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Fish and Fisheries of Jammu and Kashmir at a Glance

by
                                             

Fish and Fisheries of Jammu and Kashmir

In the article,
we will provide information about fisheries flora and fauna of Jammu and
Kashmir valley. As you know in Jammu and Kashmir, Kashmir and Ladakh region is
a temperate region and Jammu is a tropical zone. Hence, there is a lot of
biodiversity in fisheries flora and fauna across the Jammu and Kashmir.
Furthermore, we will provide facts and figures about wetlands and water
resources of Jammu and Kashmir and future direction for management of these resources.


                                              



                                           Figure1: Rainbow trout  fish 

              


Fisheries of Jammu and Kashmir

     

   1. 
Content
Ø Introduction
Ø Water resources
Ø Fisheries Resources
Ø Status of Fisherfolk
Ø Prospects of Fisheries
Development
Ø Threats to Fisheries
Resources
Ø Conclusion and Future
Direction

    2.   
Introduction
    Jammu and Kashmir at a
glance

Ø  Latitude :
32°17’ and 37°05’N.
Ø   Longitude: 72°31’ and 80°20’E.
Ø   Total area : 2, 22,798 sq.kms.
Ø  Total population:  over 14.324 million (2018 census).
Ø  Union territory
(UT) Regions  – : Jammu, Kashmir and
Ladakh.
Ø  Districts – 22;
Jammu – 10; Kashmir – 10; Ladakh – 2.

   3.  
Water Resources Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh (Wetland  and Lakes sources)
        
                     a)   
Jammu

ü Thein Bahu
ü Gharana
ü Pargwal Wetland
ü Sangral
ü Nanga Wetland
ü Kukrian Wetland
ü Manibugh
ü Cheshara
ü Mansar Lake

ü Surinsar Lake

 b)  
Kashmir

1)               Dal Lake littorals.
2)              Anchar.
3)              Hokersar.
4)              Nambli Narkara.
5)               Wular.
6)               Ajas Wetlands.
7)               Hygham.
8)               Mirgund.
9)               Nilnag Lake
10)          
Sheikhsar
11)          
Waskursar
12)          
Manasbal Lake
13)          
Vethnar Lake
14)          
Ratan sar
15)          
Gaditar Lake
16)          
Sheshnag Lake
17)          
Haigam Jeel
18)          
Gadsar
19)          
Gangbal Lake
20)          
Vishansar
21)          
Krishansar
22)          
Satsar
23)          
Nundkol Lake
24)          
Tarsar Lake
25)          
Marsar Lake
26)          
Kounsarnar
27)          
Demansar
28)          
Didufnag Lake

                  c) Ladakh

  •        Noorichan Conservation Reserve
  •    Sabu 
    Reserve
  •    Tso-Moriri Wetland
  •       Hanley Marshes
  •       Kanji Reserve
  •       Budhkharboo  Reserve
  •    Kyon Tso I
  •    Kyon Tso II
  •    Mirpal Tso
  •     Yaye Tso
  •    Yarab Tso
  •      Tso Kiagar
  •       Lang Tso
  •     Stat Tso
  •       Pangong Tso
  •      Tso Moriri
  •      Tso Kar

4. Rivers of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.

1) Jammu

Ø  Ravi
Ø Tawi
Ø Chenab
Ø Poonch river
Ø Dhudganga

 2) Kashmir

v  Jhelum
v Neelum
v Lidder
v Rambi Ara
v Sind river
v Veshaw

 3) Ladakh

o    Shyok
o   Tsarap
o   Nubra river
o   Zanaskar river
o   Drass river


                              

Figure 2: Rivers of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh valley
5) Native fish
fauna of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh

A) Jammu

Ø  Labeo rohita
Ø  L. calbasu
Ø  Cirrhinus reba
Ø  L.abeo bata
Ø L. dyocheilus
Ø Clupisoma garua
Ø Tor  putitora
Ø  Cyprinus Carpio
Ø  Mystus. seenghala
Ø Wallago attu
Ø Channa spps
Ø Badis badis
Ø Glyptosternum  reticulatum
Ø Catla catla
Ø Cirhinus mrigala
Ø Puntius species
Ø Barilius species
Ø Garra gotyala
Ø Crossochelius
diplochelius
Ø Tor mosal
Ø Labeo dero
Ø Labeo bata


B) Kashmir           
  •            Schizothorax plagiostmus
  •      Schizothorax labitus
  •          Schizothorax curvifrons (Sattar)
  •        Schizothorax niger (Algaad)
  •        Schizothorax planifrons (Chush)
  •     Schizothorax longipinnis (Dap Gaad)
  •        Triplophysa marmorata
  •        Crossocheilus diplocheilus
  •          Schistura punjabensis
  •         Bangana diplostoma
  •        Glyptothorax kashmirensis
  •        Glyptosterun reticulum
  •       Triplophysa kashmirensis
  •        Botia birdi (Ram gurun)
C) Ladakh

