Dinesh Butail wins gold in Sikkim angling meet

Our Correspondent

PALAMPUR, September 25

Dinesh Butail, an ace angler and life member of Himachal Angling Association, Palampur (HAA), has done the state proud by winning gold medal in all-India Trout Catch-n-Release Angling Tournament held in Sikkim recently.

Thirtythree anglers from various states took part in this tournament whose main purpose was to create awareness about keeping rivers clean and protection of fish biodiversity. Dinesh landed a five pounder Brown Trout from Lachung river which was released after taking its measurements and photograph. He was presented with a cash prize of Rs.30,000, a certificate and a gold medal.

While interacting with anglers at the prize distribution function, Dinesh said the exotic Brown Trout which had become virtually indigenized and main sport fish of snowfed rivers and streams, although not considered endangered, but stocks were under various degrees of stress mainly because of habitat degradation and over harvesting.

He further said major causes of its dwindling population were manmade obstacles like dams, barrages, weirs for hydel power generation which disrupt the natural flow of rivers and prevent migration of Trout. Trout needs to migrate to reproduce, feed and complete its life cycle.

K B Ralhan, Trout Expert and Secretary General HAA while talking to members of print media said here today Trouts are vigorous, swift, keen, prolific, robust biters which fight right up to the bank.