Observation of the fish specimens and hydrological parameters were made from June 2011 to May 2012 at Gangavali estuary (Uttara Kannada district). The fish samples were collected from the cast-net hauls of local fishermen at the estuarine mouth zone at Gangavali station, mid-estuary zone of Ulvare, and upstream zone of Shirgunji station, representing respectively high, medium and low salinity fish zones of the estuary. Altogether 54 fish species belonging to 39 families, 14 orders were recorded. The order Perciformes had the highest representation (34 sp.), followed by Clupeiformes (5 sp.), Pleuronectiformes, Tetraodontiformes (2 sp.), Mugiliformes (2 sp.), and Myliobatiformes, Synbranchiformes, nguilliformes, Batrachoidiformes, Beloniformes, Carcharhiniformes, Rajiformes, Scorpaeniformes and Siluriformes with one species each. The inventory has been attempted for the first time for this estuary. 

Uttara Kannada, gangavali, estuary, fish diversity.