To Assessment of the Population Dynamics of Cirrhinus Mrigala from the Indus River: Addressing the Public Health Concerns

Abstract

Cirrhinus mrigala (Mrigala carp) is one of the major carp species widely distributed in the Indus River system and holds high economic and ecological importance in Pakistan. The present study examined the population dynamics of Cirrhinus mrigala in the Chashma Barrage section of the Indus River crossing Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The fish samples were obtained from the local fishermen using gill nets, cast nets, and purse nets of varying mesh size during monthly field surveys from November 2025 to April 2026. Total length and body weight were obtained using the standard fisheries biology method. To assess the status of the population, the following population parameters were analyzed: length-weight relationship, growth pattern, mortality rates, recruitment pattern, and exploitation level. The pooled sample had a large variation in length and weight, suggesting that there are several classes of the population size. The length-weight relationship showed positive allometric growth (b > 3), implying the weight of fish increased at a greater rate as compared to length. Fish stock exploitation rate and mortality rate analyses showed that the fish stock in the study area is in a moderate stage of exploitation and still sustainable. The recruitment pattern revealed a fairly regular addition to the population with the highest recruitment rate in the monsoon season. The results obtained in the present study suggest that the fish community of Cirrhinus mrigala in the Chashma Barrage region of the River Indus is fairly stable with a sound population structure.