Bangladesh]. Fish. Res.~ 7(1), 2003: 61-68 Post impoundment hanges in the fish fauna of Kaptai reservoir, Bangladesh K.K. Ahmed*, M.A. Mamun, M.E. Haque and M. Alamgir Bangladesh Fisheries Researh Institute, Riverine Sub-station, Rangamati 4500, Bangladesh *Corresponding author Abstrat Based on the present investigation and reviewing the published and unpublished douments ritially, this ommuniation onsiders.the post impoundment hanges in the fish fauna of Kaptai reservoir. Investigation reveals that a total of 73 speies of fish belongs to 47 genera, 25 families and 2 speies of prawn are present in the reservoir. Of them, 31 are ommerially important, 6 exoti and 9 speies are newly identified. Key words: Fish fauna, Post impoundment hange, Kaptai reservoir Introdution Kaptai reservoir is one of the largest man-made freshwater lake in the world (BLP/IDRC 1980), and the largest in Southeast Asia (Fernando 1980). With a surfae area of 68800 ha at full supply level (FSL) (Ali 1985) it offers a wide possibilities for the development of fisheries and the enhanement of annual fish prodution. Before damming on the ourse of the river Karnaphuli in 1960-61, no investigation was done of its fish fauna. The fish population of Kaptai reservoir was primarily dependent on the previous riverine stoks that goes bak to 36 years after impoundment, so, the senario of fish fauna exists in this reservoir shows strong resemblane with those of the rivers, haors, heels system of Bangladesh. Even than, hanges in the fish faunasti struture in respet to existene and abundane and shifting habitat have been ourred with time from riverine to laustrine environment due to the formation of dam. In ase of every reservoir reated through damming where a ommon phenomena exist that fish those beome aptivated either it may be adapted itself to the new eosystem or_ endangered or dwindled or beome extint from that environment. These phenomena have probably ourred to the history of Kaptai lake fish fauna. From 80s onward a number of speies like Chinese arps, Thai punti has introdued. Afrian magur, a arnivorous as well as highly ompetitive fish has aidentally introdued in the reservoir reently from the ulture ponds as those oftilap:fa esaped from ulture ages during 1985. This tilapia like the Chinese arps already adapted them in the reservoir water and ontributes subsequently to the total landing. The Afrian magur whih reently esaped from the
K.K. Ahmed et al. ulture pond are found in the fisher's ath whih may be harmful for many indigenous speies due to its arnivorous habit. On the other hand, some speies aptivated during the losing of the river Karnafuli, have been adapted themselves suessfully to the new eosystem and now-adays, ontributing substantially to the total landings. Some of the fish might have inhabited within the reservoir but not found frequently to the fisher's athes or in the harbors. As a result, a great ontroversy arisen regarding few rarely found speies aording to several author's whether they exists till today or not. The investigation is, therefore, undertaken onsidering the post impoundment hanges in the fish fauna of Kaptai reservoir hronologially. Materials and p1ethods The present investigation was made over a period of two years from 1995 to 1997. The fish enlisted here were olleted mostly from the fisher's ath at major fishing sites (Kattoli, Burighat, Suvalong and Bilaihhori) in the reservoir. A number of speimens were olleted from Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation (BFDC) pontoon at Rangamati, the main fish landing enter where fish were brought out every far off fishing grounds by arrier boats. Loal retail markets were also aounted and a few of the listed speimens were olleted from the laboratory of Bangladesh Fisheries Researh Institute, Riverine Sub-station, Rangamati. Speies enlisted here are preserved in the laboratory of Riverine Sub-station. Identifiation of fish was done following Day (1958), Talwar and Jhingran (1991), Rahman (1989) and Jayaram (1981). Results and disussion In this investigation a total of73 speies offish belongs- to 47 genera, 25 families and 2 speies of prawns were reorded, of them, 31 are ommerially important, 6 exoti and 9 speies are newly identified. Most