Indigenous Small Fish (ISFs) Diversity of the Northeast Region of India and Its Economic Importance

The Northeast region of India is recognized as one of the “hot spots” of the globe for freshwater fish biodiversity. The region is blessed with diverse and enormous freshwater resources inhabited by 422 freshwater fish species belonging to 133 genera and 38 families. The region has the richest biodiversity of small indigenous small fish (ISFs) species in the country comprising of 348 species belonging to 31 families, representing around 82.5% of the total fish diversity of the region. The family Cyprinidae includes the highest number of ISFs recorded so far (115 species) from the region, followed by the family Balitoridae (48 species) and Sisoridae (46 species). A total of 228 ISFs (65.5%) are enlisted as economically important for having ornamental value, 71 species as important food fish, and 50 species as having both food and ornamental value. Several ISFs available in the region are known to have medicinal or therapeutic value and are traditionally used in different ailments by the ethnic communities of different parts of the region. This chapter highlights the ISF diversity of the NE region of India with economic importance and scope for ISF-based entrepreneurship development in the region.