RIVERINE FISHERIES RESOURCES

Presented by:Pema khandu thungon

FRM-MA 02-2

Resources of India 29000 kms of river length

15 major (>20,000km2 ). Yield varying from 0.64 to 1.64 tonnes/km with avg. of 1 tonnes/ km

45 medium (2000- 20000km2 )

102 minor (<2000km2 )

Major rivers systems of India 5 major river system in India 1) Himalayan river system- Includes the Ganga , the Brahmaputra &

the Indus river. 2) Peninsular river system- a) East coast river system- Shed their water in BOB, includes the

Mahanadi, the Godavari, the krishna & the Cauvery. Total length:6437 kms

Cont………

- b) west coast river system - these river shed their water in Arabian

sea. - the main river includes, the Narmada &

the Tapti - total length of 3380kms

The Ganga river system Total length : 8047 kms Largest river system in India originates in :Gangotri & Alaknanda in

Garhwal himalayas in Uttarkhand Catchment area: 9.71 lakh sq km States of flow: Uttarkhand, UP,

Bihar,Jharkhand,W.B & parts of Haryana, Rajasthan & M.P

major &minor tributaries are: Ramganga,Yamuna,Tons,Varuna,Gomati,Basu, Thora,Ghaghra,Sone,Gandak,punpun,Burni, kosi,ajay,kumar,etc

The lower stretch of this river forms Sunderban delta(2340 sq km) & Hooghly matlah estuary (8029 sq km)

Yamuna : orinates in Yamunotri hot springs in the Himalayas. The river is 1375 km in length and runs parallel to the ganges for almost 600 km before joining it at Allahabad( prayag) in Uttar Pradesh. Chambal, Sindh, Bethwa etc... are the main tributaries.

Cont……

The Ganga flows in Bangladesh in the name of river Padma i.e just after Farakka barrage, where it joins Brahmaputra (Jamuna) & Meghna rivers in Gaolando & finally meets BOB

Fish diversity of river Ganga Total 265 fish spp. With 181 spp. are

fresh water & rest are estuarine Upland rivers( in Alaknanda) :cyprinids

like Schizothorax spp. , Tor spp. ,small Garra spp. , loaches like Nemacheilus spp. & sisorids like Glytothorax spp.

Upper Ganga : same as above with other lowland spp. like Mastacembalus & Channa spp.

Lowland (Allahabad to Bhagalpur) : major carps& cat fishes are dominant

Down stream of Patna: estuarine spp. appears like Scieana coiter, mullets, Hilsa & others like Pangasius pangasius, Silonia silondia, Notopterus chitala , Eutropiichthys vacha, Setipinna phasa, Gudusia chapra, Rita rita,Cirrhinus riba, Wallago attu, Bagarius bagarius,Ailia coila, etc. The prawn includes M. malcolmsonii ( gangetic river prawn) & Paleomon lamarrei

34 spp. are commercially important including prized Gangetic carps, Large catfishes,feather backs & murrels.

production (CIFRI report (2008)) : 389kg/km, which is due to greater contribution from exotics viz. Cyprinus carpio & O. niloticus.

at present production is declining

Brahmaputra River system

Originates from snout of Chmayungdung mountain near Tahhong khambab chhorten, about 100km S.E of lake Mansorovar in Tibet.

1250 km in Tibet in the name Tsangpo river Enter India in Tuting(Arunachal)- 160km Assam: meets two tributaries , Dibang &

Lohit and then named as Brahmaputra, flows 740 km distance.

Enters Bangladesh – known as Jamuna, 480km.

Joins river padma ( Gannga)at Goalando. Reaches Meghna estuary & enters BOB. Total length : 2900km Total length in India : 900km This river is combined with 41

tributaries : some of them are subansiri, Ranganadi, Dibriong, Burai, Jai- bhareli,Dhansiri, Pulhamiri, Aie, Champamati, Sankosh, Gangadhar,Dibang,Dibru, Disong, Jhansi, Kalong,krishnai, jinari, etc

Catchment area : 580,000 sq km

Fish diversity Total : 221 spp. reported Rivers like Siang, Dibang & lohit in stretch of

Arunachal is domonated by Mahaseer ( Tor putitora & Neolissocheilus hexagonolepis), snow trout & other s like L. dero & L.dyocheilus.

