Unraveling the seasonal, habitat, and dietary influences on the fatty acid quality of fishes of the Vembanad Kol Wetland, the largest RAMSAR region on the south-west coast of India

Abstract

Fishes have a vital role in providing nutritional security to a major share of the global population. However, the knowledge of the nutritional values of fish from the perspective of lipid quality in coastal waters of India is limited and thus it is difficult to provide information in perspective of their human health-promoting and prophylactic attributes. Hence, the nutritional quality of major economically harvestable fishes of the Vembanad Kol Wetland (VKW), the largest RAMSAR site on the west coast of India, was studied based on their lipid content and composition during dry and wet seasons. The high saline and plankton-rich environment of the dry season augmented their nutritional quality. Diverse habitat usages and feeding modes of different fishes influenced their essential fatty acid profiles. The study depicting the potential health and prophylactic benefits of VKW fishes will be beneficial in augmenting the nutritional and economic security of the inland population.