Age and growth profile of Indian major carp Catla catla from rivers of Northern India

Abstract

In the present communication age and growth of Catla catla (Hamilton – Buchanan 1822) was studied in order to obtain the information on its age structure and important growth parameters in the wild populations of rivers of the Ganga basin in the Northern India. Scales were collected from commercial and experimental catch. Based on the analysis we found C. catla with a maximum age group 8+ from river Bhagirathi where mean total length (TL) was 521.51 mm and the back calculated length were ranged from 288.9 to 1132.3 mm and from river Satluj, Punjab with a mean total length of 641.6 mm and back calculated length data were ranged from 335.4 to 1096.08 mm. The specific rate of linear growth (Cl) and specific rate of weight increase (Cw) of the entire population exhibited sharp decreasing trend in 2 + age group. The value of other growth parameter (Clt) showed an abrupt decreasing trend. Analyses of variances (ANOVA) of the back-calculated length data showed significant variation (p<0.05) in length attainment between the different drainages of river Ganga basin for the age groups up to 1+ to 4 + only, however, no significant variations was observed for the higher age groups (5+ to 8+). Based on this study strategies can be made for sustainable exploitation of the Catla catla from wild population with reference to rivers of Ganga basin in the Northern India [Acta Zoologica Sinica 54(1): 136 – 143, 2008].