Plans afoot to revive ‘manjakoori’ in Sasthamcotta Lake

‘Manjakoori’ (Horabagrus brachysoma) in Sasthamcotta Lake will no longer be under threat as plans are in place to revive its diminishing stock. The Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (Kufos) has launched a project to conserve the indigenous species that has ‘Vulnerable’ status in The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. “Manjakoori is an important species in Sasthamcotta Lake and it was selected as it belongs to the vulnerable category.

‘Manjakoori’ (Horabagrus brachysoma) in Sasthamcotta Lake will no longer be under threat as plans are in place to revive its diminishing stock.

The Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (Kufos) has launched a project to conserve the indigenous species that has ‘Vulnerable’ status in The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. “Manjakoori is an important species in Sasthamcotta Lake and it was selected as it belongs to the vulnerable category. The brood was collected from the lake with the help of fishers. We got around 12 adult individuals and they were transported to tanks in the university. They were bred during the last monsoon and the seeds were ranched in the lake for conservation. Around 200 individuals, each weighing around 10 grams, were released into the lake. In the next phase we can handover the breeding technology to fish farmers,” says Anvar Ali, assistant professor, Fisheries Resources Management, Kufos.

While the seed ranching was carried out early last month, fishers have been spotting the consistent presence of manjakoori shoals of late. “By next monsoon they will be mature for spawning and depending on their population further ranching sessions will be planned. The university has maintained the broodstock and surplus seeds will be made available for aquaculture,” he adds.

It’s for the first time manjakoori has been ranched in the Ramsar site. “Earlier around 150 inland fishers were dependent on the lake and manjakoori was their main catch. But now only less than five fishers are there as the stock has depleted extremely. The lake used to teem with the species, especially near the Shri Dharma Sastha temple as devotees used to feed them as part of meenottu ritual. But by 2017 their population was reduced to less than 2% due to multiple reasons. Along with ranching, fishing should be restricted in the area and the fishers can be given an incentive for that,” says V.K. Madhusoodan, environmentalist.

Kollam district panchayat is planning to start a hatchery near the lake to conserve the indigenous species and the experts say that the same strategy can be replicated in Ashtamudi Lake too. Studies had revealed that fresh water estuarine species are fast declining in the waterbody while some others like arrowfin goby (Oxyurichthys tentacularis), locally known as koozhavali, have almost vanished.