CHITRAL: Lower Chitral district officer (fisheries) Shakeel Ahmad has said that the fisheries department will continue cracking down on illegal fishing in rivers and streams in the district to increase the breeding and population of fish.

He told reporters here that under the law, licences were issued by the fisheries department for hunting both indigenous and non-indigenous fish species to ensure the entire process was carried out legally and sustainability was established.

The official said a licence was issued only for native (non-trout) fish and it remained valid for a full season, with the breeding season not included.

He also said that daily licences were issued for short-term fishing for trout species only and they’re valid from 9am to 5pm, with a limited number of fish allowed and could be used in Golin Gol and Garm Chashma only.

“Fishing is allowed only by rod and line methods in the rivers and streams of the two areas [Golingol and Garm Chashma]. To prevent overfishing, the number of fish per licence is fixed. The department’s watchers and field staff will keep an eye on that number for violation and issue challans under the law,” he said.

Mr Ahmad said the fisheries department was established in Chitral in 1961 for conservation of fish as a natural resource, replenishment of fish stocks in natural water bodies, capacity building of private farmers through rehabilitation and training programmes, and provision of trout seeds to farmers at subsidised rates.

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2025