Conservation status and threats of the ichthyofauna in the North region of the Western Ghats

Abstract

A survey of fish fauna of the rivers such as Kundalika river at Kolad, Krishna river mouth at Wai village, Nira river at Serola village, a tributary of Krishna River at Venegoan belonging to Raigad District and Satara districts of Maharashtra, Northern Western Ghats was done for a period of one year during June 2012 to June 2013. In the present study, the freshwater fish fauna of some rivers of western Maharashtra were documented. The fish diversity was explored from rivers and the collected specimens were fixed in 5% formalin and about 35 fish species belonging to 16 families and 30 Genus were recorded. Cyprinids were the most dominant group represented by 13 Genus. Raigad District is under severe threat of rapid industrialization and urbanization. Further, introduced exotic fish species like Gambusia affinis, Piaractus brachypomus, Poecilia reticulata and Pangasius hypophthalmus are becoming a major threat to the indigenous fish fauna of Raigad District. Implementation of ecosystem based adaptation plans and conservation measures are Necessary to protect the diverse, endemic and threatened fish fauna of RaigadrnDistrict.