Golden mahseer struggles to survive in Jia Bhorelli

POTASALI (SONITPUR): As countries across the globe observed World Fish Migration Day on Sunday, the Assam (Bhorelli) Angling and Conservation Association (A(B)ACA), the oldest angling group in the state, appealed to the government and public to put in place strict measures to ensure safe migration of the golden mahseer for breeding in the Jia Bhorelli river.
The river flows through the Nameri Tiger Reserve in Sonitpur district.
The golden mahseer, the most sought-after game fish for anglers across the world, is highly threatened by hundreds of anglers from different countries who used to flock to Jia Bhorelli river every year.
Though angling or netting of the fish has been banned by the forest department because of the alarming drop in its population at Jia Bhorelli, many are clandestinely catching the golden mahseer in various stretches of the river.
Fish scientists, who took part in the World Fish Migration Day celebrations at A(B)ACA here, said May to September was the best time for the migration of the golden mahseer, which earlier used to weigh up to 26 kg and grow up to nine feet.
“The number of golden mahseer in the Jia Bhorelli has gone down. That is why A(B)ACA has taken up the artificial breeding project under the Bhimtal-based Directorate of Coldwater Fisheries Research (DCFR) at our eco-camp here so that we can repopulate the river with this fish species. Although it is a protected fish species, unabated illegal catching is on. Our humble appeal to the government and public on this occasion is let this fish have undisturbed breeding during the migration season. Let there be strict vigilance in place to curb illegal catching of the fish,” A(B)ACA secretary K K Bhattacharjee said.
Jia Bhorelli, one of the major tributaries of Brahmaputra, originates in Arunachal Pradesh where it is known as Kameng river. The river has four species of golden mahseer and another species called the chocolate mahseer.
Scientists said the biggest challenge in conservation of the golden mahseer is that the fish was a slow breeder as its fecundity rate was far lower that other fish species.
DCFR principal scientist Debajit Sarma said the golden mahseer usually lays up to 4,000 eggs, and the survival rate is two to three per cent.
“Mahseer is endangered because of biological factors as it has substantially long hatching period. On the other hand, habitat destruction especially in Jia Bhorelli has also contributed to the decline of the golden mahseer. The migration routes of this fish are blocked by various human interference including construction activities on the river,” Sarma said.
The director of the golden mahseer hatchery project at A(B)ACA’s eco-camp here, Atul Borgohain, said illegal catching of the fish during migration season was indeed a serious threat to the long-term conservation of the species, and stringent measures were required to stop the menace.