Fisheries of some rare fishes in the lower stretch of the Mahanadi river and their resource management

Abstract

Considering the rapid changes in river ecology, land use pattern, fishing newlinepractices etc an attempt was made to observe the water quality, fisheries and biology newlineof some rarely available fishes in five selected stations of the lower stretch of newlineMahanadi river starting from Banki to Gania of Odisha covering a distance of 30km. newlineIn the present study, the pH value varied between 7.1 (rainy season) and 8.4 newline(summer season) during the year 2013 and it varied between 7.1 (rainy season) and newline8.6 (summer season) during the year 2014. The highest value was recorded in newlinesummer, while lowest value was recorded in rainy season during the study period newlinefrom January, 2013 to December, 2014. The lower values of pH during rainy season newlinecould be due to ingress of freshwater influx and flooding. The water temperature varied from 24.2 0C (Station-3) to 31.6 0C ( Station-I and newlineStation-III), 27.1 0C (Station-I) to 31.9 0C (Station-IV), 25.1 0C (Station(III) to 27.7 newline0C (Station-V) respectively in summer, rainy and winter season during the year 2013, newlinewhile it varied from 26.1 0C (Station-I) to 31.8 0C ( Station-II and Station-IV), 28.6 0C ( newlineStation-I) to 33.1 0C (Station-V), 24.3 0C (Station-I) to 29.2 0C (Station-IV) newlinerespectively in summer, rainy and winter season during the year 2014 suggesting newlinesuitable limits. The dissolve oxygen varied from 4.1 mg/l (Station-V) to 8.5mg/l newline(Station-I), 4.3mg/l (Station-I) to 7.8mg/l (Station-II), 3.8mg/l (Station-I) to 5.8 mg/l newline(Station-IV) respectively in summer, rainy and winter season during the year 2013, newlinewhile it varied from 4.8 mg/l (Station-I) to 7.3 mg/l (Station-IV), 4.8mg/l (Station-I) newlineto 7.6mg/l (Station-V), 4.1mg/l (Station-III and Station-IV ) to 5.2 mg/l (Station-I) newlinerespectively in summer, rainy and winter season during the year 2014 indicating desired levels of fish requirement. newline