Fishery status of undivided Goalpara District, Assam with reference to socio -economic conditions of fishers.

The studies were conducted during 2008–2010 to evaluate Fishery status and its bearing on socio-economic condition of Fishers Community of undivided Goalpara district of Assam. A total of 97 species belongs to 56 genera of 26 families were recorded from various fish landing centers of the region during study period. Fishers catch fish in the river throughout the year. However, fishing intensity decreased during winter season due to decreasing water level. Fish catching ratio were also found in decreasing trend day by day due to increase in the level of fishing intensity as well as due to increasing numbers of fishers. The results of the co-efficient of correlation calculated from socio-economic data clearly exhibited that incomefamily size; expenditure - family size is highly related to each other in all the fishers groups.

Ichthyofaunal diversity of lower reaches of the Brahmaputra River, Assam.

An investigation was carried out from February 2009 to January 2010 in the core fish landing centres of Goalpara district, Assam to evaluate the present status of ichthyofaunal diversity of the lower reaches of Brahmaputra River. A total of 97 species including exotic species belonging to 56 genera of 26 families were recorded from all the fish landing centres. Among these, according to IUCN status, 5 species are endangered, 21 species vulnerable, 29 species lower risk-near threatened, 7 species lower risk-less concern and other 29 species are not evaluated. The families recorded were Notopteridae, Clupeidae, Engraulidae, Cyprinidae, Psilorhynchidae, Balitoridae, Cobitidae, Bagridae, Siluridae, Schilbeidae, Sisoridae, Clariidae, Heteropneustidae, Chacidae, Mugilidae, Beloniidae, Synbranchidae, Mastacembelidae, Chandidae, Nandidae, Cichlidae, Gobiidae, Anabantidae, Belontidae, Channidae and Tetradontidae. Seasonal variations of the fishes were also noticed remarkably. The taxonomic composition of the fish fauna suggests, Cyprinidae were the most dominant family with 39 representative species (42.8%) followed by Bagridae having 7 species (7.7%). The study reveals that lower reaches of River Brahmaputra is very rich in ichthyofaunal diversity. However, strategies such as controlled harvest, checks on growth of exotic species, controlling water pollution etc. are suggested for conservation of the native and endemic fish species of the region.