SWABI: Electrofishing has become a common practice in the district, especially at a time when water flow reduces in the main Gohati Canal in winter.

The Gohati Canal is an irrigation channel linked with the upper Swat Canal irrigation system and Tarbela Dam. Water of the Pehur High Level Canal taken from Tarbela Dam lake also falls into the Gohati Canal at Palodand area.

The hunters said that the fish was easily caught with the application of electric shock as it turned lifeless and scooped up to the surface. They said that portable power generators could also be used for the purpose.

They said that when electric current was generated the surrounding fish started coming towards the source of the electricity in water.

They said that the fish population increased manifold in the downstream of Tarbela Dam and Gohati Canal due to less water flow from Tarbela Lake in winter season and catching fish with electricity was considered easy.

The hunters said that when water flow reduced in the Indus River and Gohati Canal in winter the fish got isolated from larger bodies of water, making it easy prey for the people.

Recently, a man from Topi tehsil was killed while hunting fish with electric shock. Catching fish by this way is dangerous but easy, allowing the people to catch a lot of fish in a short time.

However, officials oppose the method because it stuns the fish and harm the nursery.

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2017