- Two years ago, Uttarakhand became the first state in the country to ban angling
- This activity will now be permitted in 8 specified rivers, on a ‘catch and release’ basis only
THoD Newsdesk, Uttarakhand: Two years ago, Uttarakhand became the first state in the
country to ban angling and now, the decision has been reversed by the authorities. Angling is the practice of catching fish using hooks and releasing them back into rivers and ponds in forests. Signed by the chief wildlife warden, JS Suhagan, an order to this effect, dated November 18, has been sent out to all divisional forest officers (DFOs).
The order mentions that the state wildlife board, in a meeting last year, had decided that angling should be permitted in the state’s reserve forest areas to boost tourism, provided due norms are followed. Keeping this in mind, the forest department has accordingly decided to allow angling but with certain conditions in mind.
As per the norms, angling will be permitted in 8 specified rivers on a ‘catch and release’ basis only and the permission for it, has to be issued by the DFO of the area. The activity is to be conducted between sunrise and sunset. The peak season for angling has been set between the period of September 15 and May 31.
The Uttarakhand forest department, back in July 2018, had restricted angling in reserve forests as well as buffer areas, citing “cruelty to fish”. But back in August 2019, it was decided to reverse the order, considering the need “for a boost to tourism in Uttarakhand”. Presently, after a year and three months, a written order to DFOs to restart angling in forest areas has been issued. This is being hailed as a major step, in the process of financial revival of businesses.
