Proceedings of the 13 th Symposium of the Malaysian Society of Applied Biology 2014 Cherating, Pahang, Malaysia, 8-10 June 2014 Article ID 2014016 FISH COMMUNITY IN THE LAKE OF TASIK CHINI BIOSPHERE RESERVE, PEKAN, PAHANG MOHD HAFIFI HASHIM 1, 2 MUSHRIFAH IDRIS 1,2 , AHMAD ISMAIL 1 and SYAHMIN AIMAN 1, 2 1 School of Environment and Natural Resources, Faculty Science &Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia 2 Tasik Chini Research Centre, Faculty Science & Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia Email: hafifihashim282@gmail.com ABSTRACT Fish community plays an important role in balancing the ecosystem in the lake. A study of species diversity of fish community was carried out in the lake of Tasik Chini Biosphere Reserve, Pekan, Pahang. Fish sampling at seven stations was conducted monthly from September 2013 to Februray 2014 using gill nets and fish traps. A total of 493 fishes consists 21 species were collected in this study. The most abundant fish species collected were Notopterus notopterus (20.28 %), followed by Labiobarbus festiva (16.43 %) and Osteochilus hasselti (16.22 %). The other species identified in this study were Pristolepsis fasciatus (10.75 %), Labiobarbus ocellatus (9.73%), Thynnichthys thynnoides (5.07%), Hampala macrolepidota (3.85%), Hemibagrus nemurus (3.24%). Most of the species found in this study were similarly reported in other studies in Tasik Chini. The Shannon index showing the fish diversity are 2.34, Pielou’s Evennes index are 0.76 and Margalef’s species Richness index are 3.38. The results of this study will be useful in contributing towards the management and conservation of Tasik Chini for sustainable manner for future generations. INTRODUCTION Tasik Chini is located in Mukim Penyor, Pekan, in the southeast region of Pahang. Tasik Chini is the second largest natural lake in Malaysia and it was established as Tasik Chini Rizab Biosfera (TCRB) in 2008 by UNESCO. The lake water-shed covers a lush tropical logged forest covering an area of 4975 ha including rivers and streams feed the lake. The area of the lake fluactuate between 150-350 ha due to flood especially during the raining season which is between October to November (Chong, 2001). The lakes comprises 12 interconnected open water bodies called as “laut” by the local Orang Asli communities and are linked to Pahang river by Chini river. Fish community is important in balancing the ecosystem of a lake. Research carried out by Chong et al., (2010), indicated that there are 521 freshwater fish species found in freshwater ecosystem in Malaysia. According to Khan (1996), lake can sustain 47 species from 17 families. Lately, massive development due to mining, plantation around the lake and effect of weirs built across Chini River had influenced the fish diversity in the lake. It is important to know the fish species diversity, abundance and distribution in the lake in order to develop management and conservation programmes. Fish species can be used as indicator of ecological health. The health and abundance of fish in ecosystem will show of the health of the water bodies (Hamzah, 2007). MATERIALS AND METHODS This study was conducted at Tasik Chini. Fish were collected for six months starting from September 2013 to February 2014. There were seven stations sampling site at Tasik Chini,