MIRPUR (AJK) - Under the spirit to raise the production of fish, the AJK government has kicked off a plan to raise the production of fish in the huge reservoir of Mangla dam up to at least 4000 metric ton annually, said Advocate Ramzan Dutt, Honorary Game Warden of AJK Fisheries & Wild Life Department. Dutt told this scribe here on the eve of launching of fish breed in Mangla dam reservoir that the AJK government has already chalked out an integrated plan to meet the increased local demand for fish in Mirpur and rest of AJK under the private-public partnership joint ventures. The plan included the phased launching of the fish breed of the superior races in Mangla Dam this year also aimed at ensuring the supply of fish to local consumers at the inexpensive rates, he added. Earlier Ramzan Dutt launched the fish breed in Mangla dam reservoir formally inaugurating the drive for fish breeding in the huge reservoir of the countrys second largest dam.Dutt, also President of AJK Anglers Association, said that it was the collective responsibility of all of society to safeguard the natural resources. He said that it was necessary to avoid fishing during the ongoing season of breading. He said that since the production of fish in Mangla dam could be raised from 18,000 to 2000 metric ton per annum, the government was seriously contemplating to implement the plan. He said that the annual target of launching at least 12 hundred thousand of the fish breed of highly expensive 'Mohri and 'Rahoo fish in Jarri Kass, Mangla, Khud, Poonch and Kansi pockets of Mangla Dams reservoir was being fixed. The proposed plan also includes the launching of the top seed of 'Mahasheir, 'Theil and 'China in the dam. He revealed that fishing by the amateur fishermen at Poonch and Jhelum rivers, falling in the dam, has been prohibited at the site Billi Porian near Palak in outskirt of this district. He opined the plan will, indeed, help to ensure the availability of bulk fish to the population of Mirpur district and the adjoining areas besides other parts of AJK. Dutt said that the fish breeding in Mangla Dams reservoir is yielding healthy and positive results within the stipulated time frame.