Kaski, Nov 22 : As many as 10,000 small fishes were released to the Fewa Lake in Pokhara on the occasion of the World Fisheries Day-2019.    
Keeping in mind the possible extinct of local and indigenous fishes due to invasion of imported species, the Fishery Research Centre Pokhara released fishes belonging to 'shahar' species to the lake on Thursday.    

The centre has been annually releasing locally-bred fishes to different lakes here so as to increase their number.    
Gyan Bahadur Jalari, Chairperson of Harpan Fewa Fishery Cooperative Organization, said the trend of disappearance of fishes belonging to local species such as shahar, katle, kande, fageta and bam is on the rise in local lakes.    

However, the interventions from Fishery Research Centre, state and local governments for fish conservation of late are expected to increase the number of locally-bred fishes, he added.    
It would be appropriate to release fish weighing 10-15 grams rather than very tiny ones to avoid potential threats from birds (crane) and snakes, he suggested.   

 
Dr Mohammad Ikwal Hussein, Chief, Fishery Research Centre, said the centre has also been conserving fishes of indigenous species, lakes and ponds and fishery breeding areas. "In addition, we have been releasing 30,000 to 40,000 small fishes of different local species to the lakes on the occasion of the World Fisheries Day".   

 
Meanwhile, in an interaction with stakeholders organized on the occasion, Gandaki State Minister for Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperative Lekh Bahadur Thapa Magar unveiled government's plan to keep fisheries in all nine lakes of Kaski.    

He also called for farmers to expand commercial fish-keeping so as to materialize the government plan of being self-sufficient on milk, fish, meat and egg within three years.    
World Fisheries Day is celebrated every year on November 21 to highlight the importance of healthy oceans ecosystems and to ensure sustainable stocks of fisheries in the world.