Sat Apr 26 10:41:43 UTC 2025: ## Avalanche Trout Hatchery: A Century-Old Legacy Revitalized

**UDHAGAMANDALAM, INDIA – April 26, 2025** – The Avalanche Trout Hatchery in the Nilgiris, a facility dating back to 1907, is experiencing a resurgence after a period of decline. Originally established by pisciculture expert Henry Charlton Wilson, the hatchery has played a crucial role in introducing and maintaining rainbow trout populations in South India.

For decades, the hatchery faced challenges, including restrictions imposed by the Forest Protection Act of 1972. However, a recent Special Area Development Project has provided new funding and resources, enabling the hatchery to restart its crucial work of stocking the region’s streams with trout fingerlings. This year alone, the hatchery successfully hatched 55% of three lakh trout eggs sourced from Kashmir, reviving a tradition that dates back over a century.

Kousalya Devi S, Assistant Director of Fisheries at the hatchery, explained the historical challenges and recent successes. Early attempts to introduce trout, beginning in 1866, repeatedly failed until Wilson’s successful implementation of artificial breeding techniques. Subsequent importations of trout eggs from various countries, including Sri Lanka and New Zealand, further established the hatchery.

The hatchery’s revival is significant, not only for preserving a piece of history but also for its ecological and economic implications. Rainbow trout, prized for their delicate flavour and rich nutritional content, thrive in cold, clean water, acting as an indicator species of environmental health. The hatchery’s success signals a positive step towards sustainable aquaculture in the region, with plans to expand trout farming and train local farmers in modern techniques like Recirculatory Aquaculture Systems. This initiative aims to replicate the success seen in Kashmir, where trout farming is a thriving tourist attraction.

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