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ICAR-CIFRI successfully organised training on Inland Fish Taxonomy and Biodiversity Assessment, 12-18 December 2024

19^th December, 2024
The inland capture fisheries data has always been impaired by the ‘taxonomic impediment’ arising out of the shortage in taxonomic expertise, taxonomic collections, field guides and other identification tools as well as the difficulty in accessing the existing taxonomic literature. The ICAR–CIFRI organized seven days training on “Inland Fish Taxonomy and Biodiversity Assessment” during 12-18 December 2024 to address this research constraints that hampers the fish biodiversity research in Indian inland waters. Eleven participants attended the training, comprising three M.F.Sc. students and two Ph.D. candidates from the West Bengal University of Fisheries and Animal Sciences, two M.Sc. students from the Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University in Jhansi, two technical assistants from ICAR-CIFRI in Barrackpore, and one research scholar each from Netaji Subhash Open University and the NMCG Project.

Dr. B.K. Das, Director of ICAR-CIFRI in Barrackpore, interacted with the participants and highlighted the necessity of monitoring inland fish diversity for the sustainable management of these resources, given the paucity of information regarding the population status of most exploited fishery resources. The training addressed a diverse array of subjects presented by proficient scientists from ICAR-CIFRI and renowned experts from research institutions such as the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI, Kolkata), Central Island Agricultural Research Institute (CIARI, Port Blair), and the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (Berlin, Germany).

The training course curriculum included most relevant subjects such as basic taxonomy of fishes and prawns in Indian inland waters, molecular techniques for fish identification, fish photography and Photoshop methods, truss morphometry, risk assessment of invasive alien species, and habitat fingerprinting. The trainees gained practical experience in multivariate ecological analysis using PRIMER and other software, including R, PAST, and the Aquatic Species Invasiveness Screening Kit (AS-ISK).

The training program culminated with the official publication of a manual entitled “Training Manual on Inland Fish Taxonomy and Biodiversity Assessment” by Director-in-Charge, Dr. S. Samanta, during the valedictory session on December 18th. The participants exhibited enthusiasm and involvement throughout the theoretical and practical sessions, and expressed their satisfaction upon the conclusion of the programme.