of the speies olleted are as illustrated in the Table-1 with their present status within the ommunity. Chookder (1966) in an unpublished report mentioned 54 speies of fish inhabiting the reservoir area and added that, before onstrution of the dam the Karnafuli estuary and its upstream was rih in fish fauna. Sanderok (1966) studied first the fish fauna of Kaptai reservoir and enlisted 27 ommerially important speies. Ahmed and Hasan (1981) prepared a hek list of 27 speies of fish but they ould not able to inlude very ommon, abundant and ommerially important speies inhabiting in the reservoir those even reorded in the daily landing register. While reporting on behalf of the ommittee for the evaluation of the fisheries management of Kaptai reservoir, Baily (1982) mentioned that the reservoir harbors 58 speies of fish without providing any list. As the same way, Hye (1983) also mentioned 58 speies belonging to 25 families of whih 28 ommerially important but failed to inlude a omplete list of the same. ARG (1986) in their final report gave list omprising 49 indigenous and 5 exoti speies, mentioning 31 ommerially important. 62
Kaptai reservoir, Bangladesh Hafizuddin et al (1989) enlisted 58 speies inluding 5 exoti ones and onsidered again the same number of ommerially important speies. Likewise, Halder et al. (1989) enounted 66 indigenous and 5 exoti speies belonging to 49 genera, 26 families and 10 orders. Sanderok (1966), in his pioneer work in the history of Kaptai reservoir fisheries mentioned Silonia silondia~ Bagarius bagarius and Clupisoma gama as ommerial speies and he predited the future potential of these speies in the ommerial athes would be hampered as these fish were inhabited in some partiular areas of the reservoir and added that among them S. silondia was found as rare speies during that period. None of the above speies was found by the present investigators or by the anteedents (Ahmed and Hasan 1981, ARG 1986, Alamgir et a11990). Table 1. Cheklist of the fish fauna of Kaptai reservoir Family/Genus/Speies Vernaular name Present status I. SYMBRANCHIDAE G- Monopterus MClelland Monopterus uhia 2. F- TETRAODONIDAE G- Tetraodon Linneus Kuihha/Kuhey Tetraodon ututia Potka/Tepa R 3. F-BELONIDAE G- XenontodonRegan Xenontodon andia Kaikley/Kakila v 4. F- HEMIRHAMPHIDAE G-DermogenysVan Hasselt Dermogenis pussilus Ek thuta v 5. F- CYPRINODONTIDAE G- Aplohe11us MClelland Aploheilus punhax Tinhoka/Tekuha 6. F- CHANNIDAE G- Channa Sopoli Channa striatus Shoil Channa punratus Cheng/Taki v Channa marulius Gozar v Channa orientalis Okol/Raga 7. F- CYPRINIDAE G- Salmostoma Swainson Salmostoma phulo Chela v Salmostoma baaila Chela v G- Esomus Swainson Esomus danrius Darkina/ Jhia G- Amblypharyngodon Bleeker Amblypharyngodon mola Mola/Moia G- Rohree Sykes H- Rohtee otio Dhela 63
K.K. Ahmed et al. 64 G- Labeo Cuvier Kalbaush/Kali Labeo albasu Ghoinna v Labeorohita Rui Labeogonius Sada Ghoinna/Ghonia Labeo bata Bata Labeoangra Bhanga Bata R G- Cirrhinus (Oken)Cuvier Cirrhinus mrigala Mrigala/Mirgi/Mirka Chirrhinus reba Lasu/Bata/Raikh G- Puntius Hamilton Puntius sophore Punti Puntius tito Tit Punti v G- Aspidoparia Hekel Aspidoparia jaya Pi ali R Aspidoparia morar Pi ali R 8. F- COBITIDAE G- Lepidoephalus Bleeker Lepidoephalus guntea Gutum/Gotey 9. F- CLARIIDAE G- Clanas Sopoli Clarias batrahus Magur v 10. F- SILURIDAE G- Wallago Bleaker Wallago attu Boal G- Ompok Laeped Ompok bimaulatus Pabda 11. F- HETEROPNEUSTIDAE G- Heteropneustes Muller Heteropneustes fossilis Shinghi/Jhial t 12. F- SCHILBEIDAE G- Ailia Gray Ail1a oiija Baspata/Kaj ori G- Pseudeutropius Bleeker Pseudeutropius atherinoides Batashi G- Eutropiih tys BUeker Eutrophihthys vaha Baha v 13. F- BAGRIDAE G- M ystus Sopoli Mystusaor Ayre v M ystus avasius Gulsha v Mystus bleekeri Tengra Mystus vittatus Tengra 14. F- SISORIDAE G- Gagata Bleeker Gagata youssoufi Gagtengra 15. F- NOTOPTERIDAE G- Notopterus Laepede Notopterus hitala Chi tal v
