QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT OF ZOOPLANKTONS IN KHADAKWASLA RESERVOIR FOR ESTABLISHING IT AS A CONSERVATION SITE FOR MAHSEER SPECIES

The importance of Mahseer as a world-famous game fish needs no emphasis. Mahseer are declining in their numbers and sizes in different parts of India, due to indiscriminate fishing of brood stock and juveniles, fast environmental degradation of aquatic ecosystems due to anthropogenic activities. Reservoirs are human modified aquatic ecosystems (INAG, 2009a) which retain a large volume of water as most of them are built for generation of power and flood control. Reservoirs also form an essential component of most irrigation systems . These reservoirs not only play an important role in serving humans, but also provide suitable fish culture ground and thus enhancing fish production which serves the purpose of conservation of fishes which are vanishing from their habitat. In this study, we aimed to assess the biological parameters of Khadakwasla reservoir as an indicator of water quality, in regard to its suitability for propagation and multiplication of fish Mahseer. The methodology adopted included monthly collection of water samples from four sampling stations of Khadakwasla reservoir for a period of twenty one months. Analysis of the parameters was done according to the Standard Methods of Golterman et al. (1978), Boyd (1979), NEERI (1986) and APHA (1995). During the period of study maximum 9 and minimum 8 species of rotifera, maximum 8 species and minimum 4 species of cladocera were recorded. Minimum number of copepoda recorded was 2 with the maximum number as 3 species. Minimum number of species of ostracoda was 1 and the maximum number was 2. As it has been stated by several investigators the Mahseer species has shown adoptability from riverine to lacustrine condition and from observations from the above analysis it could be inferred that Khadakwasla reservoir if managed scientifically can be developed as a conservation site for Mahseer.