What is SIS?
According to Rahman (1989), there are 260 species of freshwater indigenous fishes in Bangladesh. Among them, which grow to a size of 25 cm or 9 inches at mature or adult stage in their life cycle are known as Small Indigenous Species (SIS; Felts et al. 1996). However, people may argue over this definition as maximum size of several species (e.g. Puntius sarana, Clarias batrachus, Channa barca, Xenentodon cancila, Heteropneustes fossilis etc.) have been reported more than 25 cm in water bodies of Bangladesh.
Felts et al. (1996) included 45 fish species to the list of SIS including carps and minnows (18 species), catfishes (9 species), perches (9 species) and others . They also sub-categorized SIS into following three main groups-
- Species which reach to a maximum length up to 7.5 cm (3 inches).
- Species which reach to a maximum length up to 15 cm (9 inches).
- Species which reach to a maximum length up to 25 cm (12 inches).
Importance of SIS:
Fish is considered an easily digestible food item and rich source of animal protein. SIS species contains a huge amount of vitamin-A and vitamin-D which are essential for human bones, teeth, skin, and eyes. SIS also supply good amount of calcium, phosphorus, iron, iodine etc. These minerals are essential for developing body resistance against disease. Some SIS like punti (Puntius spp.) contains double the amount of iron compared to many aquacultured carps including silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) and rohu/rui (Labeo rohita); another SIS, mola (Amblypharyngodon mola) contains three times more calcium and fifty times higher vitamin-A than that of silver carp and rui (Villif and Jorgensen, 1993). Chemical composition of some SIS are shown in the following table-
| Name of SIS | Water (%) | Fat (%) | Protein (%) | Ash (%) | Calcium (mg/100 g) | Phosphorus (mg/100 g) | Iron (mg/100 g) |
| Anabas testudineus | 70.0 | 8.80 | 14.8 | 2.00 | 410 | 390 | 135 |
| Channa punctatus | 74.0 | 0.60 | 19.4 | 2.60 | 610 | 530 | 130 |
| Glossogobius giuris | 79.7 | 0.60 | 14.5 | 2.30 | 370 | 330 | 104 |
| Heteropneustes fossilis | 68.0 | 0.60 | 22.8 | 1.70 | 670 | 650 | 226 |
| Labeo bata | 79.0 | 2.48 | 14.3 | 2.00 | 79.0 | 200 | 1.09 |
| Notopterus notopterus | 73.0 | 1.00 | 19.8 | 2.50 | 590 | 450 | 169 |
| Oxygaster bacaila | 77.5 | 4.30 | 14.6 | 2.10 | 590 | 340 | 1.96 |
| Puntius sarana | 70.2 | 9.50 | 16.5 | 1.53 | 220 | 120 | 0.54 |
Ali (1997) listed 143 species of SIS in Bangladesh. Selected list of small indigenous fish species of Bangladesh is below in the table (maximum size are based on Bangladesh)-
|
Scientific name |
Bangla name |
Fishbase name | Max. size (cm) |
| Ailia coila | Kajuli, Baspata | Gangetic ailia | 16.3 (Hussain, 1999) |
|
Amblypharyngodon mola |
Mola, Moa |
Mola carplet | 9.20 (Hussain, 1999) |
|
Anabas testudineus |
Koi |
Climbing perch | 22.0 (Bhuiyan, 1964) |
| Aspidoparia morar | Pioly | – | 13.0 (Rahman, 2005) |
| Badis badis | Napit koi | Badis | 6.80 (Hussain, 1999) |
|
Botia dario |
Bou, Rani |
Bengal loach | 15.1 (Rahman, 2005) |
| Botia lohachata | Bou, Rani | Reticulate loach | 11.0 (Author) |
| Chanda nama | Nama chanda | Elongate glass-perchlet | 10.3 (Hussain, 1999) |
|
Chanda ranga |
Chanda |
Indian glassy fish | 8.70 (Hussain, 1999) |
| Channa orientalis | Gachua | Walking snakehead | 19.0 (Author) |
|
Channa punctatus |
Taki |
Spotted snakehead | 31.5 (Hussain, 1999) |
|
Clarias batrachus |
Magur |
Walking catfish | 37.9 (Hussain, 1999) |
| Colisa fasciata | Khalisa | Banded gourami | 10.0 (Rahman, 2005) |
| Colisa lalia | Lal khalisha | Dwarf gourami | 8.80 (Rahman, 2005) |
| Corica soborna | Kachki | Ganges river sprat | 4.50 (Author) |
| Danio devario | Chap chela | Dind danio | 10.6 (Hussain, 1999) |
| Esomus danricus | Darkina | Flying barb | 13.6 (Hussain, 1999) |
|
Glossogobius giuris |
Bele |
Tank goby | 29.2 (Rahman, 2005) |
|
Gudusia chapra |
Chapila |
Indian rivershad | 20.0 (Rahman, 2005) |
|
Heteropneustes fossilis |