Kaptai reservoir, Bangladesh Notopterus notopterus Foli /Foloi 16. F- ENGRULIDAE G- Setipinna Swainson Setipinna phasa Phaissha v 17. F- CLUPEIDAE G- Gudusia Fowler Gudusia hapra Chapila v G- Coria Hamilton Kathki/Soborn Coria soborna Khorika v G- Gonialosa Regan Gonialosa manminna Bori hapila/hapila v 18.: F- MASTACEMBALIDAE G- Marognathus Laepede Marognathus auleatus Tara baim/tota G- Mastaembelus(Gronovius) Sopoli Mastaembelus armatus Baim/Bara Bairn Mastaembelus panalus Pakal/Guhi 19. F- MUGILIDAE G- Rhinomugz1Gill Rhinomugil orsula Khorsula v 20. F- ANABANTIDAE G- Colisa Cuvier Lal Kholisha Colisa lalius PataKholisha/Bara VC Colisa fasiatus Kholisha VC G- Anabas Cuvier & Cloquest Anabas testudineus Koi 21. F- GOBIIDAE G- Glossogobius Gill Glossogobius guiris Bele/Baila VC 22. F- NANDIDAE G- Nand us Cuvier Nandus nandus Bheda/Meni R 23. F- PRISTOLEPIDAE G- Badis Bleeker Badis badis Napit Koi 24. F- SCIAENIDAE G- fohnius Bloh ]ohnius oitor Poa 25. F- CENTROPOMIDAE G- Chanda Hamilton Chanda ranga Chanda Chanda nama Chanda v New identifiation F- CYPRINIDAE G- Dania Hamilton 65
K.K. Ahmed et al. Dania ~ondhii G- Crossoheilus Van Hasselt Crossoheilus Jatius G- Pun d us Hamilton Pundus jelus Puntius hola Puntius onhonius F- CENTROPOMIDAE G- Chanda Hamilton Chanda baulis Chandalala F- COBITIDAE G- Nemahilus Van Hasselt Nemahilus zonanternas F- BAGRIDAE G- Batasio Blyth Batasio tengana Speies introdued Bara darkina Bara darkina Tit puti Puti Kanhon puti Chanda Chanda Gutum Tengra v R F- CYPRINIDAE G- Cyprinus Hamilton Cyprinus arpio Carpu G- Puntius Hamilton Puntius gonionotus Thai punti G- Hypophthalmithys Bleeker Hypophthalmithys molitrix Silver arp G- Ctenopharyngodon Steindahner Ctenopharyngodon idella Grass arp F- CICHLIDAE G- Oreohromis Smith Oreohromis nilotia F- CLARIIDAE G- Clarias Sopoli Clarias gariepinus Til apia Afrian magur Prawns F- PALAEMONDAE G- Marobrahium de Man Marobrahium rosenbergii Marobra_-hium lamarri Golda Chingri Kuha Chingri VC VC: Very ommon; C: Common; : Fairly ommon; R: Rare After Sanderok (1966) nobody exept Halder et al. (1989) mentioned the B. bagarius and there remains strong possibility of erroneous identifiation of this speies 66
Kaptai reservoir, Bangladesh beause, in ourinvestigation no single speimen was found. There might have been great possibility of existene of this speies before and after the onstrution of the dam and disappeared afterwards. A hek list made by Ahmed and Hasan (1981) for Kaptai reservoir fisheries is questionable where they ould not inlude four very ommon abundant and ommerially important speies (Notoptems hitala~ Mystus aoz; -Channa striatus and Setipinna phasa) during their study and also interesting to note that they also failed to ite the pioneer work of Sanderok (1966). Moreover, two enlisted speies, viz. Ailiihthys puntatus and Mystus seenghala are again a matter of question beause Sanderok (1966), ARG (1986), Alamgir et al (1990) did not mention about A. puntatus in their heklist and only Alamgir et al (1990) olleted a few speimen for M. seenghala. ARG (1986) orreted the name of A. puntatus as Ailia oilia and mentioned that suh erroneous identifiation might have been ourred due to similar morphology between the two speies. Though Halder et al (1989) reported Ailia oilia and M. seenghala in their heklist but they did not mention the name of A. punlatus. In the present investigation none of the two speies (A. punlatus and M. seenghala) have been found so far. This A. oilia is available in the landing during the period of peak water level (November to January). Hye (1983) and ARG (1986) mentioned the name of Mystus guleo and M. tengra respetively but Haffizuddin et al. (1989) and Halder et al (1989) did not inlude both of these fish and in this investigation same result is found. The existene of Ompok bimaulatus is also ontroversial aording to the works of Sanderok (1966), Ahmed and Hasan (1981), ARG (1986) and Alamgir et al. (1990). Beause the workers exept Sanderok ( 1966) mentioned 0. bimaulatus as Ompok pabda but in our investigation it was found that 0. bimaulatus is very ommon in fishers' ath not Ompok pabda. Similar opinion was made by Halder et al (1989) in their heklist for the same reservoir. Rita rita~ desribed by Halder et al (1989) and Alamgir et al (1990) and Puntius sarana (Ahmed and Hasan 1981, ARG 1986 and Alamgir et a11990) was not found in the present investigation. Halder (1989) reported that Puntius saranawas aught in the large numbers at the ineption of the reservoir. The speies beome disappeared from the