Mahseer Angling inside Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary.

[Tiger Ramesh]

One has to respect the law of the land. As simple as that. If people want angling to be allowed inside a protected area then the Indian Wild Life (Protection) Act has to be amended. Period. Any one can have opinions. The laws of this country have to be respected, adhered to and implemented. Any thing else is a voilation. This is just not about a river. Its a complete Wild Life habitat and the duty to protect the same falls squarely under the Forest Department and not Anglers. Catching and releasing a Mahseer fish does not serve any purpose. Very soon people will want to be allowed to catch and release birds. Catch and release Deer etc. This has to stop.

[Lakshminarayanan Nataraja]

Debatable subject.

1) Indian rivers are least studied. Most of the rivers are in a very sad state and native aquatic life forms have perished. Fisheries are state subjects. I know a dedicated retired fisheries director in Tamilnadu who has done extensive survey of fresh water fishes. He is an expert in identification of fishes - the knowledge acquired through capture and release methodology. He asserts that identification of fishes is possible only by capturing them in a novel way.

Without adequate knowledge and research there were many ill conceived plans such as introduction of exotic fish species, inter breeding among species (as quoted by Steve) etc. The status of hill stream fishes such as Mahseer is in a severe state of despair. The eggs of Mahseer are demersal (capable of sinking in riverbed) and continuous silting of rivers in the hills due to construction of dams is threatening the very existence of this species.
These issues are certainly far more serious and needs immediate attention.

Dr. Johnsingh is an intense seeker of Mahseer and this passion led to assesment of several rivers and streams in our country. He too was able to study only through capture and release methodology. Thus angling does help in research for sure.

2) If a non-serious tourist seeks angling, we have every reason to worry. If there is no motive of research or study behind the capture and if it is purely for pleasure as it invariably happens in India, there is no point in permitting angling. For a tourist Mahseer is just a fish.

Need of the hour is to survey the rivers and prescribe conservation formulae. Sand mining is the most serious issue and authorities should look in to these issues more seriously.

[Steve Lockett]

There are many things that are not allowed by the Constitution of India, especially with regard to protecting wildlife and habitat. Unfortunately, lots of these things are conveniently overlooked by the very people who are tasked with protecting them.
Historically, in many places around the World, anglers set up bodies to protect the environment in which they pursue their sport. They have the utmost regard for the fish they try to catch and wish to preserve the river or wetland habitat.
In so many places, if it were not for anglers, the authorities would get away with breaching their duties.
I am not arguing about the merits of the practise of angling at this point, merely stating: without anglers, the rivers will die!

10 years ago, the upper reaches of the Kaveri were being systematically poisoned and netted for anything that swam. Thanks to a local group, who have angling as a primary consideration with regard to the river, it is now a haven for all kinds of wildlife. Still under extreme pressure, but safe for now.
The Forestry Dept long since gave up any pretence that they were concerned or could protect this area. In the last two years they have extended effective control of the entire catchment to this group thanks to the work they do.
Without angling, this group would be far less a body and may even struggle to survive.

[Tiger Ramesh]

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/...ing-camps.html

MoEF’s reiteration of ban may lead to their closure
Centre to reel in fishing camps
Subhash Chandra N S, Bangalore, DHNS:
For the fishing camps of State owned Jungle lodges and resorts (JLR), as well as a few private fishing camps, the end of the road is near as the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has confirmed the ban on angling of Mahsheer fish in the State’s protected areas.


In July 2010, the State Government directed the JLR to suspend its activities at the fishing camps until the MOEF clarified its stance regarding the ban on angling. It also made a submission in the High Court, stating that it had written to MOEF seeking clarification. It also submitted that the department had directed the State-owned Jungle Lodges and Resorts to suspend angling in all stretches of river Cauvery and in areas allocated to them.The State owns three of the four fishing camps in Cauvery wildlife Sanctuary Doddamakali, Bheemeshwari and Galibore.

In response to the letter dated August 3, 2010 in connection with an appeal before the High Court challenging the withdrawal of permission to a fishing camp in sanctuary, Prakriti Srivastava, Deputy Inspector General (wildlife), MOEf, has replied, reiterating her Ministry’s ban on angling of Masheer.

“The earlier stand of the Ministry is reiterated. As per Section 2 (16) (b), Section 29 and Section 33 of Wildlife Protection Act 1972, Angling of Mahsheer inside the protected area is illegal and cannot be allowed,” Srivastava said in a letter dated October 11, 2010, available with Deccan Herald.

The earlier letter of MOEF dated June 7, 2010 says that angling and its release into the water immediately amounted to hunting. “Capturing, coursing, snaring, trapping, driving or baiting any wildlife or captive animal amounts to hunting and presuming capture of mahseer amounts to sport is wrong. Even hunting was a sport earlier and has been banned now.”

Following its petition in the High Court, a meeting convened by the State Government on July 19, 2010, resolved to write write to the Union Ministry seeking clarification regarding the ban. Chaired by Meera C Saxena, Additional Chief Secretary, Forests Ecology and Environment Department, it was attended by K Jyothiramlingam, Principal Secretary, Tourism, B K Singh, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Wildlife warden, N D Tiwari, Additional PCCF, Jungle Lodges and resorts, Sanjay Mohan, CCF and Executive Director, JLR and Nagraj Hampole, CCF and Secretary Forests.

The petitioners Bush Betta fishing camp (BBFC) had moved the High Court challenging the Supreme Court’s Central Empowered Committee.

On a petition by a City based wildlife enthusiast, Tiger G Ramesh in February 2010, the CEC had directed the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden to reconsider permission for a fishing camp in the sanctuary.

[Tiger Ramesh]

I have attached a link I found on the net. Please read the article in full. You will find that one of the anglers is quoted saying that the cat fish he caught (inside a protected area) went to the camp for dinner. The article further talks about lunch menu which also contains cat fish. To talk about responsible conservation efforts !!!! The Indian wildlife Act very clearly says that no wildlife can be exploited in any form inside a protected area.

http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/forums/V...tml&hl=cauvery