POPULATION STATUS AND BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF COMMON CARP, CYPRINUS CARPIO , IN MANGLA RESERVOIR (PAKISTAN)

Abstract

ABSTRACT Present study was aimed to investigate the age structure, growth parameters, natural and fishing mortality coefficients ofthe common carp (Cyprinus carpio) in Mangla reservoir, Pakistan. To assess the parameters and infer on the degree ofexploitation, the fork length frequency data were analyzed using the FISAT (ELEFAN I) computer program. Theparameters of the von Bertalanffy growth curve for length were L ∞ = 80.33 cm, K= 0.60 yr -1 , t o = -0.39 year andlongevity potential =5.0 years. The instantaneous coefficient of mortality of the population were estimated to be, totalmortality (Z)=1.22 years, natural mortality (M) = 0.89 and fishing mortality (F) = 0.33. The stock showed a growthperformance (o) value of 3.588. The current exploitation rate of the species was calculated as 0.27. The analysis ofrelative yield per recruitment, and relative biomass per recruitment showed that the maximum allowable exploitation rateat Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) for the common carp fishery in Mangla reservoir is 0.63 which is more than thecurrently observed exploitation rate. The results suggest that common carp stock in the reservoir is not overfished and iswithin safe exploitation limits. It is recommended that regular monitoring program for the stock should be in place andany proposal for a change in exploitation rate should be assessed according to the stock status at that point of time.Key words: Cyprinus carpio, population status, growth rate, large reservoir, Mangla reservoir, Pakistan .