February 15-18, 2009 Washington State Convention Center Seattle ...

SIZE AT SEXUAL MATURITY AND FECUNDITY INDICES OF THE INDIAN RIVER
SHAD Gudusia chapra (CLUPEIDAE) IN THE GANGES RIVER OF THE NORTHWESTERN
BANGLADESH
Md. Yeamin Hossain and Zoarder Faruque Ahmed
United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences
Kagoshima University
1-21-24 Korimoto
Kagoshima 890-0065
Japan
yeamin2222@yahoo.com
The Indian river-shad Gudusia chapra (Hamilton-Buchanan, 1822) is a small indigenous fish species of Bangladesh and widely
distributed in the natural waters of Asia, throughout the Indian subcontinent including Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan,
Sri-Lanka, Myanmar, Afghanistan. This small indigenous species (SIS) used to be abundantly available in rivers, streams,
ponds, beels, ditches, and floodplains in the past in the South Asian region, but nowadays it is disappearing from the natural
systems, which in turn severely affects biodiversity. The recent socio-economic studies identified that G. chapra as both an
important food resource and a crucial source of micronutrients essential in preventing malnutrition and vitamin and mineral
deficiencies in rural communities, particularly among women and children in Bangladesh and making it a highly favorable
candidate for aquaculture in the South Asian countries.
The present study aimed to estimate the size at sexual maturity and fecundity for female G. chapra from the Ganges River of
northwest of Bangladesh during March to August 2006. The gonadosomatic index (GSI) was calculated by the equation, GSI
(%) = (GW/BW) × 100. The size at first sexual maturity of female of this species was estimated by the relationship between
gonadosomatic index and its standard length. The specimens larger than first size at sexual maturity were used for the estimation
of fecundity.
The results showed that SL of G. chapra ranged from 3.60 to 13.70 cm, with mean ± SD calculated as 8.80±2.93 cm while
body weights varied from 1.00 to 43.60 g with calculated 16.56 ± 11.96 g. The size at first sexual maturity and median sexual
maturity for females G. chapra were considered to be 8.00 cm and 9.80 cm SL, respectively in the Ganges River. The mean
total fecundity was 20160±6545 and ranged from 10888 to 36200. This study would be useful for fishery biologists/managers
to impose adequate regulations for sustainable fishery management in the Ganges River and nearby areas of Bangladesh.
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