Setting exploitation reference points for the reba carp Cirrhinus reba in a snow-fed river: study from the Saryu River ecosystem in northern India

Lavkush; Radhakrishnan K. V.; C. P. Singh; Sunil Kant Verma; Puneet K. Patel; Pullagura Siva Nagendra Pullagura; Moira G. Momin; Abhisek Gharai

doi:10.17017/j.fish.1311

Lavkush Department of Fisheries Resource Management, College of Fisheries (COF), Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture & Technology (ANDUAT), Kumarganj, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh–224 229, India
Radhakrishnan K. V. Department of Fisheries Resource Management, College of Fisheries (COF), Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture & Technology (ANDUAT), Kumarganj, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh–224 229, India
C. P. Singh Department of Fisheries Resource Management, College of Fisheries (COF), Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture & Technology (ANDUAT), Kumarganj, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh–224 229, India
Sunil Kant Verma Department of Fisheries Resource Management, College of Fisheries (COF), Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture & Technology (ANDUAT), Kumarganj, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh–224 229, India
Puneet K. Patel Department of Aquaculture, College of Fisheries (COF), Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture & Technology (ANDUAT), Kumarganj, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh–224 229, India
Pullagura Siva Nagendra Pullagura Department of Fisheries Resource Management, College of Fisheries (COF), Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture & Technology (ANDUAT), Kumarganj, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh–224 229, India
Moira G. Momin Department of Fisheries Resource Management, College of Fisheries (COF), Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture & Technology (ANDUAT), Kumarganj, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh–224 229, India
Abhisek Gharai Department of Fisheries Resource Management, College of Fisheries (COF), Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture & Technology (ANDUAT), Kumarganj, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh–224 229, India

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17017/j.fish.1311

Keywords: Cirrhinus reba, condition factor, exploitation status, population parameters, Saryu River

Abstract

This study examined length-weight relationships (LWRs), physiological condition, growth characteristics, recruitment pattern, probability of capture, mortality rates and exploitation status of Cirrhinus reba from the Saryu River of northern India, collected fortnightly from August 2024 to July 2025. Total length varied from 11.0 to 27.0 cm (17.974±0.142 cm), while body weight varied between 13.0 and 264.1 g (73.080±6.928 g). The LWR showed a strong correlation (r² ≥ 0.915). The Fulton’s condition factor (K_f) and relative condition factor (K_n) ranged from 1.133±0.134 to 1.366±0.237 and 0.832±0.143 to 2.025±0.23 respectively, which indicated that the fish were healthy. Growth parameters estimated through von Bertalanffy model were L_∞ = 27.0 cm, K = 0.65 year⁻¹ and Φ′ = 2.67. Recruitment occurred throughout the year with a major peak during the monsoon season. Total mortality, natural mortality and fishing mortality were estimated as 1.60, 0.73 and 0.87 year⁻¹, respectively. The probability of capture analysis indicated that the length at first capture L₅₀ of C. reba was 15.5 cm. The exploitation rate (E) 0.55 was higher than E_opt (0.50) indicating emerging overexploitation. Yield-per-recruit analysis indicated exploitation reference points of E_max as 0.62 and E_0.1 as 0.48. Virtual Population Analysis revealed increasing fishing mortality with fish size, with the highest fishing mortality (F = 0.91 year⁻¹) recorded in larger individuals, indicating size-selective exploitation and potential pressure on stock sustainability. This study provides information on population and exploitation characteristics of C. reba in the Saryu River, which can be used to set reference points for sustainable fisheries management.

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