PESHAWAR: Experts and stakeholders of the fisheries and aquaculture sector have stressed the need for the promotion of recreational fisheries in the tourists’ attractive areas to attract local as well as foreign tourists to the country.

The recreational fisheries from tourism point of view are still not properly organized to attract local and foreign tourists in Pakistan. Mahsheer fishing provide a wonderful opportunity of recreational fisheries in District Buner, Malakand in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Mangla Dam upper reaches in Azad Jammu and Kashmir similarly recreational fisheries is available in Punjab province in District Attock.

The other recreational fisheries potential areas of Pakistan comprise of Hazara Division and Malakand Division, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir are no exception. The fish available in the natural renewable aquatic resources are Trout Fish. It provides a wonderful experience of fishing during summer months.

Talking to this scribe, Omar Hayat Khan, an expert on fisheries and aquaculture said that trout fishing is one of the outdoor recreational activities in the world, but this potential has not been harnessed on scientific lines. He said that Tourism Departments of provincial governments should coordinate this activity on scientific lines for local and foreign tourists to generate local employment and income for the hospitality industry in the country. To attract recreational fishing anglers during summer months by providing them guided tours to fishing areas suitable for angling through private guides.

The Tourism Departments can provide camping sites of visiting anglers in the field and also arrange for their boarding and lodging in the respective area. This facilitation will bring in economic activities in the local community of rural areas in the Trout Fishing areas of Pakistan.

Tourism is a big business globally. Tourism industry accounts for 8% of Gross national product globally and 9% of the world employment. Section of tourism include transport, public and private transport, accommodation hotels, motels, camping grounds, etc. attractions quality fishing, restaurants, fast food outlets, special retailers, T shirts, fishing tackles and bait supplies, souvenir and visitors’ centres for provision of welcome and guidance to the visiting anglers. Fishing broachers, coordinated efforts of Provincial Fisheries Departments and respective tourism departments can bring in local as well as foreign tourists for recreational fishing in Pakistan.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024