ISSN (Print) - 0012-9976 | ISSN (Online) - 2349-8846

Articles by M KrishnanSubscribe to M Krishnan

Lake Fisheries in Kashmir

The Dal and Wular lakes produce 70% of the total fish production in Jammu and Kashmir. In addition to introduction of carps, negative externalities of tourism, excessive fertilisation of vegetable crops on floating gardens leading to algal blooms have all led to a consistent decline and destruction of the breeding grounds of the local fish species schizothorax. Though fish production in absolute terms may be increasing in the Dal lake, the rate of growth of even carp fish production is declining. The restoration of schizothorax fishery in the lakes of Kashmir on an even keel will ensure growth in socio-economic-cultural terms and the sustainability of fishery.

The Wild Life (Protection) Act of 1972-A Critical Appraisal

The grant of statutory protection from being hunted, trapped or otherwise directly harassed, which is what is practicable in an act, will go only some way towards conserving our fauna, even in sanctuaries. All human activities that are not directed at the fauna with hostile intent (like hunting} but which have a no less depletive potential (such as deprivation of habitat, overmuch disturbance by humanity, competition for fodder by domestic animals being permitted to graze in the preserve and the risk of such cattle conveying epidemic diseases to the wild herbivores) must be eliminated from a sanctuary area before the word 'protection' can have any value in actuality, and this cannot be achieved entirely by a comprehensive enact* ment adopted by all states, but also needs the co-operation, of the people and the governments in other ways, even the reorientation of the attitude of most of our state governments towards their forests.

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