Future Scope of Sport Fisheries Development in India: a Review
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Indian J. Anim. Hlth. (2018), 57(1) : 01-16 Review Article FUTURE SCOPE OF SPORT FISHERIES DEVELOPMENT IN INDIA: A REVIEW A. MANDAL, S. K. DAS1*, B. BISWAS1 AND S. O. KAIRNAR Department of Aquaculture College of Fisheries, GADVASU Ludhiana, Punjab, India Sport fishing is one of the most adventurous activities throughout the world. Most of the developed and developing countries have the modern tools and techniques for catching the fish. In the developing country like in India, there is a huge gap on information, scientific knowledge about sport fish as because the sport fishing activities is region and species specific. Though few states in India follow the Government rules and regulation but there is a lack of awareness about sport fishing activities to conserve the threatened and going to endanger fish species. Also the activity will help to mitigate unemployment problem through income generation; simultaneously catering ecotourism avenues. Moreover Government interference is also necessary for sustainable development and management of sport fisheries activity in India. Key words: Conservation, Employment opportunity, Rules and Regulation, Sport fishing, Sustainable development Recreational fishing, also called sport black markets (FAO, 2012). The most fishing, is fishing for pleasure or common form of recreational fishing is competition. It can be contrasted done with a rod, reel, line, hooks and any with commercial fishing, which is fishing one of a wide range of baits. Other devices for profit, or subsistence fishing, which is commonly referred to as terminal tackle are fishing for survival. Recreational fishing also used to affect or complement the can be defined as fishing of aquatic animals presentation of the bait to the targeted fish. (mainly fish) that do not constitute the Some examples of terminal tackle include individual’s primary resource to meet basic weights, floats and swivels. Lures are nutritional needs and are not generally sold frequently used in place of bait. Some or otherwise traded on export, domestic or hobbyists make handmade tackle *Corresponding Author 1Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fishery Sciences, WBUAFS, Kolkata, West Bengal 2 Indian Journal of Animal Health, June, 2018 themselves, including plastic lures harbour plentiful gene pool are conducive and artificial flies. The practice of catching to conservation and growing interest of or attempting to catch fish with a hook is people in fish farming, ornamental fish known as angling. Big-game fishing is keeping and eco-tourism including angling conducted from boats to catch large open- (Singh, 2015). water species such as tuna, shark and marlin. Noodling, an art of capturing Rules and Regulations of game fishing mainly large bodied catfish with bare hand Fishing in general and sport fishing in and trout tickling are also recreational particular is not a new venture especially in activities. India as it is referred in the Ramayana and Sehgal (1987) defined sport or game fish Mahabharata periods. Regulatory measures as the fish caught or angled on rod and line primarily intended towards conservation of putting up some fight and not thrown back fishes dates back to 300 B.C. during the in disgust by the angler or sportsman. In Maurya Dynasty when there was sport fishing, both the choices of gear and prohibition on fishing including angling the target species for their fighting qualities extended from full moon day of Ashar contribute to the sport of the activity, as the month (mid June) to full moon day of Paush fish is played by the angler until landed or month (mid December) to ensure breeding lost (IGFA, 2016). A classification divides and protecting the juveniles. Further back, sport fishes into small and big ones during the reign of King Asoka (269–232 depending upon the weight of the catch; BC), fishing was prevented during July and 50kg being the dividing point in between. November because fish breeding occurred As a result, mahseers, trouts and snow-trouts during these months. belong to the former category whereas, In sport fishing, both the choices of gear large mahseers, goonch catfish (Bagarius and the target species for their fighting sp.) etc. comes under the next. Depending qualities contribute to the sport of the upon the methods used, there are again a activity, as the fish is played by the angler number of nomenclature viz. fly-fishing, until landed or lost (IGFA, 2016). Sport still-fishing, plug-casting, surf-casting, fishing generally adheres to a particular set trolling, launch fishing, shore fishing of rules and regulations set by governing spinning etc. bodies such as the International Game Fish The vast fishery resources of India in the