Assessment of fish biodiversityin the Padma river fromFarakka Barragepoint to the Shampur Nagar Ghat, Rajshahi, Bangladesh

Abstract

The Padmariver starts from the Himalayas and enters into Bangladesh through the district of ChapaiNawabganj. Farakkabarrage has resulted in a significant alteration in the richness of fish in thisriver. We assessed the fish biodiversity of the Padma river through river and local market visit. The current investigation yielded a total of 37 fish species, divided into 9 orders and 17 families. The highest number of fish belongs to order Cypriniformes (43%) followed bySiluriformes (19%), Perciformes (16%), Clupiformes (11%); whereas the threatened fish species encountered 35% (Vulnerable 8%, Endangered 24% and Critically Endangered 3%), based on IUCN Bangladesh (2015) criteria. The obtained result argued that the abundance of fish biodiversity at the Padma river is sharply declining and many fish species is now under threat due to anthropological effect.