Fishes in Mongolia

Mongolia is a landlocked country and is situated in the Center of the Asian continent. So there are only fishes of river and lake variet­ies in the country. Mongolian rivers and lakes are classified into three basins: Arctic Ocean, Pacific Ocean and Central Asia. Animals in each basin create a specific composition. There are 75 species of fish, belong­ing to 36 genera and 11 families liv­ing in the Mongolian water basin. As researchers determined, up to 700 tones of fish could be taken ev­ery year from Mongolia’s lakes and rivers at present. According to the Environment Ministry report, since 2000, the fishing quota has decreased year by year. For instance, 322 tons of fish in 2001 and 250 tons in 2002 were allowed.
“The Mongolian Law on Hunt­ing” adopted in 1995, supported by other laws and regulations, has played an important role in the development of fish cultures, and the conservation of fish species in this country. According to the pro­visions of this law, the Amur Sturgeon Acipenser shrenki and Sibe­rian or Baikal Sturgeon Acipenser Baeri are listed as protected and the Glass ( Chinese ) Carp Ctenogharyngodon idella, Silver Carp Hypophthalmicthys molitrix, and Tench Tinea tinea, are regis­tered as endangered. In addition 6 species of fish have been in­cluded in the Mongolian Red Book and necessary measures have been taken to conserve these spe­cies. In order to preserve the fish stocks on a larger scale and to main­tain favourable conditions for their breeding, several lakes, such as the Khuvsgul, Uvs, Terkhiin Tsagaan, Dayan, Khoton, Khar Us lakes and some important parts of rivers have been categorised as protected areas.

Coregonus Peled
Family Salmonidae (Salmonids), subfamily: Coregoninae
Class Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Size 37-60.0 cm TL, max published weight, 0.8-4.5 kg
Range Hangai Mountain Range , “Naiman nuur” formed of 8 lakes such as Shireet, Mukhar, Khaliut, Duruu, Bugat, Haya, Shanaa, Khuis.
Spawn One female 29-98.1 thous. roe

Culter Alburnus
Family Cyprinidae (Minnows or carps)
Class Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Size 23,1-36,9 cm TL, weight 0,12-0,69 kg
Range Buir lake
Spawn One female: 18627-89356 roe
Propagate season From beggining half of June to end of July

Tinca Tinca
Family Cyprinidae (Minnows or carps)
Class Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Size average TL-30 cm, weight-0.9kg
Range Hovd province, Bulgan river
Propagate season from May to June

Lampetra
Family Petromyzontidae
Class Cephalaspidomorphi
Size Max TL-20 cm
Range Onon. Barkh, Khurkh rivers

Cyprinus Carpio- Haematopterus
Family Cyprinidae (Minnows or carps)
Class Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Size 25-60 cm TL, weight 0.5-5 kg
Range Buir,Ogii lakes, Orshuun, Khalkh, Kherlen, Onon, Selenge, Orkhon rivers
Propagate season from between May to end of July

Hypophthalmichthys Molitrix
Family Cyprinidae (Minnows or carps)
Class Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Size 90 cm TL, max weight 45kg
Range Buir lake, Khalkh river
Propagate season from end of April to June
Spawn average 393580 roe

Lota Lota
Family Lotidae (Hakes and burbots)
Class Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Size 32-65 cm TL,50.5-3.5 kg weight
Range Selenge, Onon rivers, Khuvsgul, Ogii, Buir lakes
Spawn One female- 33000- 5 million roe
Propagate season From the end of December to February

Carassius Auratus
Family Cyprinidae (Minnows or carps)
Class Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Size 59 cm TL, weight 3 kg
Range Buir , Ogii lakes

Perca Fluviatilis
Family Percidae (Perches)
Class Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Size published TL 23.2-35.0cm , Weight 100-850g
Range Selenge, Bulgan rivers, Ogii Khuvsgul lakes
Propagate season begining of May to between of June
Spawn One female 10.2-67.7 thous. roe

Parasilurus Asotus
Family Siluridae (Sheatfishes)
Class Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Size TL 40-70 cm , weight 0.36-5.2 kg
Range Buir, Orshuun, Kherlen, Khalkh,Onon, Orkhon, Tuul rivers, Ogii Lake
Spawn One female 20296-92745 roe
Propagate season from the end of May to end of July

Esocidae
Family Esocidae – Pikes
Class Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes
Size 42.5-98.0 cm TL, 0.9-12 kg
Spawn 60 thous roe
Propagate season from end of April to end of May

Oreoleuciscus
Family Cyprinidae (Minnows or carps)
Class Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Size 30-120cm TL, weight 0.3-9kg
Range Great lake’s & Gobi lake’s lowlands, Khangai level hill’s lakes, Altai lakes

Leuciscus Idus
Family Cyprinidae (Minnows or carps)
Class Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Size 36.5-49.6cmTL, 0.8-1.5kg W
Range Ogii lake

Coregonus Albula
Family Salmonidae (Salmonids), subfamily: Coregoninae
Class Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Size 8.7cm TL, 7g W
Range Khovd river

Thymallus Brevirostris
Family Salmonidae (Salmonids), subfamily: Thymallinae
Class Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Size 35-50cm TL, 0,5-2,0kg W
Range Khovd, Buyant, Shiver, Bukhmoron, Kharig, Chingestei, Bogd, Yaruu, Baidrag rivers, Achit, Tolbo, Khongor, Ulun, Khar, Khar-Us, Airag lakes

Hucho Taimen
Family Salmonidae (Salmonids), subfamily: Salmoninae
Class Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Size Max size: 100-170cm TL, 30-48kg W
Range Terkhiin Tsagaan, Buir, Darkhadiin lowland’s lakes, Shishgid, Yuruu, Onon, Balji, Kherlen, Khalkh rivers
Spawn One female 15 thous roe

Brachymystax Lenok
Family Salmonidae (Salmonids), subfamily: Salmoninae
Class Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Size 35-40cm TL, 0.8-4kg W
Range Khuvsgul, Darkhadin Lowland, Ogii & Selenge river’s splites, Buir lake, Khalkh, Orshuun, Kherlen, Onon rivers
Spawn One female 3-7 thous roe

Coregonus Lavaretus Pidschlan
Family Salmonidae (Salmonids), subfamily: Coregoninae
Class Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Size 24-28cm TL, 0,3kg (3-6 year)
Range Darkhadin lowland, Sharga river, Dood-Shishged, Tengis river
Spawn One female 2448-33372 roe
Propagate season from end of September to middle of October

Coregonus Autumnalis Migratorius
Family Salmonidae
Class Actinopterygii
Size 53cm TL, 2,6kg W
Range Khuvsgul lake

Rutilus Lacustris
Family Minnows and carps (Cyprinidae)
Class Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)
Size 21,0-38,0cm TL
Range Selenge river, Ogii, Terkhiin Tsagaan lake
Spawn One female 6510-32000 roe

Acipenser Baerii Baicalensis
Family Acipenseridae (Sturgeons), subfamily: Acipenserinae
Class Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Size Max size 120cm TL
Range Selenge , Orkhon, Tuul rivers
Spawn One female 3.08-11.0 kg roe
Propagate season from May to June

Ctenopharyngodon Idella
Family Cyprinidae (Minnows or carps)
Class Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Size 50-80cm TL, 2.8-9.0kg W
Range Buir lake

Thymallus Arcticus
Family Salmonidae (Salmonids), subfamily: Thymallinae
Class Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Size Max -72cm TL, 3kg W
Range Selenge river, Darkhadiin lowland, Khuvsgul, Terkhiin Tsagaan, Ogii lakes
Spawn One female 5-10 thousand roe