Comparative Evaluation of Proximate Composition of Etroplus suratensis from Ecologically Different Areas of Ashtamudi Lake, Kerala

Muscle of fish is one of the best source of proteins, vitamins and minerals which are essential nutrients required for proper growth and maintenance of bodily functions. The widely different environmental conditions in which the fish live have profound influence on the biochemical composition of their tissues. Ashtamudi Lake contains a rich population of Etroplus, for the present study five areas exhibiting difference in environmental habitats were selected. No attempts have been made before to evaluate the nutritional quality and profiling of Etroplus species in Kerala especially Ashtamudi Lake. Therefore the present study was undertaken for a detailed account of the proximate composition, to evaluate the nutritional quality and also to understand whether the impact of environmental factors on the difference in palatability of individuals of same species obtained from different sites of the lake