reservoir and on the other hand, Puntius gonionotus, an exoti speies introdued here esaping from the researh ages aidentally and with the stoked fingerlings, and going to be established within this environment and being found in the normal ath. At the ineption of the reservoir Tor tor was found to ath in riffle areas of Karnafuli reservoir at Barkal and of the Kassalong river at Gangaram ( Sanderok 1966) but at present, this speies found rare in the landings. Meanwhile, the evidene of observing fry and fingerlings of the same through fisher's ath at Barkal immediately after breeding season is laimed by BFRI sientists. This speies may be treated as endangered and immediate steps should be taken for the onservation of this highly pried fish by artifiial propagation and banning the ath in the reservoir. Considering the geographial distribution, the Danio sondhii and the Dermogenys pussilus overs the Kaptai reservoir and south-eastern part of Bangladesh (Talwar and 67
K.K. Ahmed et al. Jhingran 1991, Rahman 1989), the Kaptai reservoir may be regarded as possible habitat for those rarely found speies although they are not still reorded from any other inland waters. From the ineption of landing (1965-66) to 1984-85 the ontribution of tota1 landing was made by major arps (21%) whih have been replaed reently by Clupeids (Kehki+Chapila, 64%). However, adopting proper management tehniques and following the onservation measures stritly, an make this reservoir a prominent soure for diversified ihthyobiota. Nevertheless, the list of these fish fauna is not exhaustive and it may be believed that there are more speies yet to be aounted and identified and those speies may be harbored in the remote areas and parts rest in India. Referenes Ahmed, B. and S. Hasan, 1981. A hek list of the fishes of the Karnafuli reservoir. Bangladesh J Zool, 9(1: 37-40. Alamgir, M., S.H. Chowdhuary and A.S. Ahmed, 1990. New reords of the ihthyofauna of Lake Kaptai. Chitragong University Studies, Part II: Siene, 14(2). Ali, L. (ed.), 1985. Proeeding of the National Seminar on Fisheries Development in Bangladesh, 15-19 January 1985, Sponsored by Fisheries and Livestok Division, Ministry of Agriulture, Bangladesh. 41pp. Aquati Researh Group (ARG), University of Chitagong, Bangladesh. 1986. Hydrobiology of Kaptai Reservoir. FAO/UNDP Final Report No. DP/BGD/79/015/4/FI. 192pp. Bailey, W. M., 1982. Report of Committee for Evaluation of Fishery Management of Kaptai Lake Report; Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation. 14 pp. BLP/IDRC (Bangldesh Landsat Progrmme/ International Development Researh Centre), 1980. Report on the Bangladesh Applied Researh and Training Program in Remote Sensing. Bangladesh Landsat Program/ IDRC Researh Projet. 65pp. Chokdar, A. H., 1966. Cheklist ofthe fishes of Kaptai Lake (Unpublished). 6pp. Day, F., 1878. The Fishes of India: being a Natural History of the Fishes Known to inhabit the Seas and Freshwater of India, Burma and Ceylon. Reprodued in 1958 by William Dowson and Sons, London. 778pp. Fernando, C. H., 1980. The fisheries potentials of man made lake in South-east Asia and some strategies for its optimization. In: BIOTROP Anniversary Publiation, BIOTROP, pp. 23-28. Hafizuddin, A. K. M., N. Mahamood and M.A. Azadi, 1989. An addition to the ihthyofauna of Kaptai Lake, Bangladeshj.Zool., 17(1): 29-33. Halder, G. C., M.A. Mazid, M.K.I. Haque, M.S. Huda and K.K. Ahmed, 1989. A review on the fisheries fauna of the Kaptai reservoir. Bangladesh J Fish.~ 14(2): 23-30. Hy.e, M.A., 1983. Fishery potentials ofkaptai Lake. ADAB News, 10: 2-6. Jayaram, K. C., 1981. The Freshwater Fishes of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Burma and Sri Lanka. Zool. Survey ofindia, CalCutta; XXII+ 475pp. Rahman, A.K.A., 1989. Freshwater Fishes of Bangladesh. Zoologial So. of Bangladesh, 364 pp. Sanderok, F. K., 1966. Chittagong Hill Trats Soil and Land Use Survey. Vol. 4; Fisheries ( Canadian Colombo Plan Projet F-475). East Pakistan Agriultural Developmen~ Corporation, Karahi, Pakistan. 67pp. Talwar, P. K. and A.G. Jhingran, 1991. Inland Fishes ofindia and Adjaent Countries. Oxford & IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd., Vol. l 541 pp. (Manusript reeived 31 August 2002) 68