Integrated Assessment of Population and Reproductive Biology of Sperata seenghala the Giant River-catfish from Gomti River, Central India
Gaurav Kumar
Department of Fisheries Resource Management, College of Fisheries, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya-224229, India.
Chandra Pal Singh
Department of Fisheries Resource Management, College of Fisheries, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya-224229, India.
Hanuman Prasad Yadav
Department of Fisheries Resource Management, College of Fisheries, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya-224229, India.
Radhakrishnan K.V. *
Department of Fisheries Resource Management, College of Fisheries, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya-224229, India.
Lavkush, Nikita Viswas
Department of Fisheries Resource Management, College of Fisheries, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya-224229, India.
Kaushlendra Nath Pathak
Department of Fisheries Resource Management, College of Fisheries, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya-224229, India.
Amit Prajapati
Department of Fisheries Resource Management, College of Fisheries, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya-224229, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Knowledge on population characteristics and life history traits of fishes are of utmost importance for their sustainable exploitation and conservation. However, such studies are relatively limited in central India. With this background, we investigated the population parameters and biology of the Giant river-catfish, Sperata seenghala, inhabiting the Gomti River in the state of Uttar Pradesh. An integrated approach of diverse methods to study the growth pattern, food and feeding habits, and reproductive characteristics were used. The growth of the fish exhibited negative allometry (b < 3), with L∞ value 120.7cm, and K value 0.13 yr⁻¹. A year-round recruitment pattern observed; natural mortality (M) value was 0.3, fishing mortality (F) 0.32, total mortality (Z) value was 0.62 and the length of max. Exploitation (E) ranged from 95 to110 cm. The maximum exploitation rate (E) was less than 0.5, indicating sustainable exploitation. However, length at first capture (Lc) was lower than length at first maturity (Lm), indicating growth overfishing. The food and feeding study through gut contents analysis revealed carnivorous feeding habit of the fish, which was also supported by low RGL value (0.5-1.0). The major food items observed through IP and IRI indices were insects, molluscs, and annelids, further confirming carnivorous feeding. Hepatosomatic index was 0.77%-1.88%. The peak feeding and spawning were found in March as indicated by GaSI and GSI values. The absolute fecundity value was 31221-59296, and the relative fecundity was 13.57-16.94. The morphological development of the gonads of the species was in corroboration with the progression in GSI. Sex ratio was female-biased in S. seenghala. Our study suggests the need for size-based harvest policies for sustainable fishery management of this important catfish species in Central Indian rivers.
Keywords: Population parameters, gut contents analysis, reproductive biology, Sperata seenghala, Gomti River