There are 55 species of fin fishes belonging to 33 families in the Bolgoda Lagoon,of which about 30 are commercially important. Sardinella melanura, Caranxsansun, Leognathus. sp, Mugil cephalus, Etroplus suratensis and Trachysuruscae/us are the dominant species. The mean annual fin fish production is 30mt/year and it is on the decline

Jayantha, H. D. S.

Jinadasa, J.

PERERA, W. V. J.

University of Sri Jayewardenepura: Journals & Proceedings

Vidyodaya Ji, Sci., (1992) Vol 4, No.l,pp: 107-115SPECIES COMPOSmON, DISTRIBUTION AND ECONOMICIMPORTANCE OF FISHES IN THE BOLGODA LAGOONJ. Jinadasa 1, H. D. S. Jayantha' and W. V. J. Perera!1, 2. Department of Zoology,University of Sri Jayewordenepura,Nugegoda, Sri Lanka.3. Department of Zoology,Open University,Nawala, Sri Lanka.Received on: 11 - 11 - 1991Accepted on: 15 - 07 - 1992AbstractThere are 55species of fin fishes belonging to 33 families in the Bolgoda Lagoon,of which about 30 are commercially important. Sardinella melanura, Caranxsansun, Leognathus. sp, Mugil cephalus, Etroplus suratensis and Trachysuruscae/us are the dominant species. The mean annual fin fish production is 30mt/year and it is on the decline.Key words: Bolgoda Lagoon. Fin Fish, Annual Production.1. Introduction:Bellanwila=-Attidiya marshes have been declared bird and wildlife sane-tury. Those marshes serve as the primary drainage area for the BolgodaLagoon system which consists of southern Bolgoda lake, northern BolgodaLake, Bolgoda Ganga, Veras ganga and Panadura ganga (Fig. 1).The Ratmalana Industrial Zone (RIZ) is located in close proximity tothese marshes. At present some effluents, discharged by the factories, passthrough the marshes and finally reach the head end of the Bolgoda Lagoonsystem. This could possibly have an impact on the fin fish fauna of the lagoonin the future. In order to assess such an impact, it is necessary to understandits present faunal composition. There is no published information on thespecies composition and the diversity of fin fish of the Bolgoda Lagoon system.A comprehensive check list of fishes of the Bellanwila-Attidiya marshes,however, have been reported for the period 1980-87 (Nalinda, 1987), wherehe listed 33 species of fin fishes for the above marshes.108 J. Jlnadasa, H. D. S. Jayantha and W. V. J. PereraThe purpose of the present study was to prepare a check list of speciespresent, their broad distribution pattern and to indicate whether or not theyare commercially important.2. Materials and methodsThe study was carried out from March 1979 to June 1991. Samplingwas done at Katubedda, Deltara, Diggala, Kospelana, Molpe, Horetuduwa,MA.RSHESINDIAN'OCEANFig. 1 1. Map of Bolgoda Lagoon indicating sampling stations,1. Panadura Ganga, 2. Veras Ganga, 3. Northern Bolgoda Lake,4. Bolgoda Ganga, 5. Southern Bolgoda Lake, B. Location of the studyarea in Sri Lanka.SCALE HKMB~Bo/goda LagoonSpecies Composition, Distribution and Economic Importance. 109and Egodauyana. Commercial fish catches of traps, encircling nets, beachseines and gill nets were sampled biweekly. Identification were made accordingto Munro (1955) and Fischer and Whitehead (1974). Parameters such assalinity and temperature were also monitored during the above period in anattempt to understand the hydrobiology, primary production and fisheryof the Bolgoda lagoon system. These findings would be reported separately.3. Results:The results indicate that there are 55 species of fish in the Bolgoda Lagoonof which seven are distributed in the upper part, sixteen in the lower part,five in the upper and middle part, eleven in the lower and middle part andsix to the entire lagoon respectively (Table. I). The total number of commerciallyimportant species varied from 27 at Egoda-Uyana, near the mouth of theLagoon to 20 at Katubedda, near the head end of the Lagoon. The highestnumber 30, was recorded at Deltara area, in the northern Bolgoda lake, wherethe water is blackish. Dominant species of fishes such as Sardinella me/anura,Caranx sansun, Leiognathus smithursti, L. splendens, L. daura, Secutor ruconius,Elops machinata and S. insidinator are confined to the lower part of the Lagoonand contribute to about 35 % of the total fin fish catch. Species such as Mugilcephalus and L. dussumieri are mostly found around the middle region of theLagoon and contribute to about 12 ~~ of the total catch. Etroplus suratensis,L. brevirostris, Gazza minuta and Trachysurus caelatus are confined to the upperhalf of the Lagoon and contribute to about 20 % to the total catch. (Table. 