Preliminary Investigation of Fish Fauna of Yaye River: A Tributary of Chindwin River under Shamator Sadar, Nagaland, India

Abstract

Fish populations are very dynamic spatially and temporally, from all the aquatic organisms, fishes are the most important element and the major sources of dietary protein for the people. Fishes can be found in nearly all freshwater aquatic environments, from high mountains and streams. Moreover, fish diversity studies contribute to conservation efforts by identifying species at risk, assessing the impacts of human activities on aquatic ecosystems, and guiding management strategies for sustainable fisheries and ecosystem restoration. The present study was carried out to explore the fish fauna, to assess their IUCN conservation status and to determine the economic importance of the documented fish in Yaye River under Shamator Sadar, Nagaland for a period of one year from 2024 to 2025. A total of 16 species attributing to 5 orders, 7 families and 11 genera were recorded. Among the collected fish species, the family cyprinidae dominated the catch list with 69%, subsequently by nemacheilidae with 19%, channidae with 13% while mastacembelidae, amblycipitidae ,badidae and cobitidae with 6% each. Of 16 species, 3 Vulnerable (VU), 8 species as Least Concern (LC), 1 Data Deficient (DD) along with 1 Near-threatened (NT) were recorded. From this survey, it is noted that the particular species listed under Near- threatened Garra elongata needs to be conserved efficiently. The current findings highlight the need for proper documentation and conservation of fish resources to preserve the rich ichthyofaunal diversity in the uncharted region. Further studies encompassing longer temporal scales and wider spatial coverage would enhance the present baseline data and contribute to the development of more comprehensive conservation and management strategies. Additional exploratory surveys and intensive investigations are essential for improving the identification and understanding of ichthyofaunal distribution patterns across diverse riverine systems. Furthermore, as the region supports a considerable number of endemic species while simultaneously facing escalating anthropogenic and environmental threats, the implementation of immediate and effective conservation measures is imperative.