At confluent point of above three rivers near Sadiya : mahaseer & catfishes are recorded

Below Sadiya: carps, catfishes & feather backs.

Guwahati to Dhubri : hilsa

Schizothorax sp. from shergaon village river of Arunachal

Indus river system

Total length of Indus river: 2000km

Principal tributaries : the Kabul & the Surat on its right bank in Afghanistan and the Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Sutlej & Beas on its left bank.

River Jhelum & its Fishery Origin : spring (verinag) in Kashmir. It drains in the city of srinagar into the Wular

lake, its delta & finally drains into pakis Total length: 400km Commercial fisheries : 6 schizothorax spp.

( S. esocinus, S.planifrons, Smicropagan, S.punctatus, S.curvifrons & S.longipinnis) & Orienus plagiostomus.

Others like, L.dero, L.dyocheilus,Crassocheilus latius, puntius conchonius ,

Glyptothorax kasmiransis, G.reticulatum, Nemacheilus kashniransis, N.rupicala, N.marmoratus,etc

exotic carps like Cyprinus carpio ( var. specularis & communis) are reported in commercial catch

River chenab Originates in Himachal pradesh

Enters in J & K and flows for 290 km and finally enters Pakistan

Total length : 330km

River Ravi & its fisheries Origin : Barabang-Dhauladhar range of

Himalayas in two channels, namely Budhil & Tantnagar

Total length : 725 km ( 320 km in India). Passes through states of H.P & Punjab,

were they are used for irrigation and dammed like Chamera

Avg. catch (2005-07) :47.65 t/yr Mainly represented by minor

carps(max),Common carp & assorted group.

Upper stretch : mahaseer,snow trout

Lower Amritsar zone : IMC & large catfishes

Total spp. :31 nos

Cyprinids most dominant followed by bagridae

River Beas & its fisheries Origin :southern slope of rohtang pass

from two sources, Beas kund & Beas rishi. Catchment area :25900sq km Total length : 470km It meets river Sutlej in near village Lohian

at Hari-ke-pattan. Fishes composed of mahaseer, snow

trout, thai magur, IMC (max),common carp &large size cat fish

54 spp. are present of them cyprinidae is domonant followed by bagridae.

River Sutlej & its fisheries Longest tributary ofIndus system

Origin: S.W of Tibetan lakes, Ralkarthal & Mansarover

Enters India in Shipki pass(H.P)

Total length : 1450km (740km in India)

Upper part in H.P is dammed as Bhakra for hydro-electric and lower stretch for irrigation

Total spp. : 56 nos, cyprinidae most dominant

Foot hills of shivalik : dominance of minor carps(max), IMC,large cat fish including

Bagarius bagarius, commoc carp & mahaseer

Middle stretch :dominan, IMC , Wallago attu, S.seenghala , minor carps & common carp

Firozpur stretch : equal representation of Imc, catfish,minor carp & miscellaneous

East coast river system

Constitute the rivers Mahandi, Godavari, Krishna & Cauvery

Total length : 6437 km Drains the peninsular India and southern

part of central India( including chota nagpur India)

Sheds the water in BOB

River Mahanadi & its fisheries Origin: Sihawa hills , Raipur Dist,

Chhattisgarh Total length : 857 km States of flow : Chhattisgarh, M,P & Odhisa Joins BOB at Paradip Hirakund dam located in this river 253 fish spp. Recorded Fish spp. : minor carps, major carps,

catfishes, & prawns Higher catch obtained in middle stretch &

poorer catch in lower stretch

River Godavari & its fisheries Origin: Triambakeswar , Deolali hills near

Nasik (Maharashtra) 3rd largest river in India & largest in

peninsular river Total length :1465km Distributaries in A.P: 1)Northern- Gautami Godavari→19 km

below Yanam joins BOB 2)southern- Vasista Godavari :

→Vainateyam: joins BOB near Narsapur

→main vasista : join BOB near vadalarevu

Major tributatries : Manjiri, Waingunga & Indravati

Catchment area: 312,812 km states of flow: Maharashtra, Andhra

Pradesh, M.P, Odhisa & Karnataka 2 large anicuts(in Andhra): 1)Dhuwalesvaram: for navigation &

irrigation 2)Dummaghudam : navigation. - Reservoirs like Gangapur,Nathsagar &

Sriramsagar are present

Main fish species : mrigal,kalbasu,catla, Sperata seenghala,S. aor, Wallgo attu, pangusius,Hilsa & M. malcolmsonii

Labeo Fimbriatus is the most dominant sp.