1).•....sTable. 1. Check list and distribution pattern of fish in the Bolgoda Lagoon.Family Species Distribution Salinity Commercial Habitat !--orange importance ~(%0) I:l~'"~I:l1. Acunthuridae Acanthurus gahn (Forskal, 1975» lower part 12-33 ++ M ~++ t:;,2. Anguillidae i. Aimguilla bicolor bicolor entire 0.5-34 ++ F,C ~ii. A. nebulosa nebulosa entire 0.5--34 ++ F,C ~'-::Macroncs guliop (H.Buchanan,. 1822)s3. Bagridae entire 0.5-34 ++ B,eF •..•6"I:l4. Balonidae Tylosurus strongylurus (Van hasselt) lower part 12-34 ++ M, eF&S [~5. Carangidae Caranx sansun (Forskal, 1975) lower 12-34 ++ M ~C. melampyqus (cuvier, 1833) lower 12-33 ++ M !--o6. Chanidae Chanos chanos (Forskal, 1775) lower 13-34 C,M,eB ~++ .,~I:l7. Cichlidae Etroplus suratensis (Bloch, 1785) middle and upper 0.5-18 ++ F, eBE. maculatus (Bloch, 1785) middle and upper 0.5-19 ++ BOreochromismosambicus(Bloch, 1785) middle and upper 0.5-19 ++ F, eB8. Clupeidae Macrura kelee(cuvicr, 1829) lower 10-34 ++ MTenualosa sinensis (Linnaeus, 1758) lower 10-34 - M ~Sardinella me/anura (Cuvier, 1829) lower 13-34 ++ M II>'"<i;.'"9. Cyprinidae Amb/ypharynaodon me/ettinus g(Velenciennes, I844) upper 0.5-8 - F ~Puntius filamentosus (Val, 1844) upper 0.5-8 - F, R&S <::>'"Labeo porcel/us lankae ::::.-~§.(Deraniyagala, 1952) upper 0.5-6 --- F, Rb •;;;.10. Cyprinodontidae Ap/ocheilus lineatus deyi ...•"'t~(Steindachner, 1982) upper 0.5-7 - F ~g11. Dorosomidae Nematalosa nasus (Bloch, 1795) lower and middle 8.0-18 - B t12. Dussumieridae Ehirava fluviatilia ~<::>(Deraniyagala, 1929) lower and middle 12-34 . ++ B, eS ::/ ..<::>:!E/ops machnata (Forskal, 1775)1=;.13. Elopidae lower 0.5-8.0 ++ B ~M eqalops cyprinoides "G<::>(Broussonet, 1782) upper 5.0-13 ++ B "'t,..•.§14. Gerridae Garreomorpha setifer ~(H. Buchanan, 1822) middle and upper 5-18 ++ B-----15. Gobiidae Awaous grammepomus (Bleeker,1849) middle and upper 5-18 M N-Glossoqobius qiuris(H. Buchanan, 1822) upper 0.58 ++ M,eL16. Hemirarnphidae Hyporhamphus qatmarbi ~(Val. 1846) lower and middle 8.34 ++ M,eL ~Hemirhamphus marqinatus~(Forskal,1775) middle and upper 5-18 ++ M, eL ~17. Latidae Lates calcarifer (Bloch,1790) lower and middle 8-34 ++ M~18. Leiognathidae Secutor ruconius (H. Buchanan, 1822) lower 18-34 ++ M ~S. insidiator (Bloch,1787) lower 18-34 - M ~L. splendens (Cuvier,1829) lower and middle 16-34 ++ M, eL ~L. daura (Cuvier,1829) Lower and middle 16-34 ++ M ~Gazzn minuta (Bloch,1787) lower 16-34 ++ M ;::SoL. smithursti ~(Ramsay and Ogilby,1886) lower 16-34 ++ M, eL s •~L. dussumieri (Val,1835) entire 0.5-34 ++ M, eL ~L. fasciatus (Lacepede, I803) lower and middle 12-34 ++ ML. brevirostris (Val,1835) entire 0.5-34 ++ M ~~19. Lutianidae Lutianus araentimaculatus ~(Forska, 1775) lower and middle 12-34 M, eL.,++ ~~20. Monodactylidae Monodactylus argenteus (Lin, 1758) lower and middle 12-34 ++ M21. Mugillidae Mugil cephalus (Lin,1758) lower and middle 0.5-34 ++ C, B, eF.Liza oligolepis (Bleeker, I859) entire 0.5-24 ++ C, M, eL22. M uraenesocidae Muraenesox cinereus (ForskaI,I775) entire 0.5-34 ++ B23. Ophichthydae Ophichthys rhytidodermatoides ~(Bleeker, 1852) upper 0.5-34 ++ M, eL ~'"24. Ophiocephalidae Ophiocephalus striatus (Bloch,1793) upper 0.5-8 ++ F, cL~.~25. Periophthalmidae Periophthalmus koelreuteri ~(Pallas, 1770) upper 0.5-11 ---. B, eMouth ~••-.26. Plectorhynchidae Gatarin schotaf (Forskal,1775) lower 18-34 M..•.--,-. c·-';:27. Scatophagidae Scatophagus argus (Lin, 1766) upper 0.5-11 ++ B 1::::128. Serranidae Epinephalus merra (Bloch,1793) lower 18-34 ++ M0;'-..•Sillaginidae Sal/ago sihama (Forskal,I775) lower ]8-34~29. ++ M, eL t:-.Soleidae Brachius orientalis (Bloch, 1801) lower~30. 