The 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.Recently, fishermen from the state demanded that the government take decisive action to save silver pomfret which is under threat from mechanised fishing.
Due to its popularity, fishing of silver pomfret is taking place prematurely, the fishermen alleged. Fishermen’s associations claimed that in the past few years, the quantity of silver pomfret in the coastal waters has declined drastically. Given the dwindling numbers of silver pomfret, fully grown fish of the species is difficult to catch, they said. The reason silver pomfret is so popular in coastal Maharashtrian cuisine is its taste and ease of cooking; when cooked properly, it has a soft, buttery taste. Against this backdrop, the government’s decision is expected to protect the species and increase its catch in the state.Maharashtra already has mango as the state fruit, giant squirrel as the state animal, Jarul as the state flower, and yellow-footed green pigeon as the state bird.