ABSTRACT
Ethnic fish products Fish and sh products in the local Himalayan diet are consumed at a comparatively lower level than other fermented products such as vegetables, milk, and meat products (Thapa 2002). This may be attributed to the pastoral system of agriculture and the preference for consumption of meat and milk products in the region. Societies that are purely pastoral typically lack the custom of eating sh (Ishige 1993). The people of the Himalayas-mostly the eastern Himalayan regions of Nepal, Darjeeling hills, Sikkim, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Tripura, and some regions in Bhutan-consume different types of traditionally processed smoked, sun-or air-dried, fermented, or salted ethnic sh products. Some of these products are prepared using the indigenous knowledge of the rural people on methods of sh preservation. Such sh-processing techniques are still practiced in those regions or villages that are located near water bodies with plenty of freshwater sh. Some villagers sell sh and sh products in the local markets. As the products are manufactured by the rural people during appropriate season, they are regarded as a special dish. The sh products also seem to be an important source of protein in the local diet.
