The state forest and environment ministry has warned that stern action will be taken against fishermen who used light emitting diode (LED) bulbs at Loktak Lake by night. While the government has conceded that fishing is the prime livelihood for people living around the lake and the activity cannot be stopped, it has said the use of these bulbs disturbs the habitat of the several migratory birds who flock here. Forest and environment minister Th Shyamkumar Singh has advised fishermen to refrain from venturing into the lake at night at Loktak. Thousands of migratory birds, mostly water fowls belonging to around sixty different species, are currently staying at the 237 sq km lake, the largest freshwater lake in the northeast. Chief conservator of forest and environment, Anurag Bajpai, told TOI on Thursday, “This new trend of fishing by night with the use of Chinese LED lights has drastically disturbed the migratory pattern of our feathered guests. Owing to this and lack of food, the birds are shifting to nearby safer climes. We cannot say now how many birds have shifted but we are planning to hold a counting exercise at Loktak in the latter part of this month.”