Mrigal carp

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. It was introduced by aquaculture across India started in the early 1940s, and later to other Asian countries. The mrigal carp fails to breed naturally in ponds, thus induced breeding is done.

The Indian carps are considered as a delicacy compared to other exotic carp species also cultured in Asia, and sell for higher prices. Reported annual aquafarming production numbers of mrigal carp since the early 1990s have varied between 250,000 and 550,000 tonnes, with no clear trend. India and Bangladesh are the largest producers. In Pakistan, this fish is known as morakhi or moree. In Nepal it is called naini.

The Mrigal carp was brought to Guangdong province in southern China for aquaculture, but it is now considered an invasive species in the Pearl River basin.