Review on biology and culture potential of Notopterus notopterus (Pallas, 1769)

Notopterus notopterus (Pallas, 1769), popularly known as bronze featherback, is a commercially important table fish due to its high nutritional resources. It has also been considered as a potent candidate for the ornamental fish industry. It is a predominant species of tropical South-East Asia. Due to overexploitation, habitat destruction, pollution and other anthropogenic stresses, the population of this fish species are under threat and it has been categorized under lower risk near threatened and vulnerable categories in India and Bangladesh, respectively. Conservation of any fish species can be successfully done by a large-scale culture which ensures the supply as well as reduces the pressure on natural stock. The successful culture of a new candidate species needs proper knowledge on its feeding and reproductive biology. This review has been focused to consolidate the information on morphological characteristics, feeding and reproductive biology, and culture of bronze featherback and identifying the scope of future research to support its fishery and conservation.