From illegal hunting: Guarding rivers becomes difficult for fisheries dept
Shortage of manpower, unavailability of flexible laws are issues
Shortage of manpower, unavailability of flexible laws are issues. PHOTO: PPI
PESHAWAR:
It has become difficult for the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa fisheries department to keep a check on illegal hunting in the rivers of the province due to shortage of manpower, lack of funds and unavailability of flexible laws.
The department has only seven staffers to guard the 70-kilometre-stretch of Swat River, Kabul River and its tributaries like Jindi River and Naguman against illegal fishing. “Most threatening is the poison that affects zooplankton and phytoplankton species and their habitats for several kilometres,” said Fisheries Assistant Director Hidayat Shah while talking to The Express Tribune.
He added that among others, Sher Mahi is the most threatened species that has been affected by illegal hunting in river of K-P.
The assistant director said there is no doubt marine species in the rivers were vulnerable as their habitat was being destroyed and they were overexploited. The illegal hunting has adversely affected the zooplankton and phytoplankton species, he added.
Meager resources
As per rules, the officials are allowed to keep weapons while patrolling the rivers but so far they have not been issued a single weapon, a gun or a pistol. Besides, they do not even have a vehicle to patrol such a large stretch spreading over around 70 kilometres.
Protecting wildlife: All steps to eliminate illegal hunting, says DG
In case of complaints of illegal fishing at a specific point, the staffers who are assigned the task to patrol are asked to reach there. “Because of unavailability of transport facility to dispatch the staffers to reach the site, in most case the hunters are done with their work by the time we reach.” Moreover, cases are regularly reported at the department of staffers being manhandled by people for stopping them from fishing with poison or electric current.
“Hunters often carry weapon and go in groups for fishing while our staffers don’t have such facilities and when they try to stop them, the situation often results in a scuffle.” However, he was pleased with his staffers’ performance, despite issues. He appreciated the department’s efforts of confiscating 28 generators that are used to generate current to fish and hunt.
“Though we continue patrolling these rivers and often act promptly on complaints, unavailability of proper resources like vehicles and shortage of field staff make it difficult to address the complaint,” said a senior official requesting anonymity.
Weak laws
Besides, the law that deals with illegal fishing is not stringent enough to stop the practice and discourage people. With a budget of just Rs5.8 million, as officials of the department claim, it was impossible to meet stationery needs of the department, let alone purchasing vehicles and weapons for the patrolling officers.
The assistant director said the maximum punishment is just a three-month imprisonment for poisoning water and fishing with electric current. While under the ordinance, maximum fine is just Rs2,000 in case a person is arrested which seldom happens as the fisheries officials, in rare cases, reach on time to arrest them.
Due to unawareness about the importance of marine species, the courts take the custody light and in maximum cases release the culprits by awarding a nominal fine. When contacted Fisheries Director General Dr Sher Muhammad said though field staff regularly patrolled the rivers to monitor conservation of species but they do not have policing or magistracy power to arrest or fine people on the spot.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 28th, 2016.
It has become difficult for the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa fisheries department to keep a check on illegal hunting in the rivers of the province due to shortage of manpower, lack of funds and unavailability of flexible laws.
The department has only seven staffers to guard the 70-kilometre-stretch of Swat River, Kabul River and its tributaries like Jindi River and Naguman against illegal fishing. “Most threatening is the poison that affects zooplankton and phytoplankton species and their habitats for several kilometres,” said Fisheries Assistant Director Hidayat Shah while talking to The Express Tribune.
He added that among others, Sher Mahi is the most threatened species that has been affected by illegal hunting in river of K-P.
The assistant director said there is no doubt marine species in the rivers were vulnerable as their habitat was being destroyed and they were overexploited. The illegal hunting has adversely affected the zooplankton and phytoplankton species, he added.
Meager resources
As per rules, the officials are allowed to keep weapons while patrolling the rivers but so far they have not been issued a single weapon, a gun or a pistol. Besides, they do not even have a vehicle to patrol such a large stretch spreading over around 70 kilometres.
Protecting wildlife: All steps to eliminate illegal hunting, says DG
In case of complaints of illegal fishing at a specific point, the staffers who are assigned the task to patrol are asked to reach there. “Because of unavailability of transport facility to dispatch the staffers to reach the site, in most case the hunters are done with their work by the time we reach.” Moreover, cases are regularly reported at the department of staffers being manhandled by people for stopping them from fishing with poison or electric current.
“Hunters often carry weapon and go in groups for fishing while our staffers don’t have such facilities and when they try to stop them, the situation often results in a scuffle.” However, he was pleased with his staffers’ performance, despite issues. He appreciated the department’s efforts of confiscating 28 generators that are used to generate current to fish and hunt.
“Though we continue patrolling these rivers and often act promptly on complaints, unavailability of proper resources like vehicles and shortage of field staff make it difficult to address the complaint,” said a senior official requesting anonymity.
Weak laws
Besides, the law that deals with illegal fishing is not stringent enough to stop the practice and discourage people. With a budget of just Rs5.8 million, as officials of the department claim, it was impossible to meet stationery needs of the department, let alone purchasing vehicles and weapons for the patrolling officers.
The assistant director said the maximum punishment is just a three-month imprisonment for poisoning water and fishing with electric current. While under the ordinance, maximum fine is just Rs2,000 in case a person is arrested which seldom happens as the fisheries officials, in rare cases, reach on time to arrest them.
Due to unawareness about the importance of marine species, the courts take the custody light and in maximum cases release the culprits by awarding a nominal fine. When contacted Fisheries Director General Dr Sher Muhammad said though field staff regularly patrolled the rivers to monitor conservation of species but they do not have policing or magistracy power to arrest or fine people on the spot.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 28th, 2016.