Catching fish from a pond and selling it

Question

Zayd bought a pond from the government for ten years, and fish are caught from it and sold in the market. Is this correct according to the Shari‘a? That is, the pond was bought specifically for catching fish?

Answer

Selling fish that came into being by themselves, without having caught them, is not correct according to the Shari‘a, and taking a pond on rent for this purpose is also not correct. But if fish fry are put in and raised, then it is correct to impose a restriction that no other person may catch them.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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