Himalayan Ray-Finned Fish
Prelims:
Environment &
Ecology, Biodiversity & Conservation
Mains:
GS Paper I-Indian
Society, GS Paper II-Governance, GS Paper III-Environment & Biodiversity
Current relevance:
The Sangno
clan of East Kameng district, Arunachal Pradesh, has launched a
community-led initiative to conserve the endangered Himalayan ray-finned
fish (Schizothorax pelzami).
Highlights:
Himalayan ray-finned fish (Schizothorax
pelzami):
1.
Native to the Himalayan and Trans- Himalayan River
systems.
2.
Distributed across parts of Arunachal Pradesh and
other Himalayan regions.
3.
It inhabits oxygen-rich freshwater streams and rivers
and serves as an important indicator of healthy freshwater ecosystems.
4.
IUCN Red List
Status: Least Concern (LC)
Community-Led Conservation Initiative:
1.
Translocation: The fingerlings were released into
a Richaso stream to safeguard them from predatory mahseer.
2.
Aim: To revive and sustain the traditional
practice of community fishing while ensuring long-term conservation of the
species.
3.
To facilitate natural population growth, the village has
proposed a five-year ban on fishing in the Richaso stream.
4.
The community plans to promote eco-angling, stream-trail
trekking, and other eco-tourism activities alongside biodiversity
conservation.
