Finfish Breeding and Hatchery Management (2+1)

Unit 15 - Breeding of indigenous carps

15.1. Seed production of indigenous carps

• During the 1970s and 1980s, native medium and minor carps contributed significantly to Karnataka’s fish production.
• Subsequently, most of the native species are showing a declining trend in their abundance and individual size.
• Some species like P. carnaticus and P. pulchellus which constituted about 10% each in K.R. Sagar and the reservoirs of the T.B. belt respectively during the 1970s, are now accounting for less than 1%.
• Earlier, native fishes weighing 0.5 to 6-8 kg were common, now they are rarely found in commercial catches, with individual weight reduced to less than 0.5 kg.
• Similar observations have also been made for several other species of native fishes.
• The prioritized species for rehabilitation are the Cauvery/Carnatic carp, Puntius carnaticus, indigenous grass carp, P. pulchellus and olive barb, P. sarana.

Survey
Different water bodies (four rivers/tributary – the Cauvery, the Hemavathi, the Tunga, the Yagachi and one reservoir - V.V. Sagar) were surveyed to ascertain the status of important indigenous fishes of Karnataka, viz. the Cauvery/Carnatic carp, Puntius carnaticus, indigenous grass carp (Haragi), P. pulchellus and olive barb, P. sarana.

Map of sampling sites