Syllabus: GS-III & V: Agriculture

Why in the News?

Assam observed World Fisheries Day with growing concern over the rapid decline of its indigenous fish species. India’s theme this year “India’s Blue Transformation: Strengthening Value Addition in Seafood Exports” focused on sustainable inland aquaculture and conservation of native species, making Assam’s situation especially relevant.

Introduction

• Assam’s relationship with water is centuries old, shaped by the Brahmaputra, Barak, and thousands of beels, ponds, and village wetlands.
• Local fish are not just food; they represent heritage, nutrition, memory, and ecological balance.
• Today, several native fish species are disappearing, threatening both biodiversity and cultural continuity.
  

Key Indigenous Fish Species Now Becoming Rare

• The Spotted Snakehead (Channa punctatus) and Striped Snakehead (Channa striata) were once common in ponds and wetlands but are now scarce.
• The Climbing Perch (Anabas testudineus) and Walking Catfish (Clarias batrachus), known for surviving low-oxygen conditions, are also declining.
• The Stinging Catfish (Heteropneustes fossilis), Pool Barb (Puntius sophore), and Striped Dwarf Catfish (Mystus tengara) have become increasingly rare.
• The disappearance of these species reflects habitat loss, pollution, unsustainable fishing, and climate stress.
  

Major Reasons for the Decline of Indigenous Fish

1. Shrinking of Natural Water Bodies

• Rivers, canals, village ponds, and beels are drying due to encroachment, siltation, wetland filling, and water diversion.
• Industrial and domestic pollution is degrading water quality and destroying spawning grounds.
  

2. Overharvesting During Breeding Season

• Gravid (pregnant) fish are still being captured and sold despite the Assam Government’s ban on selling breeding fish.
• This directly reduces the next generation of indigenous fish.
  

3. Industrialisation and Pollution

• Small and medium industries near water bodies release untreated effluents, lowering oxygen levels and increasing turbidity.
• Sensitive species cannot survive in chemically altered waters.
  

4. Unsustainable Fishing Practices

• Traditional rules that protected ecosystems have been replaced by fine-mesh nets, mechanised harvesting, and removal of fry.
• Exotic fish used in aquaculture compete with native fish for food and habitat.
  

5. Climate Change Impacts

• Erratic rainfall, intense floods, and prolonged dry seasons disrupt breeding cycles.
• Seasonal wetlands no longer flood predictably, affecting fish migrations and reproduction.
  

Cultural and Nutritional Implications

Loss of Food Heritage

• Indigenous species were central to Assamese cuisine, rituals, and festivals.
• Their decline breaks the intergenerational transmission of knowledge, taste, and cultural identity.
  

Nutritional Crisis

• Local fish are rich in protein, micronutrients, and essential fatty acids.
• Their scarcity increases dependence on imported or farmed fish with lower nutritional content and higher prices.
  

Community Efforts: Hope from Rural Innovations

• Villagers in many districts have begun small backyard breeding tanks, especially for Walking Catfish (Magur).
• These low-cost units help families secure nutritious food and preserve local species.
• Such community-led practices reflect traditional ecological wisdom and support future restoration efforts.
  

Way Forward

• Assam must prioritise wetland protection through strict enforcement of the Wetland (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017.
• Community-led desilting, vegetation removal, and pond rejuvenation can revive breeding habitats.
• Scientific measures such as fish seed banks, captive breeding programmes, and reintroduction must be expanded.
• Awareness campaigns in schools and villages can promote sustainable fishing and discourage capturing gravid fish.
• Policies should integrate Indigenous knowledge with modern conservation science.
  

Conclusion

• The decline of Assam’s local fish is not only an ecological issue but a crisis of identity, nutrition, and cultural memory.
• Reviving these species will restore food security, cultural continuity, and ecosystem stability.
• On World Fisheries Day, Assam is reminded that protecting water and fish is not optional—it is essential for its past, present, and future.
  

Exam Hook

World Fisheries Day is observed every year on 21 November to promote sustainable fisheries and highlight the importance of protecting aquatic ecosystems.

Mains Question

“The decline of indigenous fish species in Assam reflects a combined crisis of ecology, culture, and nutrition. Discuss the causes and suggest a multi-dimensional strategy for restoration.”

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