Fish Diversity and Catch Composition of Bargi Reservoir, Madhya Pradesh

Abstract

A study was conducted from September 2019 to February 2020 to document fish diversity and catch composition of the Bargi reservoir. A total of 17 fish species belonging to 5 orders 13 genera and 6 families were recorded. Cypriniformes was the dominant order represented by 11 species belonging to 7 genera, followed by Siluriformes (3 species and 3 genera), while Channiformes, Osteoglossiformes, and Synbranchiformes were represented by 1 family and 1 species each. The annual fish catch peaked in the year 2017-18 with 585.42 tons and a yield of 35.16 kg/ha.
However, the catch declined in 2019-20 to 94.82 tons with a 5.70 kg/ha yield. In 2002- 03, the catch of this reservoir comprised 83 per cent Indian major carps, 8.2
per cent local major, and 8.8 per cent local minor. However, the fish catch composition of 2019-20 depicts 46 per cent Indian major carps, 16.77 per cent local
major and 35.24 per cent local minor, 1.98 per cent Labeo calbasu, indicating a decline in IMC catch. The present findings will form the basis for further conservation and management of IMC in this reservoir.