Mahseer on path to extinction

The Tribune , Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Correspondent : Ravinder sood
Palampur, April 1

Golden mahseer fish, categorised as an endangered species by the National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources (NBFGR), Lucknow, in 1992, has been fast disappearing from the erstwhile luxuriantly stocked waters of Himachal Pradesh.

The major causes of this loss include distortion of rivers due to construction of river valley projects, multipurpose dams, shrinking habitat and poaching. While over exploitation and poaching deplete the fish population, barrages acts as physical barriers in migration of the fish preventing them from breeding, feeding and rearing their progeny.

Despite pumping in substantial money, research institutions have failed to develop a standard technology for controlled breeding of golden mahseer. The state government is in the process of finalising its tourism policy, but experts feel that no such policy will be complete without the inclusion of sport fishing component for attracting tourists.

Experts of the Himachal Angling Association have formulated and submitted a Rs 2.75-crore project on mahseer fishing to the government with the twin objective of rehabilitation of sizable population of golden mahseer in suitable water bodies as well as what should be done to make angling tourists’ stay in the state more comfortable and satisfying.

Secretary general of the HPAA K.B. Ralhan said the issues that needed to be addressed to achieve these goals were: release of more water from dams into the residual rivers, education of the population on better local management of their fishery resources, improvement in the watch and ward services and control of infractions against the cause of mahseer and to devise clear-cut regulations on sport fishing tourism.

“The project is proposed to be jointly executed over six years by the Department Of Tourism and Fisheries by constituting a governing body. Letting such a species become extinct will not only be a conservationist’s nightmare, but also a national shame,” Ralhan said.

 
SOURCE : The Tribune, Tuesday, April 03, 2007
 


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