Fishful thinking
Gone are the days when people actually caught a 55kg Mahseer in the stony beds of Indus. It is the natural fish habitat that needs imminent preservation
By Syed Rizwan Mahboob
Few people would believe if told about a single Mahseer fish catch as big as 55 kg, hooked in crystal clear stony beds of river Indus, downstream of “Campbellpur” or modern day Attock. But that is how the Gazetteer of Peshawar described the abundance of Indus Mahseer (Tor macroplepis) as a prime sporting attraction for anglers in rivers Indus and Kabul way back in 1880s.
Nature had blessed areas comprising modern day Pakistan, especially Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhawa with immense treasures of fish diversity. With an estimated area of eight million hectares as inland fresh water resources and around 180 species of fish including mahseer, carp, loaches and cat fish, potential for achieving food security was always immense. Inland fresh water sources covered a wide range of options ranging from cold, semi cold to warm river waters as well as streams, natural lakes, dhands and canals.
But like several other promises unfulfilled, the natural fisheries sector in Pakistan also saw a quick decline due to a combination of natural and man made factors. Mahseer or king of freshwater fish reached near extinction in semi cold fresh waters of Indus to the extent of finding a place in IUCN red book. Frequent water shortages, construction of dams, dwindling river flows and human disturbances in Indus basin in northern Punjab and KPK, nearly brought several fish species to the verge of extinction in recent decades.
As a matter of fact, degradation of fish habitat in fresh waters of Pakistan is part of the overall ecological devastation that has become more pronounced during the last twenty years or so. Rapid depletion of valuable high hills forests, mountainous scrub jungles, river bela and even irrigated tree plantations of plains is too well-known a phenomenon.
Equally well-known are the sorrow tales about near disappearance of many migratory birds, water fowls, black buck as well as indigenous wild life varieties of reptiles and mammals. Much less known, though, is the plight of dozens of indigenous fish — the earliest variety of animal life in evolution saga — in our natural waters.
While habitat destruction caused heavy damage to freshwater fish, human indiscretion also took heavy toll in speeding up this precious gift of nature down its extinction path. Closed season for fishing activities (critical for breeding) between June to August was audaciously violated. Excesses in shape of banned net mesh size for fishing and use of lethal explosives for killing fish in the name of sports was perpetrated.
But reasons for protecting fresh water fish from total extinction in Pakistan are far more serious than preserving a sporting delight of unmatched proportions. FAO sources put animal protein requirements for healthy humans at 11 KG per capita per annum. However, the present availability from all sources does not exceed 6 KG per capita per annum in Pakistan.
The yawning gap of 5 KG per capita is readily translated in health challenges, especially in low income strata of society. In addition to feeding the less affluent, fish meat is also nature’s gift for health conscious with a desire to keep away from coronary diseases.
An interesting comparison of meat prices in recent years by Punjab Fisheries Department indicates comparative stability and lower price ranges for fish during 2007-2010. Against an average price range of 250 to 450 rupees for goat meat and Rs120 to 190 for poultry, fish prices stayed between Rs80 to Rs150 for this period — something of good news for less affluent and health conscious.
Apparently, the disturbing scenario in fisheries sector has been ameliorated to a considerable extent with several positive developments in recent years. Private sector has come in a big way to augment overall fish production in Pakistan. In the case of Punjab only, private fish farms presently exist over an area of 18260 hectares which was merely 491 hectares in early eighties.
Similarly, share of private farms in overall annual fish production has witnessed a steady increase. From a negligible 610 metric tonnes in 1981-82, the share of private sector stood at 45650 metric tones out of total annual fish production of 86460 metric tones from all waters in 2009-10.
Several enabling steps have been proposed to further boost fish production from private farms. These include provision of electricity on agricultural tariff, soft loans, provision of agricultural machinery on subsidized rates and extension services. Viable public private partnerships for fish processing and marketing can also boost the production and profitability in the sector.
However, it is the natural fish habitat that needs imminent action in preservation for a host of reasons. Few pleasures can match the tranquil moments enjoyed by angling in natural waters when times come to a still. Providing fishing opportunities along our rivers and streams or water reservoirs can therefore be an excellent attraction for local tourism promotion.
Winter visiting birds from north including geese, mallard and other water foul are largely dependent upon fish ecosystem during their centuries’ old migratory stopover in our wetlands. Communities of fishermen have historically lived on river banks along Indus and its tributaries. Fish in rivers and bela water provide these hardy people their staple food and their only livelihood.
Days of crystal clear waters and big Mahseer may never come back in the face of increased water scarcity and burgeoning population. But protecting what little fish treasures are left in nature or promoting artificial fish farming is what we owe to our evolutionary partner of millennia.