Ruler Marine: Mrigal
About Mrigal
The mrigal carp (Cirrhinus cirrhosus), (Bengali: মৃগেল, romanized: mrigél) also known as the white carp, is a species of ray-finned fish in the carp family. Native to streams and rivers in India, the only surviving wild population is in the Cauvery River, leading to its IUCN rating as vulnerable. It is widely aqua farmed and introduced populations exist outside its native range. It reaches a maximum length of 1 m (3.3 ft). This species and Cirrhinus mrigala are considered distinct.
Aquaculture
Mrigal is popular as a food fish and an important aquacultured freshwater species throughout South Asia. It is widely farmed as a component of a polyculture system of three Indian major carps, along with roho labeo and the catla. The introduction to aquaculture across India started in the early 1940s and in the 1950s and in the 1960s to other Asian countries. The mrigal carp fails to breed naturally in ponds, thus induced breeding is done.