Shingi |
Stinging catfish | 30.0 (Author) |
| Labeo bata | Bata | Bata | 29.0 (Rahman, 2005) |
| Lepidocephalus guntea | Gutum | Guntea loach | 10.4 (Author) |
|
Macrognathus aculeatus |
Tara Baim |
Lesser spiny eel | 32.7 (Hussain, 1999) |
| Mastacembelus pancalus | Guchi | Barred spiny eel | 15.8 (Author) |
|
Mystus tengara |
Tengra |
– | 7.00 (Bhuiyan, 1964) |
| Mystus vittatus | Tengra | Striped dwarf catfish | 11.7 (Rahman, 2005) |
|
Nandus nandus |
Meni |
Gangetic leaffish | 18.0 (Bhuiyan, 1964) |
|
Notopterus notopterus |
Pholi |
Bronze featherback | 35.5 (Rahman, 2005) |
|
Ompok pabda |
Pabda |
Pabdah catfish | 26.9 (Hussain, 1999) |
| Parambassis lala | Lal chanda | Highfin glassy perchlet | 3.20 (Author) |
| Puntius conchonius | Kanchan punti | Rosy barb | 9.90 (Rahman, 1989) |
| Puntius phutunio | Phutani punti | Spottedsail barb | 4.00 (Rahman, 2005) |
|
Puntius sarana |
Sarpunti |
Olive barb | 52.6 (Hussain, 1999) |
| Puntius sophore | Jat punti | Pool barb | 12.3 (Hussain, 1999) |
| Puntius ticto | Tit Punti | Ticto barb | 11.3 (Hussain, 1999) |
| Rohtee cotio | Dhela | – | 10.8 (Rahman, 2005) |
| Salmostoma bacaila | Chela | Large razorbelly minnow | 16.8 (Hussain, 1999) |
|
Salmostoma phulo |
Ful chela |
Finescale razorbelly minnow | 9.90 (Bhuiyan, 1964) |
|
Securicula gora |
Ghoro chela |
– | 24.5 (Rahman, 2005) |
|
Xenentodon cancila |
Kakila |
Freshwater garfish | 27.4 (Hussain, 1999) |
Present status of SIS in different water bodies of Bangladesh:
According to Hoq (2006), in the Chalan Beel, a total of 121 species of SIS are available including 41 riverine, 29 migratory, and 51 floodplain species. In the Padma River, this number is 119 consisting of 45 riverine, 25 migratory, and 44 floodplain species. In the Tanguar Haor, 123 SIS are recorded of which 33 riverine species, 29 migratory species, and 61 floodplain species. Hoq (2006) also recorded 145 SIS from Baraindra Tract region and a total of 129 SIS from Chittagong region.
However, many SIS may still available in different water bodies (e.g. beels, rivers, khals, haors, baors etc.) of Bangladesh but their existence is at stake. Due to indiscriminate exploitation of brood and young SIS using destructive fishing gears and methods leads SIS to a high level of risk of extinction. Although illegal but small meshed fishing nets are widely used throughout the country. Moreover, harvesting of fish by dewatering the particular portion or entire area of a water body makes the available stock more susceptible to extinction.
Reference:
Ali, M.Y. 1997. Small Indigenous Fish Species culture in Bangladesh, Proceedings of National Workshop on Small Indigenous fish culture in Bangladesh, IFADEP-SP 2, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Bhuiyan, A.L. 1964. Fishes of Dacca, Asiat. Soc. Pakistan, Pub. 1, No. 13, Dacca, pp. 1-148.
CSIR-India. 1962. Fish and Fisheries, Vol. IV, p. 132.
Felts, R.A., F. Fajts and M. Akteruzzaman. 1996. Small Indigenous Fish Species Culture in Bangladesh (Technical brief), IFADEP Sub Project 2, Development of Inland Fisheries, p. 41.
Hoq, Enamul. 2006. Bangladesher Chhoto Mach, Published by Graphic Sign, 8 GKMC Shah Road, Chhoto Bazar, Mymensingh 2200, p. 20.
Hussain, M.M. 1999. Fishes and Fisheries of the River Atrai in Rajshahi with Reference to its Limnology, Ph.D. thesis, Department of Zoology, University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh, pp. 5-200.
Rahman, A.K.A. 1989. Freshwater Fishes of Bangladesh, Zoological Society of Bangladesh, Department of Zoology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, pp. 1-285.
Rahman, A.K.A. 2005. Freshwater Fishes of Bangladesh, 2nd ed., Zoological Society of Bangladesh, Department of Zoology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, pp. 1-263.
Villif, A. and L.B. Jorgensen. 1993. Analysis of naeringgsstoffet I, in An Environmental Monitoring System for GOLDA Project: CARE-Bangladesh Interim Report.
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