and service. Thank you for standing at the forefront of conservation and for being an indispensable partner in our mission to conserve and sustainably manage Bhutan's aquatic and natural resources.

𝑯𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒚 𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝑹𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝑫𝒂𝒚!

Department of Forests and Park Services

16/07/2026

𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐡𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐧

16 July, 2026: The second round of the JICA SDGs Business Needs Confirmation Survey officially commenced today in Thimphu with stakeholder consultations to strengthen partnerships and explore opportunities for sustainable freshwater aquaculture development in Bhutan.

The programme brought together officials from the Department of Livestock (DoL), the Department of Agricultural Marketing and Cooperatives (DAMC), NRDCR&LF, Haa, Strout Inc. (Japan), Kaihatsu Management Consulting Inc., the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Embassy of Japan, and Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC).

The mission will continue in Thimphu, Phuentsholing (Chukha), and Paro, engaging public and private sector stakeholders to identify business needs and promote future collaboration and investment in Bhutan's fisheries sector in support of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Department of Livestock, Royal Government of Bhutan
FAO Bhutan

16/07/2026

𝐀 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐀𝐃𝐁-𝐅𝐀𝐎 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 (𝐍𝐑𝐃𝐂𝐑𝐋𝐅), 𝐇𝐚𝐚.

A mission team from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) visited the National Research and Development Centre for Riverine and Lake Fisheries (NRDCRLF), Haa, to conduct a field assessment of Bhutan's rainbow trout aquaculture. The visit focused on evaluating the rainbow trout value chain, identifying production constraints, assessing investment requirements, and exploring opportunities for market development, value addition, aggregation, processing, and export.
During the visit, the mission interacted with the centre's officials, reviewed hatchery and production facilities, and discussed the current status, challenges, and future prospects of commercial rainbow trout aquaculture in Bhutan. The findings from the mission are expected to contribute to identifying strategic investments and interventions to strengthen the trout value chain and support the country's transition towards a competitive and sustainable rainbow trout industry.
Asian Development Bank
FAO Bhutan
Department of Livestock, Royal Government of Bhutan

13/07/2026

𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐁𝐢𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐝

The NRDCRLF team recently completed the monsoon aquatic biodiversity and habitat assessment at two important proposed hydropower project sites in Bhutan:
Proposed Chamkhar Chhu I Hydropower Project (770 MW) – a run-of-river hydropower development on the Chamkhar Chhu in Zhemgang Dzongkhag.

Proposed Jongthang Hydropower Project – planned along the Mangde Chhu, upstream of the existing 720 MW Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Project in Nubi Gewog, Trongsa Dzongkhag.

The assessment focused on documenting fish diversity, macroinvertebrate communities, aquatic habitats, and key environmental parameters to establish baseline ecological information. These studies provide essential scientific data to support environmentally responsible hydropower development while promoting the conservation and sustainable management of Bhutan's freshwater ecosystems.

Despite the challenging monsoon conditions, the team successfully completed the field assessment through dedication, teamwork, and scientific rigor, in collaboration with Druk Consult International (DCI) and Druk Green Power Corporation Limited (DGPC).

Department of Livestock, Royal Government of Bhutan

Druk Green Power Corporation Limited

29/06/2026

The Centre, NRDCRLF, is pleased to announce the publication of the manuscript entitled "𝙁𝙞𝙨𝙝 𝘽𝙞𝙤𝙙𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘿𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙣 𝙎𝙪𝙣𝙠𝙤𝙨𝙝 𝙍𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙏𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙪𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨, 𝘽𝙝𝙪𝙩𝙖𝙣: 𝘼 𝘽𝙖𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝘼𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩" in the latest issue of the Bhutan Journal of Animal Science (BJAS), Vol. 10, No. 1 (2026). The journal is an annual, peer-reviewed publication covering livestock and fisheries research in Bhutan.

Interested readers may view or download the publication using the following link:

https://ojs.moal.gov.bt/index.php/bjas/article/view/455/215

The current issue of Bhutan Journal of Animal Science (BJAS, Volume 10, Issue 1) features 16 peer-reviewed research articles spanning key areas of animal science, including dairy, poultry, piggery, fisheries, and dairy post-production. All submissions were reviewed and published online through Open....