The Wildlife Society of Orissa (WSO) has urged the State Government to conserve the fast-dwindling native fish species in rivers like Mahanadi and its distributaries Luna, Chitrotpala, Birupa, Kathjodi, Devi, Kandal and Paika as the situation has resulted in steep decline in fishermen’s incomes. WSO secretary Biswajit Mohanty has written a letter to the Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Department in this regard. Fish catch has declined by as much as 80 per cent during the last two decades, forcing many fishermen to adopt other vocations, including migrating outside the State for work, mentioned Mohanty. He lamented the Government has not taken any action even as the WSO has been demanding a ban on river and lake fishing during the breeding season and suggesting measures to arrest the decline of fish population for the last 17 years. The problem is directly impacting the traditional livelihoods of river fishermen of Odisha, he added. He said there is an urgent need to ensure unhindered fish migration in the major rivers like the Mahanadi, the Brahmani and the Baitarani which is affected by barrages and dams. During the monsoon floods, fish tend to move upstream for spawning purposes. Such egg bearing or gravid fish are caught in large numbers at the barrage and dam gates. Fish ladders can address this problem. Hence, fish ladders should be put up in all barrages, dams, canal locks and annicuts. Fisheries Department should issue necessary directions to the Water Resources Department for implementing this. Moreover, fishing should be banned at least upto 200 metres on either side of fish ladders to save the migrating fish, he suggested. Hilsa has almost disappeared from the rivers since the entry of migrating hilsa during the rainy season is being checked at the river mouths. As a result, due to lack of spawning, hilsa population is declining fast. Many native small fish variety like pohola, kerandi and mahurali are going to be extinct soon. Massive use of pesticides in the farm fields has taken a toll of these small fish varieties. The catch size of freshwater carps has undergone a huge decline. Carps of more than 2 to 3 kgs have become uncommon in the rivers as there is fishing round the year. Due to shortage of river fish, the prices of carps have jumped to Rs 400 per kg from Rs 200 per kg a few years ago. Use of poisonous substances to catch shrimp in the river banks has lead to sharp decline in fresh water shrimp. The juvelines are killed by use of such poisons. The dead shrimps are collected after they float ashore. There is no restriction on mesh size of nets used by fishermen. Due to zero mesh fishing nets fishermen are catching fish of all sizes, including juveniles, which leads to a decline in native fish population in rivers and lakes, he pointed out. The FARD, as per an MoU with the World Fish NGO, is promoting the culture of Tilapia as a fishery livelihood which is a dangerous practice. Tilapia is a rapid breeder and grows fast feeding on all kinds of wastes. It quickly colonizes in any kind of fresh water aquatic habitat often driving out native fish varieties. We apprehend this species is going to lead to the wipe out of the native fish populations from our lakes and rivers apart from lakhs of ponds and reservoirs, mentioned he. He demanded that the State Government should impose a two month fishing ban in rivers and natural lakes from June 15 to August 15 every year to protect breeding fish and ensure spawning of fish. Besides, promotion of Tilapia fish farming must be stopped to to safeguard native fish species.