The Jammu and Kashmir Lake Conservation and Management Authority (LCMA) found an alligator gar fish during routine cleaning of Dal Lake ahead of the G20 meeting in Srinagar. The large, carnivorous fish native to North America, with a potential length of up to eight feet, poses a significant threat to local fish species.
Government officials and scientists express alarm at the potential impact of the alligator gar on Dal Lake’s ecosystem. Shafeeqa Peer, a scientist with LCMA, emphasizes the fish’s predatory nature and its ban in certain parts of India, raising concerns about its threat to the natural species of Dal Lake.
The unexpected discovery has heightened fears of biodiversity disruption in Dal Lake, home to 17 distinct fish species vital for the livelihoods of 2,100 families. Local fishermen, known as “mahageers,” have witnessed a drastic decline in fish productivity, jeopardizing their traditional livelihoods.
Masood-ul-Hassan Balkhi, former dean of the faculty of fisheries at Sher-e-Kashmir University, expresses concern about the potential disruption to the lake’s ecology. LCMA, in collaboration with SKUAST’s Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, is launching an investigation into the appearance of the invasive gar fish.
Authorities are actively searching for the source of the fish and examining whether its presence is an isolated incident, an accident, or an intentional act. The Fisheries Department is treating the matter seriously, conducting a thorough investigation to determine the origins of the alligator gar in Dal Lake.
