Fishery, Demographics and Exploitation of Two Sympatric Snakeheads (Channa striata and Channa pseudomarulius) in Small-scale Fisheries of the Western Ghats, India: Implications for Conservation
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Abstract
Sympatric snakeheads (Channa striata and C. pseudomarulius) are high-valued food fishes that constitute a major portion of wild-caught snakeheads in tropical Asia. This study assessed the fishery, demographics, and exploitation parameters of C. striata and C. pseudomarulius in a small-scale subsistence fishery in the Chalakudy River, a biodiversity hotspot in the Western Ghats of Southern Peninsular India. The estimated landings in this study were 3.26 t for C. striata and 2.46 t for C. pseudomarulius. Channa pseudomarulius exhibited a higher asymptotic length (L∞) of 89.25 cm compared to 63 cm for C. striata. However, C. pseudomarulius had a higher growth constant (K = 0.90 year-1) than C. striata (K = 0.46 year-1), indicating a faster growth rate. Fishing mortality (F = 1.71 year-1) and natural mortality (M = 0.66 year-1) were also higher for C. pseudomarulius compared to C. striata (F = 0.79 year-1, M = 0.47 year-1). The current exploitation rates (E) of C. striata (0.63) and C. pseudomarulius (0.72) indicate unsustainable fishing pressure, placing these species in the Western Ghats River at imminent risk of collapse. Overexploitation of mature individuals threatens population size in view of their continuous breeding, stable recruitment and fast growth. The present investigation provides initial insights into the demography of these snakehead species, supporting the development of management strategies and awareness programmes in the Western Ghats, as well as in similar tropical habitats.
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