Qualitative Study of Fin Fish and Shell Fish Fauna of Thane Creek and Ulhas River Estuary

 An attempt has been made to obtain the comparative finfish & Shellfish fauna qualitatively from the Thane creek and Ulhas river estuary during Nov. 2001 to Oct. 2002 dividing each of these two coastal water bodies into three zones (Riverine zone I, Middle zone II, Seaward zone III). Although the total no. of species found in the Thane creek was high (67 spp.) as compared to Ulhas river estuary (58 spp.), the upper zones (I & II) of the former and zone I of the later contain very low diversity of fish fauna. The salinity trend of zone –I of Thane Creek is fairly nearer to zone –II of Ulhas River Estuary but there is considerable difference in the fishery composition. It seems that various human activities like industrial effluents, domestic waste disposal, reclamation, sand dredging and eradication of mangrove flora have deteriorated these dynamic habitats causing  decline in their fin fish & shell fish fauna during last two decades. It has been observed that the mudskippers, prawns have been completely eradicated from the entire stretch of the Thane creek due to heavy industrial & domestic waste disposal although there is fairly good mangrove vegetation along its west bank. Incase of Ulhas river estuary, the sand dredging, occurring on its southern bank has forced the bottom dwellers like mudskippers, prawns & crabs to shift towards northern bank in zone II and III.