Fish of Mongolia

Biological data

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 regis-tered 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