UTTAR PRADESH JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY

This study aimed to assess fish faunal diversity and conservation status in Tammileru Reservoir. The Tammileru River is a significant freshwater source for the Ramsar wetland Kolleru Lake and is connected to the Kolleru Lake ecosystem, which is crucial for diverse migratory and resident fish species. It primarily acts as a breeding and feeding ground for various fish species. A dam was constructed on the Tammileru River at Nagireddygudem village in Chintalapudi Mandal, and this reservoir was the principal study site, where fish species were collected. There are no fishermen regularly operating in this reservoir; fishing is carried out by part-time fishermen who employ gill nets, cast nets, and rod and line to supplement their income. Generally, local fishermen catch fish daily, but catches are higher on Saturdays for sale on Sundays. Field visits to the local fish market were conducted twice a month during the sample-collection period to document fish species diversity and record the morphometric measurements required for species identification. Fish diversity was characterised by orders such as Cypriniformes, Siluriformes, Perciformes, and Channiformes, comprising a mix of indigenous and commercial species. The dominant fish fauna in this river comprised Wallago attu, Channa marulius, Mystus spp., Chela sp., Ompok sp., Heteropneustes fossilis, Puntius spp., Etroplus spp., and Labeo spp. The transplanted carps, Labeo rohita, Cirrhinus mrigala, and Cyprinus carpio, appeared abundantly in catches. In the absence of regular stocking, wild populations are being exploited by fishermen.