By Muhammad Hussain
By a local fish hunter of the place Rattu in the valley of Astore who is a license holder, Muhammad Hussain. Research Scholar in climate change, with a Bachelor’s degree in Defense and Strategic Studies.
I got my fishing license when I was in 8th grade. I have been a fisher since the time of Kala Panni and the Shouter Pass area. At the start, there were more and larger fish. Slowly that changed. Today there are less fish and those that are caught are smaller and lighter. This isn’t about the “good old times. It’s the one that has been noted by anyone who has fished here for a long time.
It will be a warming mountain and a changing river
The changes in the rivers which trout rely upon are demonstrated in the case of Gilgit-Baltistan. Glaciers in the Hindu Kush, Himalayas and Karakoram are melting, resulting in the creation of 3048 glacial lakes in Gilgit-Baltistan and 33 of these lakes are identified as hazardous outburst floods in KP and Gilgit-Baltistan. More than 7.1 million people are vulnerable and 26.7 per cent of population in Gilgit-Baltistan is living below poverty line. It is observed that most of the glacial lake outburst floods in the Karakoram region have been reported from the Gilgit-Baltistan region, which is triggered by heavy rainfall, sudden increase in temperature and heatwaves such as the Passu glacier floods in 2007-2008. This warming is measurable, and was the reason for the new record. The warming rate was approximately 0.23 °C per decade over the Pamir-Karakoram-Western Kunlun region, while the glacier mass balance was mainly affected by warming, and Karakoram glaciers experienced a significant mass deficit from 2018 to 2023. Glof-ll – Forest, Wildlife & Environment Department Government of Gilgit-Baltistan
Climate starts what illegal fishing finishes
The glaciers which feed our streams, including the Ispay glacier have shrunk during my lifetime in Astore. Trout require cool, clear water and consistent gravel bottoms on which to spawn and are affected by accelerated melting, and by more frequent flooding. According to WWF Pakistan, climate-induced flash floods are altering the size of sediment and gravel and destroying habitats for trout while for Gilgit-Baltistan Fisheries Department, frequent floods since 2010 and glacial lake outburst floods have seriously impacted trout.Climate change is slow, but illegal fishing takes place now. Dynamite, nets and electric shocks are serious threats to the trout, according to WWF Pakistan. Each fish that is caught from a spawn will take out the next generation of fish as well. There is also increasing pressure: fishing licenses are now increasing in Gilgit-Baltistan from 1,000-1,500 per year to 5,000-6,000 per year, a decade ago. Increased numbers of anglers on a diminishing, stressed resource in a weak enforcement environment spells trouble. Dawn
CPEC and Our Rivers No Data, No Protection
Kala Panni and Shouter are remote, hard to reach and rarely monitored. Very little regular data on fish counting and there is scarce public data. No one can say how many trout are left without data and no policy can be measured without the number. Illegally fishing is now an act of being able to hide behind the remoteness of location.
The next chapter is being written. CPEC will bring about significant transformation in the region of Gilgit-Baltistan. A recent opinion piece spells out a list of “megaprojects” that include the construction of the Diamer-Bhasha and Bunji dams, new roads and tunnels and the widening of the Karakoram Highway for heavy goods, in a scale and pace that has surpassed environmental monitoring. For our rivers it does matter, as WWF Pakistan has cautioned that most hydropower projects in the region were planned without fish ladders and bypass systems, thus preventing the movement of trout to spawn in the tributaries. Even the future of the corridor is tied up with environment. The future of the corridor is also dependent on the environment. Floods and landslides have periodically disrupted the Karakoram Highway, Sost Dry Port only operates during the summer months, and environmental degradation will make trade difficult even after CPEC has been built. Without protection of the mountains and rivers traversed, a corridor without benefits will fail to succeed. The Express Tribune
Not opposed to development. Angling tourism can be a component of the real income-producing opportunities of our Astore valleys that can be generated through roads, power and tourism. However, the trout needs to be included in the plan. A public environmental and fisheries impact assessment is imperative for every project of the CPEC in Gilgit-Baltistan, along with implementing strict sediment control measures during the construction phase and distributing benefits to the local communities, anglers and guides who rely on these rivers.
On the fish guards and Solution
The fish guards themselves are said to be engaged in illegal fishing, many locals say. I don’t think this is the case with everyone. Many perform their service, often in harsh environments with limited resources. I also think that some are involved and that even some cases like that can kill public faith. This must be investigated on its own merits, not through blanket condemnations. Honest guards are worthy of trust, dishonest guards are deserving of blame.