Ø  Noemacheilus
gracilis
Ø Noemacheilus
hutchinsoni Hora
Ø  Noemacheilus ladacensis Guenther 
Ø Noemacheilus
microps (Steindachncr)
Ø  Noemacheilus panguri Horn
Ø Noemacheilus
shehensis,
Ø Noemacheilus
stoliczkae (Steindachner) 
Ø Noemacheilus
tenuicauda (Steindachner)
Ø Exostoma
stoliczkae Day
Ø Diptychus
maculatus Steindachner
Ø  Gumnocypris biswasi Talwar
Ø  Ptychobarbus conirostris Steindachner
Ø  Schizopygopsis stoliczkae Steindachner
Ø Schizothorax
richardsonii (Gmy)
Ø Schizothorax ladacensis
Zugmayer
Ø Schizothorax
inontanus Zugmaycr


6) Fisheries  present status of Jammu and Kashmir (J and k )

  1.       Fish production – 20,000 tonnes.
  2.       Trout production
    – 262 tonnes.
  3.       Others fish
    production – 19,738.
  4.       Trout rearing
    units/ Hatcheries completed cum – 44 (6 hatcheries completed)
  5.       Fish seed
    production – 400.00 lac.
  6.       Trout seed
    production – 90.00 lac. eyed ova.
  7.       Trout sold – Rs.
    200.00 lakh.
  8.       Reservoir
    fisheries established in – Salal and Ranjit reservoirs.
  9.       890 carp and 347
    trout units established.
  10.       Masheer replenishment
    farm – Billawar, district Kathua.
        7)  Status of
fisherfolk of Jammu and Kashmir
v Fishermen
population: 93,000.
    Most fish
villages: Wular lake, Dal lake, Manasbal
o   Wular:54
o   Dal lake:15
o   Manasbal Lake:5
    Aquatic
resources harvested: Trapa, Nelumbo nucifera,
        fish, fodder
    Major fish
species caught: Common carp, Amur carp, Schizothorax spp.
    Major fishing
season
June- September
    Gears employed: Cast net, Gillnet, Longline, Dip net, Arrow and spear
     Average monthly
income: Rs 6500/
      Fishing: Licensed
       7) Prospects of
Fisheries Development
      Ø  Water spread area – 0.40 lac.
ha.
 Ø   Lakes, wetlands, reservoirs – 24,000 ha.
 Ø River systems –
23,000 ha.
 Ø Rivers/streams –
27,781 km.
 Ø Zones –
Temperate, Tropical, Arid.
 Ø  Lakes – 1248.
 Ø Fishing farming
facility of rivers/ streams – 40 million tonnes.
 Ø  Potential for coldwater fishery – Kashmir and
Ladakh.
 Ø Potential for
recreational and sports fishery – Kashmir valley.
 Ø Potential for
tropical water fishery – Jammu.
 Ø Potential for
hardy, brackish water species – Pangong Tso.

8) Candidate species for aquaculture development in Jammu,
 

        Kashmir and Ladakh
                1)      Rainbow trout
2)      Brown trout
3)      Common carp
4)      Grass carp
5)      IMC
6)      Mahseer sp.
7)      Snow trout sp.
8)       Salmon sp. Etc.


 9) Threats to Jammu and Kashmir Fisheries
           
     u   Hydroelectric power projects, barrages,
weirs.
u Construction of houses
close to river banks and wetlands.
u Water Pollution
u Excessive
deforestation – 6281 ha of forest land put up for other uses between 2003-2012.
u Use of biocides.
u Conversion of
wetlands into paddy fields and apple orchards.
u Climate change.
 10) Hydroelectric
power (H.E) projects on Jammu, Kashmir       and Ladakh  

      H.E projects in
operation – 12 Power Generated -3449MW H.E projects under
construction – 4 Power to be harnessed – 1935.5 MW Schemes cleared
by CEA and yet to be taken up for construction – 5   Power  capacity – 4043 MWE. Projects
yet to be allotted for development – 31 Power capacity – 3355 MWMost power
generated – Salal I&II Power harnessed – 690 MW


 11) Conclusion and Future perspectives

              Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh have a lot of fish
and fisheries resources, however, due to lack of proper management and utilization
policy, these resources are facing various challenges. Various steps which are
necessary to take with immediate effect are given below

1)    Construction of  houses near  to wetlands  and river banks  should be closed as soon as possible
2)    Destruction of  illegal occupied houses and industries near to
wetlands  and river banks 
3)    Stop water
pollution into wetlands  and rivers
4)    Stop construction
of  Hydroelectric power station on rivers
5)     Artificial or captivity  breeding of  fish
6)     Promote aquaculture  farming
7)    Produce more fisheries professional,
8)    Development of seed production units( Hatcheries)
9)    Finally, make people aware about the importance of fish and fisheries resources for long term conservation of the environment. 

Fisheries of Jammu and Kashmir

Note:  Writing credit of this article goes to Haziq
Qayoom Lone, Masters student  department
of Aquatic Environment Management, College of Fisheries, G.B Pantnagar University of
Agricultural Science and Technology Pantnagar, Uttarakhand -263153. This information is
only for academic purposes. 

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fishes, Fisheries in Kashmir valley,  
Fisheries resources in Kashmir, Status of  Kashmir Fisheries, Problem in Jammu and  Kashmir 
fisheries, Threats in Jammu and 
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