Ecology and fishery status of Ukai reservoir, Gujarat

Abstract

The present study deals with the ecology and fish diversity status of Ukai reservoir, Gujarat. The study was undertaken during July, 2014 to August, 2015. During the study 50 species belonging to 9 orders, 17 families and 38 genera were encountered. The order Cypriniformes was found dominant with 22 species followed by Siluriformes with 12 species. The most dominant species of the reservoir were Catla catla, Labeo rohita, Cirrhinus mrigala, Labeo calbasu, Wallago attu, S. aor, Systomus sarana, Clupisoma garua, Macrobrachium rosenbergii and Ompok bimaculatus. A total 34 lakh major carps namely catla, rohu and mrigala fingerlings were stocked during 2013-14 which reflects in the production trend. Fish production data (2014-15) of the reservoir shows that carps contributed 50.68% of the total production followed by catfishes 10.04%, murrels 3.0%, eels 2.86 and others 33.43% with productivity of the reservoir 279 kg ha -1. Ecological parameters of the reservoir were, water temperature (27.73 ± 1.55 OC), pH (8.48 ± 0.27), transparency (62 ± 21.22 cm), DO (7.88 ± 1.06 mg l-1), free CO2 (8.57 ± 2.53 mg l-1), total alkalinity (85.23 ± 35.09 mg l-1), conductivity (275.92 ± 14.99 μ S cm-1). The water parameter indicates that, the reservoir is productive and mesotrophic in nature. The dominated species of river Tapi before impoundment of the dam were T. ilisha, Tor tor, S. seenghala, S. aor, L. fimbriatus and W. attu which gradually decreased. The study indicates that Ukai reservoir is rich in fish diversity and certain conservation measures like, regular stocking; regulated fishing; observing ban on fishing during breeding season etc. should follow to sustain the fish diversity of the reservoir.