Staff Reporter
Fishing, the leisure sport for spending healthy time along the water body has been restricted in Rawal Dam due to security reasons. The officials in the district administration told media on Sunday that anglers were allowed to fish for three days a week (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) from sunrise to sunset.
“The ban has been first imposed in 2015 on angling in the dam due to security threats showed by intelligence reports. At present, it is only permissible for three days a week in the old site area also known as backside of the Rawal Dam,” they said. He added that it was around 1-2 kilometers bank which provided enough space to fishermen to hold angling.
The official said angling was not a profession rather a sport to spend healthy time in nature whereas anglers were catching over 40 kilograms of fish. “They are using a chemical for the purpose which attract fish to their corner where they easily catch maximum fish. However, the chemical is not harmful to aqua life and human beings,” he added. To a question, he said the weekend days were selected to tempt large number of anglers whereas most of the fishermen used to from Rawalpindi. The angling fee for two rods is Rs1,000 which had been revised from Rs200 after 25 years, he added. Moreover, he said in case of intelligence reports from Punjab, high profile movements and events in the federal capital; the anglers were barred from fishing in the Dam.
Talking to media, Angler Asif said the fisheries department had made unjustified increase in the fishing fee. However, earlier angling was permitted throughout the week but at present only three days permission was illogical. “Rs75,000 have been earned for three days fishing which shows the potential of the sport to generate revenue,” he added. The authorities should realize the significance of fishing in revenue generation and bring ease in the prevailing law. He said there should be a revision in the angling fee to attract maximum anglers as Rs1,000 fee was unaffordable to anglers.
