Inland Fisheries

5.2.2.6 Conservation and management

The overall decline in the salinity of Hooghly-Matlah estuarine system after commissioning of the Farakka Barrage with gradient and marine zones being pushed down towards the sea. This has brought about drastic changes in the species composition of fishes caught with freshwater species making their appearance in tidal zones at the cost of some neretic species. This major estuarine resource of the country has also been subjected to stresses like urbanization, pollution, land development, dams, degradation and over exploitation in some areas. Further, exploitation by very small meshed nets may affect the concerned stocks. This situation may lead to depletion of stocks and hence it is necessary to take appropriate regulatory measures.