The book entitled FUNDAMENTALS OF INLAND FRESHWATER FISH AND FISHERIES OF INDIA has been the outcome of more than thirty years of practical experiences in different arena of Fish and Fisheries both in research laboratories and fish farms of various types in different parts of Indian subcontinent. To generate interest among the students of ichthyologic sciences and self entrepreneurship programmes following all the leading University curricula as well as National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), the book has been divided into four parts: I, II, III and IV.
The Part –I, deals with the latest versions of taxonomical aspects couple with age and growth, length and weight relationship, morphometric measurements and meristic counts, scales, skin and lateral line systems, swim or air bladder of fish, olfactory organs, alimentary canal, digestive systems , food and feeding habit, nutrition of fishes along with the excretory and reproductive organs, sexual dimorphism as well as calculation of gonado-somatic index (GSI) and fecundity.
The Part – II, encompasses various inland water resources of India including coldwater, lacustrine, riverine and wetland fisheries of India as well as the types of Biosphere, Aquatic ecosystem, Primary productivity, Food chain and web including the natural food items of fishes including aquatic weeds and harmful aquatic weeds, insects of various types commonly available, as well as predatory, weed fishes, types of exotic fishes and their importance and invasive fishes of various types. In addition to the above, the strategies to be followed for introducing exotic fish species have also been dealt in detail.
The Part – III, deals with the various aquaculture practices and the preliminary needs thereof, like selection of site, quality of soil and water, eradication of weed and other unwanted fishes, pond dyke protection, fertilization, types and controlling of piscicides, controlling of insects of different types in the culture operations of different ponds have been dealt with.
The Part – IV, refers to the selection of suitable sites for aquaculture activities, protocols for monitoring of soil and water quality parameters, monoculture practices of scampi and various culture fishes, Small Indigenous fishes (SIFFs) of India and fresh water pearl culture. A special emphasis is also given on the fresh water pearl culture in this chapter. Based on the above four chapters, the present book has been written and the author sincerely believes that the contents will certainly attract the students of Fish and Fisheries. Constructive criticism related to the book, if any, will be welcomed so that corrective action may be taken during the subsequent editions.
