An invasive fish from the Amazon River basin in South America which was first found in Manipur in 2020, has resurfaced in Nambol, Bishnupur district.
An Amazon Sailfin Catfish was found caught in a fishnet in the Thiyam Pat Loukol area in Nambol, Bishnupur district on Saturday.
The first discovery of the fish breed back in 2020 raised concerns among experts regarding the invasion of alien fish species on the northeastern state’s aquatic ecosystem.
It may be mentioned that Bishnupur district has the largest freshwater lake in the northeast region. The paddy lands in Nambol area was inundated in the recent floods which deluged major areas in the central valley area.
The discovery has raised red flags among the residents of Thiyam Loukol raising serious concerns on the spread of such fish species in the area.
“The fish might have seeped in from aquariums in the surrounding area or water bodies,” one local said.
As per reports, this algae-eating fish, which can grow up to 49 centimeters and weigh up to 310gm, has become a local pest to eliminate fish in a few countries.
Manipur’s water bodies are increasingly becoming populated with alien fish species.
Some of them have been let out for commercial purposes by the state while some have been released accidentally from captivity due to lack of necessary regulations.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) had listed seven native fish of Manipur as endangered freshwater species. The state fish, Pengba, is one such indigenou fish which has gone extinct from the wild.