The policy recommendations for trout conservation in Gilgit-Baltistan are as follows:
Strict licensing enforcement: Fishing without a valid fishing licensed should be punishable offence with an FIR against the fishing without a valid fishing license in each case. The rules and obligations are followed by license holders, and the system’s legitimacy is undermined if the rules are not equivalent. This can be done by conducting joint checks in Fisheries Department and police high pressure zones, keeping a record of all violations, and publishing the enforcement figures yearly. The question is “unless those rules apply equally to everyone” to “unless the rules are enforced against those who break them. Enforcement needs to be clear that it is not just about enforcer’s vs no-enforcers, it’s about the difference between those who do and don’t follow the rules. Fish guards should not harass or repeatedly question license holders, nor treat them in the same way as other people fishing without a license. I’ve been there once it happened to me this year. I couldn’t hand over my license when I was checked and the crew asked me many questions, but seven others who were fishing without one were asked much fewer. If a license holder cannot produce the paper on the spot he should be checked against an official record and local area guard but not interrogated. The Fisheries Department should do this by keeping an up-to-date and complete register of all license holders that can be checked by Fisheries Department teams on site to confirm an individual’s identity and license status in a timely fashion. There should also be a clear right of appeal to all penalty and accusations made to the license holder, and a defense before any action is taken, this should all be recorded in writing, and decisions should be made based on that. They want to be treated fairly do this and they will cooperate with enforcement and everyone else will have a license.
Moza-based fishing management: The fishing area should be broken down into specific mozaa (fishing unit) areas, each of which is controlled individually. The spawning importance and fishing pressure vary from stretch to stretch and uniform rules cannot cover these variations. This means that catch limits, rest periods and local monitoring should be different for each moza and that no section of a river is completely over-fished. The 80/20 access framework, 80% of the fishing access in each moza should be allocated to locals and 20% through government allocation. This means that there is protection to local livelihood and control on total pressure on the resource by government. Access must be fixed for each moza considering the result of the survey and reviewed annually, depending on changes in the fish stocks.
Regular scientific surveys: Catch limits and rest periods should be based on a measured baseline and not estimates. This should be done by implementing a joint programme by the Fisheries Department, WWF Pakistan and the GB climate authorities with the goal of counting the number of fish on main locations, measuring the water temperature and monitoring glacier change. Surveys should be conducted on a regular annual basis, and the results shared with the community and policy makers so they can see the trend for themselves. If there is any allegation, true or otherwise, against a fish guard that diminishes trust, it can’t be enforced. Any kind of allegation, no matter what, that detracts from the public trust of fish guards, it cannot be enforced. There should be an independent review mechanism, involving community members, to ensure that honest guards are not subject to suspicion, while others are held accountable. It should contain a public complaint system, and return results to the community.
CPEC projects have fisheries safeguards: All CPEC projects in GB should include provisions for fisheries protection as dams and road construction can be detrimental to fish migration, and both sediment and dams affect trout habitat. Public impact assessment, fish ladders/bypasses, construction sediment controls, and community benefit sharing should be considered for each project.
Recognizing trout as a livelihood resource: Trout should be treated as an economic asset and regulated as one, supporting trout anglers, guides and tourism. If not regulated, demand will deplete the resource and the livelihoods that rely on it. Income from fishing activities should be tied to licensing and tourism planning and conservation, to help finance monitoring and enforcement.
Banned fish on Critical Areas: No fishing zones in critical areas. Fishing should be banned in critical areas, such as lakes and other strategic locations that act as the main source of fish for the rivers below. Dirlay Lake in Rattu valley, Astore, should be the first of these. This is the main sink in the village Dirlay, one of the most interesting lakes of Gilgit-Baltistan and it is also recognized as trout fishing lake. The other major source locations should be included in the ban list, selected based on scientific surveys which are conducted jointly and clearly marked on the ground and be part of every moza’s management plan. Local monitoring Committee should be developed and the independent oversight mechanism should enforce the ban and penalties should be as severe as for unlicensed fishing.
Fish farms: Further fish farms and hatcheries should be established close to both valleys near Rattu, Kala Panni and Shouter to ensure good supply of fish. The trout culture is already expanding in the region; there are currently more than 450 trout farms in the Gilgit region in just a couple of years and the fisheries department had begun guiding and supporting trout farming since 2013 but few in Astore. They can be reared on farms that can be supplied to the market and thus save wildlife stocks; they can be raised on farms to restock rivers and lakes. Restocking should be done according to the guidelines provided by the fisheries department, and should be based on survey results, as brown and rainbow trout are not native species and can compete with native fish. Apply the 80/20 rule farm ownership and employment must be given priority to the local licensed holders and local communities.
This is not only an administrative matter. It’s a matter of climate, livelihood, and identity of our valleys. Kala Panni and Shouter valley can be restored, if we act now. We will be talking to our kids about fish our children will never see if we wait.
Recommended reading COLDWATER FISH AND FISHERIES IN PAKISTAN
