PESHAWAR, Nov 6: The NWFP fisheries department has established a recreational pond at Sherabad fish hatchery and training centre for providing fishing facility to people at nominal charges.

The idea behind provision of fish hunting facility to people was to promote fish farming in the private sector and improve its production in the province, said an official.

He said major potential for increasing fish production lay in farming on commercial scale and efforts were being made to promote it in the private sector.

“Recreational and ornamental fisheries have considerable potential for development,” he observed.

Presently, he said, the facility of fish hunting was available only on Sundays and Rs25 was charged per person for hunting two fish.

Established in 1999, the hatchery is situated in suburbs of the city.

The official said the mandate of the department was to enhance fish production and ensure the availability of the protein rich food at economical rates.

For achieving this goal, he continued, the department was undertaking a number of schemes for promotion, development, conservation and management of natural fisheries resources.

The department runs 14 hatcheries of trout and carp, whereas there are 604 private farms.

The department has also chalked out a strategy, Vision 2011, for sustained development of fisheries in the NWFP and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, including 14 schemes to be undertaken in the next 10 years at a cost of Rs154.5 million.—APP