PESHAWAR, Nov 1: The NWFP Fisheries Department has conducted successful breeding and rearing of the Mahseer fish and the seeds produced were released into the River Swat near Chakdarra.

The exercise was conducted to replenish the Masheer fish which is facing extinction in this region, Director of Fisheries Omer Hayat Khan told APP during an interview.

Mr Hayat said the golden Mahseer was a game fish of the sub-continent and at present it was facing extinction in the region due to over-fishing, environmental degradation and pollution.

"Because of its economic importance as game fish and as food, several projects are underway in countries of South Asia to preserve the beautiful species," the Director of Fisheries said.

The NWFP Fisheries department, he said, had also initiated a project in 1992 to check the extinction of the species.

In the present exercise, different techniques were being used for rearing of Masheer brood-stock and fries, he said.

The brooding stock is kept in a tank and after keeping hatchlings in the hatchery for about a month, the fish seeds are stocked in the river Swat near Chakdarra bridge.-APP