Sign In
Learn bits
Science & Tech.
Mahesh

22/01/24 06:52 AM IST

Mosquitofish, used to fight mosquitoes, has become invasive in India

In News
  • In the last few months, various government and non-governmental organisations in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Punjab have released mosquitofish into local water bodies to address a mosquito menace that locals have complained about.
Mosquitofish
  • In the 1960s, such approaches – including introducing mosquitofish in freshwater ecosystems to feed on mosquito larvae – became prominent as alternatives to chemical solutions like pesticides, which were found to have dire adverse effects on both human health and the ecosystem.
  • The uptake of these alternatives increased in the 1980s and 1990s.
  • Among mosquito predators were two species of mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis and Gambusia holbrooki.
  • These species of mosquitofish originated in the U.S. but today have become global inhabitants.
  • They are notorious for their detrimental ecological impact, including displacing and preying on native fauna, leading to the extinction of native fish, amphibians, and various freshwater communities.
  • As such, Gambusia stands out as some of the most widely dispersed freshwater fish, aided by their robust adaptability and high tolerance for fluctuating environmental conditions.
Mosquitofish in India
  • The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), India’s nodal medical research organisation, plays a significant role in mosquito management in the country – particularly in the context of controlling mosquito-borne diseases and conducting research to develop effective strategies.
  • In 1928, Gambusia was first introduced in India during British rule.
  • The idea of this scheme was that the newly introduced species would prey on or compete with mosquito larvae, reducing the latter’s population.
  • The government also entrusted several municipal corporations, district administrations (and their health departments), fisheries departments, tribal development agencies, local aquaculturists, and the general public with introducing these fish across India.
  • The strategy was well-intentioned but it backfired, leading to severe ecological and environmental problems.
Effects
  • For example, in Australia, introduced mosquitofish have led to the local extinction of the red-finned blue-eye (Scaturiginichthys vermeilipinnis), an endemic fish species.
  • They have also been observed preying on the eggs and larvae of native fish and frogs.
  • A study from New Zealand highlighted the threat posed by Gambusia to their native aquatic biodiversity. In India, some reports have indicated a decline in Microhyla tadpoles following the introduction of Gambusia.
  • For these reasons, the World Health Organisation stopped recommending Gambusia as a mosquito control agent in 1982.
  • In 2018, the National Biodiversity Authority of the Government of India also designatedG. affinis and G. holbrooki as invasive alien species.
  • But both government and non-governmental organisations in India have continued to introduce these species for mosquito-control.
How to control ?
  • Stringent enforcement measures are crucial to prevent the species from continuing to be introduced to freshwater ecosystems and to manage the consequences of past introductions.
  • Both also include the task of safeguarding our indigenous aquatic biodiversity and the well-being of native species.
  • For effective mosquito control, alternatives to Gambusia should come from local solutions.
  • Experts have suggested a collaboration between mosquito biologists/entomologists, invasion ecologists, and fish taxonomists, with a focus on river basins.
  • Together, they can compile lists of native fish species in each basin that are capable of controlling mosquito larvae.
  • Then, based on these lists, authorities can release the relevant species into the natural environment, sidestepping the risk of ecological repercussions posed by invasive alien species.
Source- The Hindu

More Related Current Affairs View All

05 Aug

ICJ ruling means for the Kyoto Protocol

'The ICJ has  emphasised the significance of the totality of the climate regime, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Kyoto Protoc

Read More

05 Aug

NASA-ISRO NISAR satellite

'NISAR was built in collaboration with  the US and India under a partnership agreement signed in 2014, and is set to launch from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh,

Read More

05 Aug

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)

'In a note that police found in his wallet, the gunman who killed four people in New York on Monday claimed he had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) — a result of playin

Read More

India’s First Ai-Driven Magazine Generator

Generate Your Custom Current Affairs Magazine using our AI in just 3 steps