Srinagar, Aug 21: Kashmir’s Himalayan Snow Trout, locally known as Khont, once abundant in the Jhelum and its tributaries, could get a new lease of life after researchers successfully bred the vulnerable native fish in captivity.
Researchers at the Fish Resource Management Laboratory, Faculty of Fisheries, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K), have standardised breeding and larval-rearing protocols for Schizothoraxplagiostomus, one of several snow trout species found in Kashmir.
Though its origins can be traced to Central Asia, Schizothorax species are considered indigenous to Kashmir’s freshwater ecosystems.
They are adapted to cold, clear, and oxygen-rich waters.
“It is certainly an important development amidst the increasing threats of pollution, mining activities, construction and climate change,” said DrFarooz Ahmad Bhat, Dean, Faculty of Fisheries, SKUAST-K.
DrBhat, who leads the project at the University’s Rangil campus in Ganderbal, said the team bred Schizothoraxplagiostomusbroodstock under controlled conditions using a hormonal protocol.
“The snow trout or snow barbel breeds in clean glacial waters. Human interference has had a negative impact on their production,” he said.
The team has produced about 10,000 eggs.
The fry will be reared to advanced stages before being released into natural streams.
“By successful ranching into the streams of the Valley, it is expected that in the near future, encouraging results will be seen regarding the production and reproduction of this particular fish,” DrBhat said.
The work comes amid concern over the decline of native fish and deteriorating freshwater habitats.
Recent fish mortality – mainly of Schizothorax species – has been reported from Panzath springs in Qazigund, Martand springs in Mattan, Sherbagh and Andernag springs in Anantnag, Verinag springs, Beehama springs in Ganderbal and parts of Shopian springs.
DrBhat said Schizothoraxplagiostomus is mainly associated with cold, flowing waters.
Schizothoraxniger, or Elegant Snow Trout locally known as Ael Gad, was once widespread in Dal Lake, stagnant wetlands, the Jhelum and freshwater springs.
Clean springs such as Mattan can also support Schizothoraxplagiostomus if stocked there.
“Four decades back, Dal Lake teemed with this fish species. The peripheries of Dal Lake were full of pebbles, so this species of fish flourished,” DrBhat said.
Snow trout was also found in the Vaishaw, Sandran, Brengi, Lidder, Madhumati, and several other mountain streams.
DrBhat said its range has since contracted, with populations now largely confined to upper reaches.
“Their numbers in the middle and lower reaches have come down due to human interference,” he said.
The fish scrapes algae from stones and pebbles and requires clean, rocky beds and sand for feeding and spawning.
“There should be no turbidity or muck in the water which is commonly seen in the water-bodies now,” DrBhat said.
DrAadilHussainMagloo, a member of the research team, said scientists studied water conditions in the Jhelum and its tributaries where snow trout still survives and maintained optimum water-quality parameters in broodstock ponds and hatchery facilities.
“Keeping the importance of water quality parameters and the protocol of induced breeding in mind, we have set the breeding standards for this rare fish, which will help us in increasing the production of Kashmiri fish in the future in natural water bodies,” DrMagloo said.
DrBhat said the objective was conservation, not commercial production.
“This species isn’t culturable but is meant to be conserved in its natural range of distribution,” he said.
Snow trout grows much more slowly than Rainbow and Brown trout.
It reaches only about 60-80 grams in three years, or a maximum of around 90 grams, by the time it attains sexual maturity.
However, despite its slow early growth, snow trout can eventually grow to 2-3 Kg or more over its lifespan under natural conditions.
The decline of native ‘Kashmiri’ fish has also coincided with the spread of common carp, locally known as Punjabi fish, which reproduces more readily and has become dominant in many waters.
The captive-breeding breakthrough offers a way to replenish depleted snow trout stocks.
Its success, however, will depend on restoring suitable streams and protecting the habitats where the indigenous fish breeds and survives.
“The Department of Fisheries in Jammu and Kashmir can adopt the breeding protocol to support the restoration and conservation of this vanishing, rare indigenous species,” an official said.
