Inland Fisheries

9.3.4 Strategies for fish biodiversity conservation

It is essential to prevent the further decline of our fish germplasm resources by devising all the possible measures of conservation and rehabilitation. The conservation policy should promote the management practices that maintain integrity of aquatic ecosystems, prevent endangerment and enhance recovery of the threatened species.

Allen et al. have identified five principal elements or tasks in the recovery programmes such as

1. Habitat management
2. Habitat development and maintenance
3. Native fish stocking
4. Non-native fish and sport-fishing 
5. Research data management and monitoring

The irreparable harm caused to fish and habitats need be compensated through afforestation, eco-restoration, soil conservation, complete ban on deforestation particularly in the fragile mountains and strict implementation of Indian Fisheries Act 1897 (modified in 1956) along with the following measures would positively help in restoration of the threatened fish fauna.