Fishing in Rawal Lake: Anglers unhappy with increase in licence fee

Fisheries department says fees had been unchanged since 1994

ISLAMABAD: Though a ban on angling in Rawal Lake has been lifted, an abrupt increase in the licence fee has dampened the enthusiasm of fishing buffs.  

Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Agriculture and Fisheries Department has raised the fee for one-day permit for two rods to Rs200. The annual licence fee has been increased to Rs6,000 from the earlier Rs300.

Many anglers called the lincence fee increase illogical and irrational and demanded that fees be revised.

Asif Mehmood, a government employee who has been fishing with rods for several years, was disappointed over exorbitant fees for a one-day permit and the annual licence. “Thanks to the licence fees abruptly increased by the Fisheries Department, angling in Rawal Lake will now be a business of the rich,” he said.  Ban on angling in Rawal Lake was imposed due to breeding season of the fish. As the breeding season is over now, the ban too has been lifted and ICT Fisheries Department has invited applications from anglers for licence.

Murad Khan, another angler, said a manifold raise in licence fee would keep many enthusiasts away from the hobby.

He requested the authorities to withdraw the hike. Khan adde the fisheries department should go after the big fish who illegally fish in the lake by using nets.

An official of the fisheries department, however, defended the increase, saying that the licence fee had been revised after 21 years. He said the fee raise was justified in view of the devaluation of the currency. The official said that the previous fees had been unchanged since 1994. 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 20^th, 2015.