Mrigal is the transplanted fish, which is 2nd in dominance

River Krishna & its fisheries Total length: 1280km Origin : Mahabaleswar hills, south Pune

( Maharashtra) State of flow ; Maharashtra, Karnataka

and Andhra pradesh. Catchment area; 233,229 sq km. Tributiries; Bhima and Tungbhadra rivers. Reservior; lakkavali, tungbhadra, Koyna,

Vanivllassagar, Himayatsagar, Osmansagar, Hussainagar etc.

Upper stretch; catla, Cyprinus carpio, mrigfal,P. sarana, P. serloni, L. calbasu, L. fimbriatus, Mystus sp, Rita, Ompok sp, Wallago attu, Mastacembelus armatus etc.

Lower stretch; catla, rohu, calbasu, L. boga, L. gonius, C. mrigala, C. reba, sperata oor, Bagarius bagarius, Pangasius pangasius, Silonia childreni,Eutroplus suratensis, Puntius kalus, P, sarana, P. ticto, Rita pavimentata, Wallago attu, Channa sp, Netopterus netopterus , Glossogobius giuris, M. armatus, X. cancila and prawn like rosenbergii, malcomsonii and penaeus monodon.

River Cauvery & its fisheries

Largest perrenial river. Origin; Brahmagiri hills( karnataka). Total length; 850 km In Thanjavur delta , river divides into

northern branch, river colerron and southern branch , river cauvery proper.

Tributaries; Bhavani, Noyil and Amaravati. Reservoirs; Mettur, Bhavanisagar,

Krishnarajsagar.

Total 80 spp reported; Cauvery carps ( Puntius cannaticus, P.

dubius , Labeo kontius, L. ariza). Transplanted gangetic major carps

( catla, rohu ,mrigal), Labeo fimbriatus,Sperata seenghala, S. aor, C. cirrhosa, Channa punctatus, tor khudree and exotic fishes like Oreochrinius mossambica, hypopthalmicthys molitrix, Ctenopharyngodon idella and Cyprinus carpio.

O. mossambica was observed to be well established throughout the river.

West coast river system

Total length; 3380 km. Narmada and Tapti rivers.

River Narmada & its fisheries

Largest west flowing river. Origin; Maikala highlands near Amarkantak

in Shahdal district (M.P). State of flow; M.P , Maharashtra and Gujarat

and shed their water in Gulf of Cambai ( Arabian sea) near Baroach ( Gujarat).

Total length; 1312km (M.P -1077 km). 41 tributaries. Catchment area – 94,235 sq km. Reservoir – Tawa, Sukta , Barna, Barji , Indira

sagar and Sardar sarovar dam.

84 spp reported . . Main spp are Tor tor and L. fimbriatus and

cat fish.

River Tapti & its fisheries

Rising from Vindhya mountain of the Satpura range.

State of flow; M.P, Maharashtra and Gujarat.

Ultimately join Arabian sea at Dumas near Surat ( Gujarat).

Catchment area – 48,000 sq km. Ukai dam above Kakrapar weir ( surat

district, Gujarat).

52 spp are reported . Fishes mainly caught are Tor tor, L.

fimbriatus, L. calbasu, L. bata, L. boggut, Sperata seenghala, S. aor and Wllago attu.

The lower reaches of river i e; Gujarat , hilsa constitute a comparatively lucrative fishery during monsoon season particullarly.

Anthropogenic impacts on aquatic environment

2 types of affects are: 1)Indirect affects & 2) Direct affects

Indirect affects

A) agriculture & forestry activities Nutrients: causes eutrophication Suspended solids: by deforestration

causes turbidity, stress to fish & on settlement in low current area can change the bed configuration & change in breeding and feeding areas

Toxic materials : pesticides leached from soils & washed off vegetation

B) civil construction works: Dams , bridges, roads, etc, dispose large

amount of solid materials & causes exposure of soils to erosion

Releases toxic materials like pb & cu componds

C) Extraction industries: Like mining ores , coal & sand and gravels Discharge acids, toxic salts of heavy metals &

suspended solids from mining activities Removal of sand and gravels cause deep

areas liable for silt collection and alter in oxygen conc. ,temp change & ph change

