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ICAR-CIFRI Organised River Dialogue with Special Emphasis on Fisheries and Ecology of River Ganga

26^th February, 2025
As part of the 14th Asian Fisheries and Aquaculture Forum (AFAF) held in New Delhi, ICAR-CIFRI in association with National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) organized a panel discussion on "River Dialogue with Special Emphasis on Fisheries and Ecology of River Ganga" on February 13, 2025, at the Gulmohar Committee Room, NAAS Block, New Delhi. The session was chaired by Mr. U. P. Singh, IAS, Former Director General of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), with the inaugural session graced by Dr. J. K. Jena, Deputy Director General (DDG) of Fisheries, ICAR, New Delhi.

Dr. B. K. Das, Director of ICAR-CIFRI, welcomed the dignitaries, experts, and scholars. He highlighted the significant strides made by ICAR-CIFRI over the last eight years under the NMCG project, focusing on restoring fish populations, promoting the economic growth of fishers, community empowerment through fisheries, biodiversity conservation, and enhancing river ecosystem health. Dr. Jena, Guest of honor, emphasized the multifaceted challenges of the Ganga River ecosystem, advocating for conservation, monitoring, sustainable practices, and collaborative efforts. He stressed the need to identify fish breeding grounds, analyze fishermen's livelihoods along the river continuum, and conduct extensive research on biotic community changes over decades. Dr. Jena highlighted that continuous conservation programs, the establishment of fish sanctuaries, and joint efforts by fishers, ecologists, hydrologists, and conservationists are crucial for sustainable river management. Dr. A. K. Sahoo, Senior Scientist and panel moderator, set the stage for the discussion by underscoring the ecological and fisheries significance of the Ganga River. He outlined critical issues such as wetland biodiversity conservation, environmental flows, the preservation of indigenous fish species, germplasm conservation, dolphin conservation, pollution control, and advanced technologies for water quality monitoring.
Experts like Dr. Suresh Babu, Director of WWF, spoke about the importance of wetland connectivity and hydrological regimes for biodiversity. He pointed to the Ramganga basin as an example, highlighting the impacts of land use changes, wetland catchment alterations, and the construction of check dams and barrages. Dr. B. K. Behera, CEO of NFDB, raised concerns about the proliferation of exotic fish species in the Ganga and the need for using wild-caught species as brooders to avoid genetic contamination. Dr. U. K. Sarkar, Director, NBFGR, emphasized on high-quality fish seed during ranching programs. Dr. Sandeep Kumar Behera, Senior Consultant, NMCG, called for detailed mapping of species-specific fish habitats and community sensitization towards biodiversity conservation. Dr. A. K. Gosain, Emeritus Professor, IIT Delhi, advocated for hydrological modeling to manage environmental flows and assess species-specific flow requirements. Prof. Sarad Kumar Jain, Visiting Prof. IIT Roorkee highlighted the need for holistic water management towards sustainble fisheries in rivers and wetlands. He furthmore highlighted on stream ecology and biodiversity conservation of indegenious fishes of small streams. Addressing pollution concerns, Dr. Devika Pillai, ADG of Inland Fisheries, ICAR, highlighted the threats posed by industrial effluents, antibiotic residues, and microplastics to the river’s biotic community. Dr. Samir Kumar Sukla, Director of CWC, and Dr. R. N. Sahoo, Professor at IARI, emphasized the need for interdisciplinary research in constructing fish passes and employing real-time water sensors to monitor critical habitats.

Dr. B.K.Das, elaborated on NMCG's achievements, including the production of 503 lakh IMC spawn through wild germplasm breeding, river ranching initiatives, has resulted in increased IMC catch, and the establishment of migratory paths for species like Hilsa. He emphasized the program's success in enhancing fish populations and ensuring the river's ecological balance.
In his closing remarks, Mr. U. P. Singh stressed the importance of a holistic approach to managing river ecology and biodiversity. He highlighted strategies such as restoring natural flow patterns, pollution reduction, wetland conservation, promoting sustainable fishing practices, and involving communities in conservation efforts. The session concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. D. K. Meena, Senior Scientist, ICAR-CIFRI, Barrackpore.
The panel discussion marked a significant step toward integrating scientific, ecological, and community-driven approaches for the conservation and sustainable management of the River Ganga.