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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

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