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Goa: Novel fishing exercise reveals rich fish biodiversity of Chicalim bay

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In an interesting exercise to showcase the fish biodiversity in Chicalim bay, participants caught and counted 47 fish species and 16 shrimp species.The fish count coupled with an interaction between fishermen and the scientists on Sunday was organised by the St Joseph Vaz College, Cortalim, in association with Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute.

Fr Bolmax Pereira of St Joseph Vaz College said that five motorised canoes ventured into the Zuari to catch fish. Although the actual plan was to reach Varek island near St Jacinto island, low tide led the canoes to move to the nearby area and they caught fish there instead, he said.
“During the interaction session we learnt that 47 different varieties of fish and 16 different types of shrimp were caught by the local fisherfolk, which the scientists will be documenting,” Bolmax said.

Later, chairman of the Chicalim biodiversity Management Committee Rui Araujo said that fish counting is a one-hour activity, which will be done every month for one year to document and note down the various fish species found in the Chicalim bay and Zuari river.

On Sunday, after the fisherfolk came with their catch, ICAR scientists Pravin Kumar and Shrikant explained details about the various species to the students who were a part of this activity. The activity was backed by the Goa State Biodiversity Board, Chicalim Biodiversity Management Committee and the Old Cross Fishing Canoe Owner’ Cooperative Society. Chicalim bay is one of the last habitats for the brood stock of the highly prized delicacy but more endangered species of window pane oysters. Though the bivalve had re-emerged in good quantities in recent years, indiscriminate extraction has affected its brood stock again. The lockdown norms had come in handy to stop the haphazard fishing.

The revival in aquatic biodiversity seen after the stoppage of mining activities also yielded a bountiful tisreo (clam) and kalvam (oyster) crop in mud flats of Chicalim and Sancoale. The mud clam ‘kalle khube’, which are generally restricted to mangrove habitats, has also in recent years been extracted at low tide from the Chicalim bay.