Invasive species spawns India's first fishermen-driven removal initiative, Pg9

Key Highlights:

• The Ujani reservoir in India is experiencing an ecological crisis due to invasive alien fish species, primarily the suckermouth catfish.
• The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) has initiated India's first community-driven program for the removal and restocking of fish in the reservoir.
• The suckermouth catfish, originating from the Amazon, entered India through the aquarium trade and now accounts for 30-40% of the total fish catch in Ujani reservoir.
• Over 36 tonnes of suckermouth catfish have been removed, with fishermen receiving incentives for their collection.

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Detailed Insights:

• The invasive suckermouth catfish, also known as 'helicopter fish', consumes fish eggs, burrows into riverbanks, and outcompetes native bottom-feeding species.
• Its burrowing activities are causing erosion along the Bhima river's banks and pose a threat to the structural integrity of earthen dam walls.
• Native fish species, which once dominated the Ujani reservoir, now constitute only about 3% of the total catch.
• The BNHS initiative offers fishermen an incentive of Rs 2 per kilogram above the auction rate for collected suckermouth catfish.
• The collected invasive fish are processed at oil mills in Taloja and Ratnagiri, yielding 'molas' which is utilized as organic fertilizer.
• The invasion has severely impacted the livelihoods of over 20,000 fishermen, traders, and laborers dependent on the reservoir.
• The program advocates for a ban on the import of such species through the aquarium trade and calls for long-term funding for broader management efforts.

Scientific/Technical Concepts Involved:

• Invasive Alien Species: Non-native organisms introduced to an ecosystem that cause environmental or economic harm.
• Ichthyologist: A scientist who specializes in the study of fish, including their biology, ecology, and classification.
• Biodiversity: The variety of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or planet.
• Ecosystem: A community of living organisms interacting with their physical environment as a functional unit.