THE GOAN NETWORK
PANAJI
Goa's temple ponds have become unlikely sanctuaries for some of the State’s rarest freshwater fish, a conservation effort that has prompted scientists at the ICAR-Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR-CCARI) to propose a Goa Indigenous Fish Conservation Mission (GIFCM) to replicate the model across rivers, wetlands and community-managed water bodies.
The proposed mission would serve as an umbrella framework bringing together the Department of Fisheries, Forest Department, ICAR-CCARI and other stakeholders, including the Goa State Biodiversity Board (GSBB), Water Resources Department (WRD), Education Department and temple trusts, to strengthen conservation of indigenous freshwater fish through coordinated action.
The recommendation follows an integrated conservation programme undertaken by ICAR-CCARI, which combined river ranching, temple pond stocking, live gene banking, captive breeding, habitat restoration and biodiversity documentation to protect Goa's small indigenous fishes.
Researchers said the successful model demonstrated at the temple ponds of Mangueshi and Shantadurga should now be expanded to other temples and community-managed water bodies to conserve a wider range of threatened, endemic and economically important species.
“To ensure the long-term conservation and sustainable management of indigenous freshwater fishes in Goa, it is crucial to build upon the successful models already demonstrated through live gene banks in temple ponds such as Mangueshi and Shantadurga. These sanctuaries should be scaled up and replicated across other temples and community-managed water bodies, with an expanded focus to include a wider range of threatened, endemic, and economically valuable species,” reads an extract of the institute’s findings, accessed by The Goan.
The institute also recommended strengthening captive breeding programmes for priority species such as Haludaria pradhani, Pethia setnai, Rasbora dandia and Puntius vittatus through decentralised broodstock centres to ensure a reliable supply of quality seed, reduce dependence on wild populations and support the ornamental fish trade.
Researchers further called for habitat restoration in ecologically sensitive areas, including Nanda Lake, Ramsar wetlands and protected forest streams, through measures such as riparian buffer creation, removal of invasive species and regulation of water abstraction. The report also advocates integrating conservation with livelihood opportunities such as native ornamental fish culture, bamboo aquarium production and eco-tourism.
The recommendations are based on biodiversity surveys carried out between 2020 and 2022 across 16 freshwater ecosystems in the Mandovi, Zuari, Terekhol and Chapora river basins, as well as Nanda Lake. The surveys documented 84 freshwater fish species, providing the scientific basis for targeted conservation measures.
As part of the programme, temple ponds at Mangueshi and Shantadurga were converted into live gene banks supporting up to 12 small indigenous fish species, while river ranching in the Valvanti and other rivers helped restore seven indigenous species.
ICAR-CCARI also developed captive breeding protocols for threatened species, including Haludaria pradhani, Pethia setnai and Rasbora dandia, ensuring a sustainable seed supply for conservation efforts.
The report also recommends establishing a centralised freshwater fish biodiversity database for Goa, strengthening long-term monitoring of population trends and habitat quality, and expanding community participation through schools, temple committees, fishers and self-help groups to safeguard the State's freshwater ecosystems in the face of growing environmental pressures.
