To revive angling, Arpora p’yat announces fishing competition

Panaji: With the sea being out of bounds, it was not uncommon to see groups of people lined up along the village creek at Arpora on cool monsoon evenings, fishing rods in hand and eyes trained on the water as they waited for the slightest ripple or a tug at their line.

Riverine angling was once a big draw in the village, but while the practice continues to this day, the number of enthusiasts has steadily declined over the years.Keen on reviving the traditional pastime while also promoting a sense of community, the Arpora-Nagoa panchayat on Wednesday announced that it would host the village’s first-ever fishing competition on Sunday. The event will be open to all residents – from the youngest to the oldest enthusiast – and will offer cash prizes ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 3,000 under seven categories including the first catch of the day, the heaviest fish caught, and the smallest catch of the day.“We also hope the initiative will pique the interest of the village’s younger generations in what was once an everyday recreational activity,” said sarpanch Roshan Redkar. “The competition will be held along the creek at Tambudki Vaddo, Arpora, from 2.30pm onwards. Each participant must bring his/her own fishing equipment,” he added.