Golden Mahashir fish fingerlings released in Hira Bambai reservoir

The office of Melghat Tiger Reserve that developed fingerlings of Golden Mahashir fish, an endangered species falling in the Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, were released in Hira Bambai reservoir in Dharni tehsil of Amravati district on the occasion of World Fish Day, on Thursday. Piyush Singh, Divisional Commissioner, Amravati; Shailesh Nawal, Collector, Amravati; and Dr Ashish Paturkar, Vice-Chancellor, Maharashtra Animal & Fishery Sciences University (MAFSU); released the fingerlings in the reservoir in presence of officers of Forest Department, members of Biodiversity Management Committee, villagers and others. At the onset, Singh and Nawal inaugurated renovated Amzari Nature Eco-tourism Centre in Gavilgad Forest Range of Melghat Tiger Reserve in Paratwada. M K Rao, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (IT, Policy), Nagpur, said that the department took the initiative for conservation of Mahashir fish which is on the verge of extinction, by opening Mahashir Fish Breeding Centre at Dharni in 2015. Previously, there were Mahashir fish in Mula-Mutha river in Pune but they were affected following construction of a dam.

Then, Tata Power Company Limited started Mahashir Fish Breeding Centre near Lonavala, the only centre that supplies fingerlings to entire country. Melghat Tiger Project in cooperation with MAFSU and local Biodiversity Management Committee started the second centre at Hira Bambai in Dharni for conservation of this endangered fish. After growth, a fish weighs 40 to 50 kg, Rao added. Giving more information about the breeding centre, Avinash Kumar, Deputy Conservator of Forest, East Melghat, said that the department brought fingerlings from Lonavala centre at Hira Bambai in 2015 and developed them with cage culture and reared them for three months. in 2018, male fish attained sexual maturity and transferred them to cement tank by maintaining male-female ratio.

The fingerlings were developed to brood stock. The female fish bearing eggs were identified by hand stripping method. Then the matured egges were extracted in a tray by application of slight pressure. The milt of male fish is spread and mixed over the eggs to get fertilised fry state in 48 to 96 hours. Then the fish is kep in separate small tank for one month and then released in larger tank, he added. Avinash Kumar said that only 200 fingerlings were released on Thursday in the reservoir to mark the occasion.

Around 7,000 fingerlings would be released in phases in Wan reservoir and different habitats which are conducive for growth. Dr Ajinkya Kale, Chief Manager, Postal Department; Vinod Shivkumar, Dr Siwabala S, Deputy Conservators of Forest, Sipna Wildlife Division and Gugamal Wildlife Division, respectively; Dr M D Deshmukh, Associate Dean, MAFSU; Piyusha Jagtap, Divisional Forest Officer, Melghat; Gopilal Mannudhikar, President of Joint Forest Management Committee, Amzari; BMC office-bearers and villagers also were present.