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Project Name
Assessment of Natural Breeding Grounds of Commercially Important Carps, Chitol, Boal and Baim in Kaptai Lake
Details

At the start of the exploitation, fish production of the lake was dominated by indigenous major carp species. The indigenous major carps comprised a significant proportion of the catch in the early years (81%; 1965/66), but this proportion has declined to about 0.29% at present, while production of small forage fish species particularly, the pelagic clupeids has increased substantially (FRSS 2021-22). The major carp collapsed gradually with the age of post-impoundment nature and other related factors. Changes in fish community structure, with respect to resistance, abundance and shifting habitat, took place as the environment changed from riverine to lacustrine following the construction of the dam.

The spawning and subsequent auto-stocking of major carp, chitol (Notopterus chitala), boal (Wallago attu) and baim (Macrognathus sp.) in Kaptai Lake are little understood. During the mid-80s all the members of the indigenous major carp were reported to spawn at the same time in different locations of the reservoir, which used to contribute to a considerable amount of recruitment (Azadi 1985, ARG 1986, Hye and Alomgir 1992).  The fate of natural spawning of the aforesaid species, however, seemed to be doubtful since the 90s onward and with the present trend of exhaustion of major carp fishery and the immediate need for a thorough investigation on natural spawning is felt most essential. Indeed, this sort of information is the prerequisite for developing a comprehensive management plan for the major carp of Kaptai Lake, as the breeding ground, as well as migratory pathway, needs to be urgently protected to provide scope for spawning success and thereby, support a viable fishery. In this context, there is a need to identify all existing carp spawning localities more accurately and to monitor closely the extent of spawning performance. This sort of information is also required to formulate a plan for supplemental stocking.


Start
01/07/2023
End
30/06/2026
Project Type
fisheries
Latest Status
07/07/2023
label.Details.title

At the start of the exploitation, fish production of the lake was dominated by indigenous major carp species. The indigenous major carps comprised a significant proportion of the catch in the early years (81%; 1965/66), but this proportion has declined to about 0.29% at present, while production of small forage fish species particularly, the pelagic clupeids has increased substantially (FRSS 2021-22). The major carp collapsed gradually with the age of post-impoundment nature and other related factors. Changes in fish community structure, with respect to resistance, abundance and shifting habitat, took place as the environment changed from riverine to lacustrine following the construction of the dam.

The spawning and subsequent auto-stocking of major carp, chitol (Notopterus chitala), boal (Wallago attu) and baim (Macrognathus sp.) in Kaptai Lake are little understood. During the mid-80s all the members of the indigenous major carp were reported to spawn at the same time in different locations of the reservoir, which used to contribute to a considerable amount of recruitment (Azadi 1985, ARG 1986, Hye and Alomgir 1992).  The fate of natural spawning of the aforesaid species, however, seemed to be doubtful since the 90s onward and with the present trend of exhaustion of major carp fishery and the immediate need for a thorough investigation on natural spawning is felt most essential. Indeed, this sort of information is the prerequisite for developing a comprehensive management plan for the major carp of Kaptai Lake, as the breeding ground, as well as migratory pathway, needs to be urgently protected to provide scope for spawning success and thereby, support a viable fishery. In this context, there is a need to identify all existing carp spawning localities more accurately and to monitor closely the extent of spawning performance. This sort of information is also required to formulate a plan for supplemental stocking.


Job description

Objectives of the project

i)    To know the current state of the previously identified natural breeding ground of commercially important carps in Kaptai Lake

ii)    To identify the specific breeding locations

Expected outcome

a)    Present status of the breeding ground of carp will be known.

b)    Natural breeding ground of chitol, boal and baim can be identified.

c)    Water quality parameters in different breeding grounds will be measured.

d)    Plankton diversity in different breeding grounds will be assessed.


Attachments