Katley declared as State Fish of Sikkim: All you need to know

The fisheries department of Sikkim has said that Sikkim Government has declared ‘Copper Mahseer’ locally named ‘Katley’ as the State Fish.

The official from the Fisheries department of the state said that the government has declared ‘Neolissochilus hexagonolepis’ commonly known as ‘Copper Mahseer’ and locally known as ‘Katley’ as a State Fish.

The decision to declare Kately as State Fish has been taken to highlight the significance of the fish and to emphasize its conservation measures. Katley Fish in Sikkim has a high market value and is also preferred by the public in the state.

The Government of #Sikkim has declared Neolissochilus Hexagonolepis, commonly known as Chocolate or Copper Mahseer and locally named as Katley as a State Fish of Sikkim. @Min_FAHD@FisheriesGoI @PSTamangGolay @LNSharmaSikkim pic.twitter.com/3KCg5obVOk

— sikkimgovtipr (@sikkimgovt) September 18, 2021

Katley Fish in Sikkim: Where is it found?

Katley fish or more commonly known as ‘Copper Mahseer’ in Sikkim is found in varied altitudes covering the entire state predominantly confined in Teesta and Rangit river and their tributaries.

Katley, in Sikkim, is one of the dominant fish species in the Teesta River which originates from the glaciers of the North.

Katley Fish declared endangered species

The Additional Director of the Directorate of Fisheries, C S rai informed that ICAR- National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources (ICAR-NBFGR), in 1992, had declared Katley Fish as an endangered species.

Later in 2014, the International Union for Conservation for Nature (IUCN) also categorized fish as an endangered species.

Katley Fish: What other countries it is found in?

Apart from India, Katley Fish is also found in Bangladesh, Nepal, Thailand, Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia, Bhutan, China, Vietnam, and Pakistan. Katley Fish can grow up to around 120 centimeters and can also weigh over 10 kilograms.

Reservoirs in Sikkim to be opened for fishing activities

The official of the Fisheries Department also informed that the Government of Sikkim has also announced that the reservoirs of the State will be opened for fishing activities.

The Directorate of Fisheries will issue the license to the interested individual fishermen or fishermen co-operative societies or SHGs for fishing in the reservoirs in accordance with the existing provisions under the Sikkim Fisheries Rules, 1990.

The reservoirs are in Legshep in West Sikkim, Chungthang in North Sikkim along with Dikchu and Rorathang in East Sikkim.