Angler’s paradise Kashmir offers great scope for sport fisheries
Nazir Ganaie
JAMMU: Member Legislative Assembly (MLA) Wacchi, Advocate and Aijaz Ahmad Mir on Friday urged Government to explore possibilities of wooing international anglers to the Kashmir Valley.
Speaking during discussion on demand of grants for Animal, Sheep and Fisheries Departments in the lower house of the Legislative Assembly today, Mir said that with the introduction of the pro-tourist policies, Jammu and Kashmir would witness a boom in all the sectors here.
He spoke in detail about wooing international anglers to the Kashmir valley, saying that “Kashmir is known as Angler’s paradise.”
“Government must explore the possibilities of issuing licences to the international tourists, who are also interested in angling,” he said. He called for working extensively in this sector, saying that the international projects like introducing foreign breeds should be taken care by the executing agencies of the current dispensation.
“This will also uplift the socio-economic profile of such areas which are rich in angling and fish farming,” he said. “This is a very vital department of the Government which is connected at the grassroots. Government must focus on various initiatives to revamp this sector,” he added.
Pertinently Kashmir has been rightly called angler’s paradise, with a network of rivers and streams as well as high altitude lakes all abounding in trout both brown and rainbow, introduced by British at the peak of the British Raj in India (early 19th century). Trout fishing in Kashmir is far, far cheaper than it is in another part of the world. And most importantly, the Department of Fisheries, which controls angling in the valley, works hard to ensure that there is no depletion of stock by indiscriminate fishing which means that you can revel in angling in ideal conditions.
“Kashmir offers great scope for sport fisheries. That is why Anglers from all over the world used to come over here every year to enjoy the thrill of angling in the snow fed streams and lakes of this valley,” he said.
He said that the angler tourists would go and visit streams and Nallahs of the valley, including Lidder, Wangath, Gurez, Hamal, Lam, Sindh, Kishenganga, Sukhnag, Doodhganga, Erin, Ferozpur(Tangmarg), Bringi, Aharbal, Hirpora, Dachigam, Kokernag, Naristan, Madhumati and Nowbugh.