Imphal: All activities, including the entry of fishers into the Loktak lake at night, have been restricted for three months to keep the annual visits of migratory birds undisturbed and fingerlings to grow more at the lake.
The restriction which came into force on Friday (Dec 30) would continue till March 30, 2023, in the Loktak, the largest freshwater lake in the northeastern states.
Similarly, there will be no movement of tourist boats in the lake, Heisnam Arunkumar, president of the All Loktak Lake Areas Fishers Union, Manipur (ALLAFUM) said in a statement.
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The ALLAFUM has also imposed the restriction on the use of LED Bulb and “Injao Thaba/Inao Thaba,” techniques- using small or large-sized fishing nets at night in Lake.
“The winter season is for fingerlings to grow and overfishing during the day and night can lead to quick depletion of fish population in this lake,” Arunkuma said. Every year, most migratory waterfowl visited the lake during the cold winter, and ornithologists, research scholars, and forest and wildlife officials, forestry students of Manipur University would participate in bird counting at this lake.
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Stating that motorized boats are harmful to aquatic plants as well as fish, the ALLAFUM president expressed his hope that all motor boats at Loktak must be better to stop operating except for some essential ones like those plying between Thanga and Karang, a small lake island and for medical emergencies.