Himachal Pradesh propagating mahseer fish for conservation

Himachal Pradesh government has started an artificial propagation programme for rehabilitation and conservation of golden mahseer. The population of the golden mahseer, hunted for sport and food, is declining in rivers of Himachal Pradesh.

• The population of the golden mahseer is declining in the state due to various reasons, including construction of dams, barrages, pollution, indiscriminate fishing of brood and juvenile fish, introduction of exotic species and habitat deterioration.
• A hatchery with an outlay of Rs 6 crore has been set up in the state to rear mahseer, to breed the fish and release its fingerlings into the wild.

Key facts:

• Golden mahseer is known as the tiger of Indian rivers.
• It has been declared endangered by the Washington-based International Union of Conservation of Natural Resources.
• The mahseer, the longest-living freshwater fish, is native to mountain and sub-mountain regions. It belongs to the genus Tor.
• The Pong Dam reservoir, around 250km from state capital Shimla and 190km from Chandigarh, supports an ample population of the golden mahseer.
• It migrates upstream for spawning during the southwest floods. After spawning, it returns to the original feeding grounds. It is available at altitudes of up to 2,000 metres above sea level and is purely carnivorous.