Inland Fisheries

3.2.2 The Ganga river system

          The Ganga river system is the largest river system in India. This system alone harbours not less than 265 species of fish. It consists of two rivers namely, the Ganga and Yamuna and their tributaries. The total combined length of the Gangetic river system is 12,500 km. Its total catchment area is 97.6 million ha (9.71 lakh km²). It is one among the largest river systems in the world. Its water comprises the icy cold Himalayan streams and the warm, biologically more productive waters of the North Indian plains. This system drains the southern slopes of the central Himalayas and covers the states of Haryana, Uttar pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and parts of Rajasthan and Madhya pradesh. This system harbours the richest freshwater fish fauna of India, ranging from Mahseers and the torrential fishes of hills to the cultivable Gangetic carps, Hilsa and other species.