114
risk fund and savings-cum-relief scheme. The
scheme also tries to take care of their welfare during period of ban on fi shing (Kumar 1997).
Pandoh Reservoir
This 200-ha reservoir, lying at 987 m MSL, forms
a part of the Beas–Sutlej Link Project, for diverting the Beas water into the Sutlej basin. This reservoir contains fi shes like Schizothorax , Labeo
dero , L. dyocheilus and Tor putitora . It is occasionally used for sport fi shing.
Status of Fisheries in the Reservoirs of HP
The fi rst introduction of silver carp in the
Himalayan waters was an accident. About 47
specimens of silver carp found their way into the
Sutlej River in HP in 1971 when fl oods inundated
the Deoli fi sh farm located on its bank near the tail
end of Gobind Sagar reservoir. In Gobind Sagar
Reservoir, common carp contributed to 22–35 %
of the total catch between 1975 and 1984, but
with the increase in silver carp population, there
was a decline in the yield of common carp (Kumar
1988). The silver and common carps have been
monopolising the whole waterbody mainly due to
their high fecundity. Further, the exotic carps in
Gobind Sagar had showed an increased annual
yield trend of 8.2 % for past few years (Kumar
1988). This may be attributed to various factors
like distortion of ecology of such waters as a
result of natural and man-made causes, destruction of spawning grounds and diversion of stream
water, etc. It may be noted here that Gobind Sagar
Reservoir, with 60.2 kg ha
−1 in 1996–1997, is supposed to have recorded the highest yield amongst
all the Indian reservoirs. Its catches are highly
dominated by the exotic silver carp, but the indigenous mahseer ( Tor putitora ) is still a common
fi sh in almost all the mid-altitude lakes.
Concomitant to above, it is relevant to note here
that, before the construction of the dam, the upper
reaches of the River Sutlej used to contain 30 species of fi shes, of which Tor putitora , Labeo dero ,
L. dyocheilus , Schizothorax and Sperata seenghala were quite abundant. In 1961–1962, Gobind
Sagar was stocked with the IMC followed by a
regular stocking with common carp. Notably, the
emergence of silver carp in the reservoir in 1979
marked the beginning of a radical change in the
catch structure, with this fi sh establishing an overriding dominance over all other species (Sugunan
1995). Further, as expected, after their introduction, common carp and silver carp gradually
increased their proportion in the total catch.
Gobind Sagar is, possibly, the only Indian reservoir where silver carp has produced a selfsustaining stock. However, the major
disadvantages of the fi sh are its poor self-life and
low market preference. However, the total annual
catches from Gobind Sagar have continued to
increase, with 1,016 t achieved in 1996–1997,
much of it being silver carp (Kumar, 1997).
However, since around mid-70s, there had been a
moderate increase in the quantity of captured
mahseer for some period. Nevertheless, the construction of the Gobind Sagar and Pong reservoirs
has created a perennial source of fi sh supply for
the people of HP and its neighbouring provinces.
But in the process, certain valuable migratory species have been adversely affected.
6.9.1.6 High Altitude Lentic Bodies
of Jammu and Kashmir
The different types of lakes in J&K are briefl y
discussed below.
Floodplain Lakes
There are few fl oodplain lakes in J&K. Salient
features of some of the fl oodplain lakes in J&K
are briefl y given below:
( a ) Wular: Wular is a eutrophic lake lying at an
altitude of 1,537 m MSL. Its maximum length,
breadth, depth, average depth and surface area
and shoreline length are 16.0 km, 9.6 km,
5,8 m, 2.0 m, 153.6 km
2 and 81.0 km, respectively. The lake usually depicts water transparency 0.5–2.5 m, surface temperature
4.0–31.0 °C, pH 7.2–10.2, DO 2.8–11.7 mg l
−1
,
TA 50–192 mg l
−1
, Ca 14–56 mg l
−1
, Mg 1.4–
7.2 mg l
−1
, K 1.0–2.5 mg l
−1
, Na 4.5–7.5 mg l
−1
,
NO 3 7.0–440.0 μg l
−1
, silicate 0.4–3.5 mg l
−1
and conductivity140–590 μmhos cm
−1
.
( b ) Dal : Dal (Plate 6.33 ) is an eutrophic lake
which lies at 1,585 m MSL. Its maximum
length, breadth, depth, average depth, surface
area and shoreline length are 10.8 km,
6 Lakes of the World
risk fund and savings-cum-relief scheme. The
scheme also tries to take care of their welfare during period of ban on fi shing (Kumar 1997).
