National Fish Museum and Repository: Lighthouse for Ichthyodiversity Research and Sustainable Management

ICAR- National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources (NBFGR), recognized as the nodal repository agency for transferring fish resources has strengthened this program by establishing the National Fish Museum and Repository which integrates different collections like vouchers, tissue, DNA, bacteria, cell lines, fish milt etc, and provides valuable access to researchers ensuring wide dissemination for the benefit of stakeholders. The facility currently holds more than 1500 voucher specimens of finfishes and 350 voucher specimens of mollusc species that serve as a permanent reference for the organism. The type specimens of newly discovered fish species of India deposited by taxonomists nationwide are maintained in a separate section. A full-fledged radiography unit and interpretation centre showcasing the scale models of state fish of the country is a major attraction of the facility. Models of the popular crafts, nets, and other indigenous gear used by fishermen across India are also displayed. The museum also houses more than 19,000 tissue accessions of prioritized fish species which can be used for retrieval of genetic information. The facility also holds a cryomilt repository, microbial repository, and cell line repository; all of which help to protect and retrieve endangered and commercially important fish species. Through this initiative, ICAR-NBFGR aims to be the nation’s one-stop service for the conservation of fish biodiversity with a vision of digitized museum collections and world-class repositories to increase their accessibility and reachability for education and academic purposes.