BAJHANG, JULY 8
A group has been formed to protect indigenous species of fish in Bajhang.
It is learnt that the initiative taken by the local Paani project aims to protect fish as people started fishing rampantly in the local rivers and ponds using various means such as electrofishing.
The group has formed five sub-groups which have been tasked with attracting owners of fisheries at eight wards of Talkot Rural Municipality and Jaya Prithivi Municipality.
"There has been an increment in harmful fishing practices following the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the number of local fish is decreasing. The project provides financial assistance to poor families hit by the infection to be involved in the fishery business," said programme coordinator of the project Shiva Raj Joshi.
The project has been providing financial assistance, fries and fish food, among others used to grow fish, to the group.
The four-year (2016- 2020), $24.8 million US- AID Paani (meaning 'water' in Nepali) programme enhances Nepal's ability to manage water resources via climate change adaptation and conservation of freshwater biodiversity.
A version of this article appears in the print on July 9 2021, of The Himalayan Times.
