In an effort to promote conservation, the Shan Fisheries Federation is to sell fry, or baby fish, to tourists and pilgrims wishing to release them into Inle Lake. The move is part of a program to help reduce illegal fishing and maintain fish stocks in the lake, federation secretary U Myat Min Soe told The Myanmar Times.
U Myat Min Soe said the suggestion came from U Win Kyaing, general secretary of the Myanmar Fisheries Federation.
The Shan State government and the fisheries federation want to improve public education about illegal fishing in the lake, a major tourist location.
Using batteries to electrocute the fish, or poison or explosives, is illegal. The use of batteries can make fish infertile even if it doesn’t kill them, he said.
The fry will include myat sar nga kyin (grass-eating carp), shwe wah nga kyin (common carp), silver nga kyin carp and Thai nga gonn ma (swamp barb), at a cost of K8 for a 1-inch fish and K10 for a 1.5-inch fish. Tourists and pilgrims can release the fish into the waters of the lake.
These fish are not carnivorous and will have no impact on the other lake fish. The stocks in the lake have been reduced because of insecticide used in agriculture and illegal fishing, so this could aid recovery, he said.
People wishing to release fry can contact the Shan Fisheries Foundation on 09-4283-54349 or 081-20974.
Declining fish stocks is one of several environmental problems at Inle Lake, which experts have warned could dry up within a century unless drastic action is undertaken.
2014 The Myanmar Times