International Science Community Association International Research Journal of Biological Sciences 2278-3202 7 7 2018 07 10 Review on freshwater fish diversity of Northern West Bengal, India: status, threats and conservation measures 39 51 EN Joshi Kinjal 1 Gujarat Ecological Education & Research (GEER) Foundation, Gandhinagar-382007, Gujarat, India Tatu Ketan 2 Gujarat Ecological Education & Research (GEER) Foundation, Gandhinagar-382007, Gujarat, India Kamboj R.D. 3 Gujarat Ecological Education & Research (GEER) Foundation, Gandhinagar-382007, Gujarat, India Ali Md. Romjan 1 Department of Zoology, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka-1342, Bangladesh Kamrujjaman Md. 2 Department of Zoology, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka-1342, Bangladesh . Akash 1 Gurukula Kangri University, Haridwar, Uttarakhand-249401, India . Navneet 2 Gurukula Kangri University, Haridwar, Uttarakhand-249401, India Bhandari B.S. 3 H.N.B. Garhwal University; Shrinagar, Uttarakhand-246174, India Singh Ayam Victor 1 Rajiv Gandhi University, Department of Botany, Rono Hills, Doimukh-791112, Arunachal Pradesh, India Tripathi Jaya 1 Department of Zoology, Iswar Saran P G College, University of Allahabad, Allahabad -211004, India Agrawal Uma Rani 2 Department of Zoology, CMP P.G. College, University of Allahabad, Allahabad-211002, India Tripathi Manisha 3 Department of Zoology, SPM Degree College, University of Allahabad, Allahabad-211002, India Chakraborty Souraditya 1 University of North Bengal, Raja Rammohunpur, Dist Darjeeling, West Bengal-734013, India > Review Paper 2018 4 3 2018 07 10 Fishes are the most diverse group of vertebrates and the most important aquatic fauna, directly or indirectly related to human well-being. West Bengal is a Nadimatrik state i.e., land nourished by rivers with a total freshwater area stretching about 272380 ha area. However, despite the huge water resource, the knowledge of fish diversity is very inadequate, especially in northern part of West Bengal, known as North Bengal. This dearth of information on ichthyofauna is a big obstacle for promoting, resurrecting and conserving the fish variety present in the variety of freshwater habitats present here. This review is an attempt to provide a systematic catalog of fish species recorded so far in this area, along with their local names, economic importance and conservation status. Attempt has also been made to enlist the possible threats to survival of these fish varieties and their conservation strategies. As many as 177 species of freshwater fishes, belonging to 31 families have been found to be recorded in various freshwater habitats in this area. Copyright@ International Science Community Association