Maharashtra government on Tuesday declared the silver pomfret as the state fish amid reports of its declining numbers in the region.
The state government’s move will enable the department to work towards the conservation of the fish, locally known as paplet or sarangi. Silver Pomfret is mainly found in the coastal areas of Maharashtra and Gujarat and is highly popular among seafood lovers.
The state forest and fisheries department issued a government resolution (GR) declaring the silver pomfret as the state fish. The GR quoted a report by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which stated that the population and catch of the silver pomfret is declining in Maharashtra. The instructions for conserving and protecting the silver pomfret will be issued separately, it stated.