Pandoh Reservoir
This 200-ha reservoir, lying at 987 m MSL, forms
a part of the Beas–Sutlej Link Project, for diverting the Beas water into the Sutlej basin. This reservoir contains fi shes like Schizothorax , Labeo
dero , L. dyocheilus and Tor putitora . It is occasionally used for sport fi shing.
Status of Fisheries in the Reservoirs of HP
The fi rst introduction of silver carp in the
Himalayan waters was an accident. About 47
specimens of silver carp found their way into the
Sutlej River in HP in 1971 when fl oods inundated
the Deoli fi sh farm located on its bank near the tail
end of Gobind Sagar reservoir. In Gobind Sagar
Reservoir, common carp contributed to 22–35 %
of the total catch between 1975 and 1984, but
with the increase in silver carp population, there
was a decline in the yield of common carp (Kumar
1988). The silver and common carps have been
monopolising the whole waterbody mainly due to
their high fecundity. Further, the exotic carps in
Gobind Sagar had showed an increased annual
yield trend of 8.2 % for past few years (Kumar
1988). This may be attributed to various factors
like distortion of ecology of such waters as a
result of natural and man-made causes, destruction of spawning grounds and diversion of stream
water, etc. It may be noted here that Gobind Sagar
Reservoir, with 60.2 kg ha
−1 in 1996–1997, is supposed to have recorded the highest yield amongst
all the Indian reservoirs. Its catches are highly
dominated by the exotic silver carp, but the indigenous mahseer ( Tor putitora ) is still a common
fi sh in almost all the mid-altitude lakes.
Concomitant to above, it is relevant to note here
that, before the construction of the dam, the upper
reaches of the River Sutlej used to contain 30 species of fi shes, of which Tor putitora , Labeo dero ,
L. dyocheilus , Schizothorax and Sperata seenghala were quite abundant. In 1961–1962, Gobind
Sagar was stocked with the IMC followed by a
regular stocking with common carp. Notably, the
emergence of silver carp in the reservoir in 1979
marked the beginning of a radical change in the
catch structure, with this fi sh establishing an overriding dominance over all other species (Sugunan
1995). Further, as expected, after their introduction, common carp and silver carp gradually
increased their proportion in the total catch.
Gobind Sagar is, possibly, the only Indian reservoir where silver carp has produced a selfsustaining stock. However, the major
disadvantages of the fi sh are its poor self-life and
low market preference. However, the total annual
catches from Gobind Sagar have continued to
increase, with 1,016 t achieved in 1996–1997,
much of it being silver carp (Kumar, 1997).
However, since around mid-70s, there had been a
moderate increase in the quantity of captured
mahseer for some period. Nevertheless, the construction of the Gobind Sagar and Pong reservoirs
has created a perennial source of fi sh supply for
the people of HP and its neighbouring provinces.
But in the process, certain valuable migratory species have been adversely affected.
6.9.1.6 High Altitude Lentic Bodies
of Jammu and Kashmir
The different types of lakes in J&K are briefl y
discussed below.
Floodplain Lakes
There are few fl oodplain lakes in J&K. Salient
features of some of the fl oodplain lakes in J&K
are briefl y given below:
( a ) Wular: Wular is a eutrophic lake lying at an
altitude of 1,537 m MSL. Its maximum length,
breadth, depth, average depth and surface area
and shoreline length are 16.0 km, 9.6 km,
5,8 m, 2.0 m, 153.6 km
2 and 81.0 km, respectively. The lake usually depicts water transparency 0.5–2.5 m, surface temperature
4.0–31.0 °C, pH 7.2–10.2, DO 2.8–11.7 mg l
−1
,
TA 50–192 mg l
−1
, Ca 14–56 mg l
−1
, Mg 1.4–
7.2 mg l
−1
, K 1.0–2.5 mg l
−1
, Na 4.5–7.5 mg l
−1
,
NO 3 7.0–440.0 μg l
−1
, silicate 0.4–3.5 mg l
−1
and conductivity140–590 μmhos cm
−1
.
( b ) Dal : Dal (Plate 6.33 ) is an eutrophic lake
which lies at 1,585 m MSL. Its maximum
length, breadth, depth, average depth, surface
area and shoreline length are 10.8 km,
6 Lakes of the World