D) Manufacturing Industries: burying of toxic solids liquid waste like

pesticides & radioactive materials contaminate ground water

Discharge toxic materials & reduces productivity

High organic content from brewing , food industries & paper industries discharge HC, causes eutrophication or anoxic condition

E) Urbanisation : Industrial affects Nutrients from washing & cooking

activities Urban- built up like roads & paved

surfaces releases heavy metals deforestation

Direct affects A) Dams & barrages: traverses blocking of the rivers and

channels : - affects migration of fishes & sediments accumulation

Changes the flow regime: -reduces the required discharge, bed

movement or deposition of sediments & interrupts migration and breeding

B) Land recovery, drainage & flood protection

More land converted into agriculture land due to growing population, which reduces water table by digging canals

Channelization for reducing flood control, Navigation, irrigation, etc on other hand increases the allochthonous inputs , refuges for feeding & breeding and reduces fish food & fish no.

Bank revetment reduces vertical connectivity, thus interfering with nutrients & water exchange

C) Industrial & urban use Extract water physically & reduces the

flow in river or streams as well as quality is altered by increasing the suspended solids or dissolved chemicals or heat

Water is used to carry domestic & personal wastes which results in sewage to cause anoxic condition

D) Recreation & transportation

includes picnicking, angling, swimming, boating ,etc

unplanned access may damage environment

Antifouling compounds released from boat marinas by leaching is highly toxic to aquatic biota

Wave action & turbulence during passage of vessels in restricted water damage bank & fringe vegetation. The noise created disturb feeding & breeding behavior.

Habitat modification & improvement

Rehabilitation of habitat can be done by:1) Targeting the particular species by

promoting schemes with decision maker & public

2) Control of point sources effluents discharge

3) Proper planning of engineering works along the rivers

4) Maintenance of longitudinal connectivity of river, which affects migratory fishes

5) Bypass or fishes in dams & weirs6)Imposing direct rules & regulation7)Substrate reinstatement using gravels ,

crushed rocks , etc 8) Improvement in current speed /direction

diversity

Recent trends of river 1) The Ganga: more than 29 cities , 70 towns &

thousands villages are situated along the bank of the river Ganga.

Sewage discharge is 1300mld 260 millions litre industrial waste Leather industries is the major polluting

industries which discharge Cr. annual sediment load : 1.46 millions

tonnes

Cont……..

Hilsa catch reduced in Farraka barrage since 1975

CIFRI is taking care of fish pass design in dam

2) The Brahmaputra: 13 major industries located : 1140 lakh

L/day wastewater Pollution by tea gardens & agriculture plots Transparency reduced from 150cm (1974-

77) to 50-40cm due to silt load

3) The sutlej Most polluted in Indus river system due

to industries, thermal power plant & wash-off of fertilizers & pesticides

Receives wash-off of fertilizers & pesticides a avg. of 172kg/ha compared to national avg of 72kg/ha

4) Global warming reduced seed availability of rivers

5) Alien/ exotic species: Clarius gariepinus in Ganga Eichhornia crassipes affected lentic water

in ganga plains

6) policy & regulation: For management purpose Indian Fisheries Act,1897 – made limited

access , licensing of gear, gear restriction & leasing & auctioning

The Central Pollution Control Board, a Ministry of Environment & Forests Government of India entity, has established a National Water Quality Monitoring Network comprising 1429 monitoring stations in 27 states and 6 in Union Territories on various rivers and water bodies across the country

7) The government of India envisions a US$100 billion project to interlink all major river networks in India

8) Cleaning of rivers: Govt. of India initiated River

cleaning programme in 1985 as GAP- I ( Ganga Action Plan) & GAP- II was initiated in 1993

Main aim to improve the quality of major rivers through pollution abatement schemes.

Reference1. Welcomme,R.L and Cowx.Lan G ;

impacts on man’s activities on aquatic habitat, rehabilitation of channels & floodplains. In , Rehabilitation of rivers for fish. pp: 75-176

2. Welcomme,R.L; Environmental management . In Inland fisheries ecology & management. pp:217-226

3. ICAR; Riverine fisheries. In handbook of fisheries & aquaculture. pp:169-207 and

4. Jingaran , V.G; Riverine fisheries of India (revised & enlarged third edition). pp:66-121

THANK Q……….