Reassessment of the threatened status of iucn red listed indian river shad gudusia chapra (hamilton, 1822) from Bangladesh

Abstract

The Indian river shad, Gudusia chapra, locally known as chapila fish is rich in nutritive values
and important to artisanal and subsistence fisheries in Bangladesh. The conservation status of this
species is of particular interest due to its recent decline in rivers. To assess the current status of this
species in Bangladesh, we recorded its abundance at seven sites in the Padma, the Meghna and the
Tetulia rivers during pre-monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. In this study, G. chapra
was consistently recorded in the study area and there was no significant temporal or spatial
variation in its abundance. The observed mean length and weight of the species were similar to
those recorded in earlier studies. Currently, G. chapra is listed as vulnerable species in the IUCN
Red List of Threatened Species in Bangladesh. Although the primary known habitat of this species
is river, IUCN assessment was based on production from beel and Kaptai Lake habitats. In this
study, consistent occurrence and availability of the species across spatial and temporal scales in
rivers suggest the necessity to reassess the conservation status of G. chapra in the country.