After Decades, Hilsa Returns to the Upper Ganga: A Remarkable Story of River Restoration and Ecological Resilience | ICARFor decades, the iconic...
Published by Water Network Research, Official research team of The Water Network
After Decades, Hilsa Returns to the Upper Ganga: A Remarkable Story of River Restoration and Ecological Resilience | ICAR
For decades, the iconic Hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha) had virtually disappeared from the middle and upper stretches of the River Ganga. Once a familiar migratory species that travelled from the Bay of Bengal deep into the river system, its upstream journey was severely disrupted following the commissioning of the Farakka Barrage in 1975. The resulting decline was not merely a loss of a fish species it also signalled a disruption in riverine ecology and affected the traditional livelihoods of fishing communities dependent on Hilsa.
Today, that story is beginning to change.
The recent appearance of Hilsa near Tanda Khurd village in Chandauli district, Uttar Pradesh, after remaining virtually absent from the upstream reaches for several decades, marks a significant milestone in India’s efforts towards river restoration, aquatic biodiversity conservation and livelihood security. It is compelling field evidence that with sustained scientific intervention, institutional commitment and community participation, even species that were once considered locally lost can begin to reclaim their historical habitats.
When a Migratory Journey Was Interrupted
Historically, Hilsa undertook a remarkable long-distance migration from the Bay of Bengal through the Ganga system, reaching as far upstream as Varanasi, Prayagraj and beyond. However, the commissioning of the Farakka Barrage in 1975 severely disrupted this migratory pathway, contributing to a drastic decline in Hilsa populations in the middle and upper Ganga. The ecological consequences were accompanied by economic impacts for riverine fishing communities whose livelihoods were closely linked to this highly valued fish.
Recognising the ecological, nutritional, cultural and livelihood significance of Hilsa, ICAR–Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore, in collaboration with the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), initiated a long-term scientific programme aimed at restoring Hilsa fisheries in the Ganga. The initiative marked an important shift in the understanding of river rejuvenation—from focusing solely on water quality to embracing biodiversity restoration, fisheries productivity and the livelihoods of communities living along the river.
Science Meets the River
Restoring a migratory fish to a river system where its movement had been disrupted required more than simply releasing fish. ICAR-CIFRI adopted an integrated restoration strategy combining river ranching, stock enhancement, artificial breeding, release of fertilized eggs and hatchery-produced spawn, tagging and post-release monitoring, along with the participation of stakeholders and fisher communities.
Between 2019 and June 2026, the scale of these interventions grew substantially. More than 3.85 lakh juvenile and adult Hilsa were ranched, while over 40 lakh fertilized eggs and approximately 9.4 lakh hatchery-produced Hilsa spawn, aged 2–6 days, were released upstream of the Farakka Barrage. Tagging and systematic monitoring were undertaken to understand the fish’s migration, survival and movement patterns following release. Earlier tagging studies had already demonstrated the significant migratory capacity of Hilsa in the Ganga, providing valuable scientific evidence to guide restoration planning.
The objective was clear: not merely to increase fish numbers, but to create the conditions under which Hilsa could once again move through the Ganga and gradually re-establish itself within its historical range.
For decades, the iconic Hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha) had virtually disappeared from the middle and upper stretches of the River Ganga. Once a familiar migratory species that travelled from the Bay of Bengal deep into the river system, its upstream journey was severely disrupted following the commissioning of the Farakka Barrage in 1975. The resulting decline was not merely a loss of a fish species it also signalled a disruption in riverine ecology and affected the traditional livelihoods of fishing communities dependent on Hilsa.
Today, that story is beginning to change.
The recent appearance of Hilsa near Tanda Khurd village in Chandauli district, Uttar Pradesh, after remaining virtually absent from the upstream reaches for several decades, marks a significant milestone in India’s efforts towards river restoration, aquatic biodiversity conservation and livelihood security. It is compelling field evidence that with sustained scientific intervention, institutional commitment and community participation, even species that were once considered locally lost can begin to reclaim their historical habitats.
When a Migratory Journey Was Interrupted
Historically, Hilsa undertook a remarkable long-distance migration from the Bay of Bengal through the Ganga system, reaching as far upstream as Varanasi, Prayagraj and beyond. However, the commissioning of the Farakka Barrage in 1975 severely disrupted this migratory pathway, contributing to a drastic decline in Hilsa populations in the middle and upper Ganga. The ecological consequences were accompanied by economic impacts for riverine fishing communities whose livelihoods were closely linked to this highly valued fish.
Recognising the ecological, nutritional, cultural and livelihood significance of Hilsa, ICAR–Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore, in collaboration with the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), initiated a long-term scientific programme aimed at restoring Hilsa fisheries in the Ganga. The initiative marked an important shift in the understanding of river rejuvenation—from focusing solely on water quality to embracing biodiversity restoration, fisheries productivity and the livelihoods of communities living along the river.
Science Meets the River
Restoring a migratory fish to a river system where its movement had been disrupted required more than simply releasing fish. ICAR-CIFRI adopted an integrated restoration strategy combining river ranching, stock enhancement, artificial breeding, release of fertilized eggs and hatchery-produced spawn, tagging and post-release monitoring, along with the participation of stakeholders and fisher communities.
Between 2019 and June 2026, the scale of these interventions grew substantially. More than 3.85 lakh juvenile and adult Hilsa were ranched, while over 40 lakh fertilized eggs and approximately 9.4 lakh hatchery-produced Hilsa spawn, aged 2–6 days, were released upstream of the Farakka Barrage. Tagging and systematic monitoring were undertaken to understand the fish’s migration, survival and movement patterns following release. Earlier tagging studies had already demonstrated the significant migratory capacity of Hilsa in the Ganga, providing valuable scientific evidence to guide restoration planning.
The objective was clear: not merely to increase fish numbers, but to create the conditions under which Hilsa could once again move through the Ganga and gradually re-establish itself within its historical range.
Tags
- Research
- Fisheries
- River Studies
- Restoration
- River Restoration
- flood restoration