Fisheries and governance: A case study of Upper Wardha reservoir, Maharashtra
763 / 16
Authors
-
Pooja Gautam
-
P S Ananthan
-
Bankim C Jha
-
V Ramasubramanian
Abstract
The present status of ecology, fisheries and fisheries governance of the Upper Wardha reservoir have been studied using published literature, primary fieldwork, and collated species-wise catch data from fishermen co-operative society and the Department of Fisheries. Shannon-Wiener index value of 2.52 for the year 2016-17 indicated a moderate level of fish species diversification, even though it was dominated by IMC (87.5%). With 15 commercially harvested fishes, species richness during May-June and species evenness (J=0.93) during post-monsoon indicated evenly distributed and rich fauna. The trophic metrics revealed the dominance of herbivores, detritivores, and omnivores (93.9%) in reservoir food web with less than the optimal presence of mid-level carnivores (3.7%) and the top-level predators. However, the total annual fish catch from the reservoir has increased from 278 tonnes (1997-98) to 672 tonnes (2017-18) sgowing 140% enhnacement in 20 years with an impressive CAGR of 6.4%. It also translated into a significant increase in fish productivity from just 12 kg ha-1 year-1 to 114 kg ha-1year-1 during the same time period. The growth had been quite emphatic during the last 5 years after the Nal Damyanti Sagar Matsaya Utpadan & Fishermen Co-operative Society obtained the lease of the reservoir. Good management practices and effective governance in the form of optimal and regular stocking of appropriate size fish seed, issue of fishing permits, fixing of a fair price for fishers, strict enforcement of conservation measures, efficient marketing arrangement and measures to encourage women in fishing related activities have begun to transform slowly both fisheries and fishers livelihoods in Upper Wardha reservoir region.
Key words Reservoir; Ecology; fish; production; fisheries governance; India
References
Ali, M. M., Khaty, N. T., Pandey, D. and Choudhary, M. D. 2017.
Chemical characteristics and assessment of drinking water quality of groundwater in Upper Wainganga River
Basin, Gondia District, Maharashtra, India, Environmental Pollution and Protection, 2(2): 66-74.
Ayyappan S., Moza U., Gopalakrishan, A., Meenakumari, B., Jena, J. K. and Pandey, A. K. 2011. Handbook of Fisheries and Aquaculture. Second Edition. New Delhi, Indian Council of Agricultural Research.
Bhadja, P. and Vaghela. A. K. 2013. Assessment of physico-chemical parameters and water quality index of reservoir water. International journal of plant, animal and environmental science, 3(3): 89-95.
Das, A. K. 2001. Abiotic features in reservoir fisheries. In proceedings of a national agricultural technology project workshop fisheries management in lentic water systems: stocking of reservoirs with fish seed, Barrackpore, India, CIFRI, pp. 15-72.
Dubey, V. K., Sarkar, U. K., Pandey, A., Sani, R., and Lakra, W. S. 2012. The influence of habitat on the spatial variation in fish assemblage composition in an unimpacted tropical river of Ganga basin, India. Aquatic Ecology, 46(2): 165-174.
Dubey, V. K., Sarkar, U. K., Pandey, A. and Lakra, W. S. 2013. Fish communities and trophic metrics as measures of ecological degradation: a case study in the tributaries of the river Ganga basin, India. International Journal of Biological Science, 61(3): 1351-1363.
Gauch, H. G. 1982. Multivariate analysis in community ecology. Cambridge University, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Ghaware, A. U. and Jadhao, R. G. 2015. Seasonal variation of physico-chemical and microbial parameters of water of Nal Damayanti Sagar Dam, Morshi, District, Amravati, India. International Journal of Life Science, 3(2): 157-161.
Harne, S. S., Kharbade, R. N., Dhore, S. A. 2016. Feasibility Studies on Water Quality For MIDC, Amravati. International Journal of Innovative and Emerging Research in Engineering, 3 (1): 419-423.
Hynes, H .B. N. 1978. The biology of polluted water, Liverpool Uni. Press, Liverpool, pp. 200-204.
Jawale, A. K. and Patil, S. A. 2009. Physico-chemical characteristics and phytoplankton abundance of Mangrul dam, District, Jalgaon, Maharashtra, Journal of Aquatic Biology, 24(1): 7-12.
Jhingran, A. G. (1988). Reservoir fisheries in India. Journal of the
Indian Fisheries Association, 18: 261-273.
Karr, J. R., Fausch, K. D., Angermeier, P. L., Yant, P. L. and Schlosser, I. J. 1986. Assessing biological integrity in running waters: A method and its rationale. Illinois natural history survey, Urbana, Illinois, USA, Special Publication 5.
Katiha, P. K., Sharma, A. P. and Chandra, G. 2013. Institutional
arrangements in fisheries of Ganges River system. Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management, 16(4): 465-472.
Keshave, J. V., Ananthan, P.S. and Asha Landge, A. 2014. Fish and fisheries management status of Itiadoh reservoir, Maharashtra State. Ecology, Environment and Conservation, 20(4): 1653-1659.
Khan, I. A. and Khan, A. A. 1985. Physicochemical conditions in Seikha Jheel at Aligarh. Environment and Ecology, 3(2):269-274.
Lee, G. F. Jones, R. A. and Rast, W. 1981. Alternative approach
to trophic state classification for water quality management. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Programme, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado. Occasional Paper No. 66.
Meshram, C. B. and Awate, P. J. 2011. Studies on abiotic component of Upper Wardha Dam Amravati with reference to plankton diversity. Bioscience Biotechnology Research Communications, 4(2): 219-222.
Mishra A., Chakraborty, S. K., Jaiswar, A. K., Sharma, A. P., Deshmukhe, G. and Mohan, M. 2010. Plankton diversity in Dhaura and Baigul reservoirs of Uttarakhand. Indian Journal of Fisheries, 57(3):19- 27.
Murugesan, V. K., Rani, P. and Manoharan, S. 2003. Productivity of reservoirs in Tamil Nadu with reference to plankton population. Journal of the Inland Fisheries Society of India, 35(2): 50-56.
Nikolsky. G. V. (1963). Ecology of fishes. In Ecology of fishes, Academic Press, New York, p.362.
OPEA, 1987. Biological Criteria for the Protection of Aquatic Life. Ecological Assessment Section, Division Water Quality, Planning and Assessment, State of Ohio, Environmental Assessment Agency, Vol. III.
Salve, B. S. and Hiware, C. J. 2006. Studies on water quality of Wan Pratap reservoir, Nagpur, near Parali Vaijnath, district. Beed. Journal of Aquatic Biology, 21(2): 113-117.
Sugunan, V. V. 2000. Ecology and fisheries management of reservoirs in India, Hydrobiologia, 430(1-3): 121-147.
Sultan, S., Chauhan, M. and Sharma, V. I. 2003. Physicochemical status and primary productivity of Pahunj reservoir, Uttar Pradesh. Journal of the Inland Fisheries Society of India, 35(2): 73-80.
Wichert, G. A. and Rapport, D. J. 1988. Fish community structure as a measure of degradation and rehabilitation of riparian systems in an agricultural drainage basin. Environment Management, 22(3): 425-443.
Downloads
Submitted
Published
Issue
Section
License
In case of publication of the article in the journal, author(s) are required to assign copyright to the Journal of the Inland Fisheries Society of India for its publication in any form/language including all media (print and electronic, or presently unknown), and exclusive right to use the matter for the life of the work (no time restriction on re use of matter).