A decade ago, proposals for “catch-and-release” angling would provoke abuse from enthusiasts. But now, anglers race to buy tickets for such events. Eco Park recently hosted the 10th catch-and-release angling carnival by the Bengal Angler’s Forum (BAF), and excitement among participants was clearly high.

The event spanned two days, with 30 slots available each day by the lake between the Eiffel Tower replica and the Japanese Garden.

“Angling and photography are the best possible hobbies,” said Prasad Chakraborty, who had come from Greenwood Nest in New Town to participate. “I hail from Guwahati but find far more people interested in angling here than there. The only thing that saddens me here is the use of the word “shikari” (hunter) to describe anglers. This shouldn’t be used in a sport that is promoting catch-and-release,” said Chakraborty, who caught four nylontika fish and immediately released them back into the water.

An excited Arnab Kumar Ray shows his catch before releasing it.

He found it absurd that some people think there’s no fun in angling unless you eat your catch. “I also love wildlife photography, but does that mean I must eat the tiger to derive satisfaction from clicking it?” he wondered.

Rafique Quazi, a retired deputy superintendent of police, said his first experience with catch-and-release was in 2016, at this very event in Eco Park. “The cost of angling far exceeds that of buying fish. My reel alone costs Rs 35,000, so it’s not about sustenance. Hobbyists should be encouraged to adopt sustainable practices,” said the man who caught the heaviest fish on Day 2 of the event – a 4.19kg rohu.

Parijat Das, a lawyer from Howrah, caught a massive fish just three minutes after the competition ended. “Since the time was up, we didn’t weigh the fish before releasing but it would surely have won,” he said, as others surrounded him and his partner, Arnab Kumar Ray, to congratulate. “It’s all part of the game. Angling requires patience and has a strike rate of just one per cent.” Das still secured third place for catching the highest number of fish that day.

One of the veterans handing out prizes was Chandan Gupta, who claimed to have been the first to promote catch-and-release angling in Bengal some 12 years ago. “The concept was unheard of back then and was very tough to make people swallow it. Some found it so preposterous that they hurled abuse at the mere mention of it. I’m delighted to see new clubs promoting it now and receiving such a positive response,” he said.

“Bengal is number one in fingerling production in the country, but for adult fish, Andhra Pradesh leads. This shows that we don’t let our fish mature before consuming them, which creates an ecological imbalance,” Gupta explained.

Hassan Sarkar (in black) receiving the prize for the heaviest catch

He also explained how catch-and-release angling could benefit pond owners financially. “Typically, pond owners rent out their waterbodies for fishing but if anglers take the fish away, it’s a loss for the pond owner. If he introduces catch-and-release instead, that same fish can be caught repeatedly, earning him much more money over time. It’s a sustainable and profitable practice,” Gupta said.

Others on stage emphasised the importance of keeping waterbodies clean, especially since Bengalis love eating the fish that thrives in the water.

The show’s anchor, BAF member Kajal Sarkar, urged the audience to be vigilant against unscrupulous developers who illegally fill up waterbodies to build houses, damaging the environment.

The tallest trophy at the event went to Hassan Sarkar, who came from near Chetla and won the prize for the heaviest catch across the two days. “I had been trying to get a ticket to this event for three years, but there’s always a huge rush. This was my first time here and I’m humbled to see our rustic methods of angling win prizes against seasoned city folk,” said Sarkar, who caught a 5.565kg katla.

BAF founder Arindam Ghosh said that the dates of the event had to be shuffled as the original schedule clashed with the landfall of Cyclone Dana. “As a result, several outstation participants had to cancel their trips. We even received calls from Bangladesh, but decided against involving them this year due to the political turmoil there,” said Ghosh. “This was the event’s 10th year and we’ve been hosting it at Eco Park for eight years because it’s the most accessible venue and offers the best ambience for angling in the country.”