SRINAGAR: The Department of Fisheries has confiscated 1577 illegal nets for the last five months. M.M Bazaz Chief Project Officer Fisheries Department told CNS that night fishing is not allowed along Dal Lake but some fishermen are involved in indiscriminate fishing by means of illegal gears or installation of illegal fixed gears such as gill nets during the night hours that result in the destruction of brooders and juveniles thereby resulting in the decline of the fish catch.
“To compensate such loss the Department of Fisheries adopts regular improvement of the fish stocks through stocking of fish seed in Dal Lake that was done last year by stocking of five lakh fingerlings procured from National Fish Seed Farm, Manasbal,” he said and warned those fishermen of stringent action who resort to illegal night fishing.
He said there are about 939 bonafied registered fishers along Dal Lake those are promptly and regularly involved in fishing activities during day time from sunrise to sunset through operation of legal gears without causing any depletion in the capture fisheries. He added that the production of fish catch of the Dal Lake has increased from 467.11 tons to 509.86 tons and such development has been achieved through proper anti-poaching measures that has been carried out along Dal Lake by the staff posted there.