Association (IGFA) (Whitelaw, 2013). Himalayan and peninsular region in which Given the IGFA’s recent inclusion of indigenous mahseer, snow trout, exotic trout lagoon, estuarine and freshwater species as and common carp are commercially game fish (IGFA, 2016); this definition is important (Singh et al., 2014) and also wide extended beyond the blue water species climatic diversity of the cold water sector usually referred to as game fish in the Future scope of sport fisheries development in India 3 Pacific (IGFA, 2016; Whitelaw, 2003). The for long. It has been emerged as a means of most relevant points of the regulation outdoor recreation and became popularized include (i) fishing methods must minimize as go-fishing during vacations in the fish stress and (ii) catch mortality by occident resulting in tourism ventures. applying catch-and-release. Also, the Since trout and mahseer fishing satisfies tourism venture must contribute to diverse tastes and pursuits it has become a biodiversity conservation and poverty source of recreation of the tourists attracted alleviation through the provision of to the hills of northern and southern uplands alternative livelihoods and increased of India (Shegal, 1987). Both social and income. Therefore, the enhancement of the economic benefits associated with value of living fish and their supporting recreational angling worldwide have been habitat to local communities is protected recognized (Arlinghaus and Cooke, 2009), (Holland et al., 2009; Everard and Kataria, and these benefits may be substantial in 2011). developing countries (Pinder and Although ecotourism emerged as a potential Raghavan, 2013; Bower et al., 2014). facet for added household income, complete However, information regarding issues and dependence on this sector should be avoided opportunities for anger associations and because it is highly sensitive to global participants are extremely meager as the financial shocks (Bohensky et al., 2011; focus of national survey is very poor for Cinner and Orjan, 2010). Instead, to buffer the anglers as well as the stakeholders. against periods of adverse market Recreational angling in India started in conditions a diversity of household British Empire when worldwide anglers livelihood strategies should be encouraged visited with their angling skills (Everard to allow switching to activities unaffected and Kataria, 2011). by market shocks (Allison and Ellis, 2001; Though recreational fishing has created Pomeroy et al., 2006). Sport fishing income for regional and national economies projects should encourage other livelihood (Everard and Kataria, 2011), its negative strategies and options to minimize risk. The impact have been noticed on biodiversity introduction of new fishing technologies and ecosystems (Lewin et al., 2006) and practices used for sport fishing could regarding issue like conservation of also be adopted by local fishers for other threatened and endangered species (Cowx species, increasing fishing success and et al., 2010). Therefore, recreational hence pressure on fish stocks. fisheries should be conscious about species- Benefits of recreational fishing specific and better management process Recreational fishing particularly angling (Gupta et al., 2015b). Regrettably, due to has been recognized by so many medical poor policy regarding recreational fishing authorities in the West as a healthy pursuit in India (Pinder and Raghavan, 2013) there 4 Indian Journal of Animal Health, June, 2018 is enough scope for development of better historically ambiguous when exactly management practices of this emerging recreational fishing began. Fishing purely sector of fishery activity (Gupta et al., for fun and releasing caught fish is a much 2015a). Catch-and-release angling has the more modern development. The evolution potential to provide socio-economic of sport fishing to big game fishing was benefits to local stakeholders (Pereira et al., made possible by the motorized boats. The 2008; Barnett et al., 2015), generate income invention of big game fishing is largely for national economies (Suski and Cooke, attributed to Dr. Charles Fredrick Holder, 2007; Cowx et al., 2010; Danylchuk and who in 1989 published several articles and Cooke, 2011; Everard and Kataria, 2011) books on the subject. and facilitate both species and ecosystem King Somesvara’s (1127 AD) has conservation (Arlinghaus, 2006; Granek et mentioned about angling (Matsyavinoda) in al., 2008; Pinder and Raghavan, 2013). his treatise “Manasollosa” in India about Genesis of sport fisheries in India recreational fisheries (Hora, 1951). Mahseer The history of angling is as old as the world (Tor spp) were first described in the Ganges and the earliest known references of fishing in the early 19th century (Hamilton, 1822) dates back to the ancient world. Among the and attained popularity