15-34 ++ M, eL ';:Q31. Tachysuridae Tacliysurus caelatus (Val,1862) entire 0.5-34 ++ M, eL ';:!:o.Netuma thalasasimus (Ruppel,1835) lower and middle 11-34 ++ M, eL ~Pseudarius platystomus (Day,1975) lower and middle ]2-34 - M, eL s~32. Tetraodotidae Monotretus cutcutla(H.Buchanan,1822) middle and upper 0.5-12 F, eL~- ;::;.33. Theraponidae Austisthes puta (Cuvier,1829) lower 15-34 - M, eL ~'G~..•~M, Marine; D, Brackishwater; F, Freshwater; C, Catadromous; eF, enter Freshwater; eS, enter Streams; eB, enter Brackishwater;..,~R, Reservoir; S, Stream; eL, enter Lagoon; eMouth, enter Mouth, + + commercially impt.--to>114 J. Jinadasa, H. D. S. Jayantha and W. V. J. Perera4. General Comments:A total of 55 species of fish belonging to 33 families are present in theBolgoda Lagoon system which has an area of about 1500 ha. The majorityfish (90%) are either marine or brackish water species and are mostlyconfine to the nothern Bolgoda Lake, where the water is brakish during mostpart of the year. Nalinda (1988) had reported 33 species of fish belongingto 16 families from the Attidiya marsh which is situated around BolgodaLagoon. Eleven species of fishes reported in the present study are commonto the above marshes as well (Nalinda 1988). Therefore, the total numberof species of fish reported so far for the Bolgoda Lagoon and the Attidiyamarshes is sixty-seven belonging to 44 families. The above numbers arevery high when compared either with the total number of marine species offish around Sri Lanka or fresh water species of fish in Sri Lanka. there areabout 900 species of marine fish belonging to 150 families (Munro, 1954 ;Jinadasa, 1984; Jayanth, 1989) and 64 species of freshwater fishes (Senanayakeand Moyle, 1982).There are about 27 out of the above 55 species offish which arc migratory.Some of these are catadromous, viz. A. bicolor bicolor, A. nebu/osa nebu/osa,L. oligo/epis, M. eepha/us and C. ehanos.Other species such as L. sp/endens, L. smitjursti and L. duss imieri enterthe Lagoon and migrate in and out of the Lagoon (Jayanth, 1989). Therefore,barriers and traps constructed across the Lagoon affect their migration path-ways. Thus, the recruitment of these species to the Lagoon could be affected.According to Senanayake and Moyle (1982) the number of fresh waterfishes in Sri Lanka are declining due to seven reasons, of which urbanisation,land reclamation and application of chemicals and pesticides are taking placein the Bolgoda Lagoon area. Land reclamation had already taken about60 ha of marshy land from Attidiya which sustanined the above speices offish. The annual total fin and shell fish productions from the lagoon withan area of 28000 ha had varied from about 57 mt in 1979 to about 45 mt 1980.Thus a steady decline is evident. This could perhaps be attributed to pollutionand rise in cost of construction of traps.5. Acknowledgements :This research was funded out of a grant from the Natural Resources,Energy and Science Authority of Sri Lanka.Species Composition, Distribution and Economic Importance 1156. References:Fischer, W. and P.J.P. Whitehead (1940). FAO Identification sheets for fishery purposes,Eastern Idian Ocean (Fishery Area 57) and Western Central Pacific (Fishery Area 71)Vol. 2, FAO, RomeJayanth, H.D.S. (1989). The biology and the fishery of Bony fishes in the Bolgoda Lagoon,Sri Lanka. M.Phil. Thesis 289p. Library, University of Sri JayawardenepuraJinadasa, J. (1984) The age structure, maturity, fishery and the resources of seer (speciesscomberomorus) in the waters north of Negombo, Proc. Sri Lanka Adv.Sci. 40:55-56.Munro, I.S.R. (1955). The marine and fresh water fishes of Ceylon. Dept. of ExternalAffairs, Canberra. 351p.Nalinda, M.A.K. (1988). Checklist of the fishes (pisces) of the Bellanwila-Attidiya marshes.Young Zoologists Association, Occasional papers No.3:1-4Senanayake, F.R. and P.B. Moyle, (1982). Conservation of fresh fishes of Sri Lanka. Biolo-gical Conservation 22:181-195l.

Species composition, distribution and economic importance of fishes in the Bolgoda lagoon

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Species composition, distribution and economic importance of fishes in the Bolgoda lagoon

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