mahseer conservation in india status, challenges

MAHSEER CONSERVATION IN INDIASTATUS, CHALLENGES AND THE WAY FORWARD

WORKINGTOGETHER TOHELP PROTECTTHE WORLD'SFRESHWATERRESOURCES

3

COMPILED AND EDITED BYProf. Prakash Nautiyal

Mr. Suresh Babu

Dr. Sandeep Behera

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThe preparation of this report was made possible as a result of valuable inputs from all the

participants at the workshop.

Special thanks to Dr. A.J.T Johnsingh for reviewing this report several times. We also

acknowledge the valuable contributions of Dr. Vidyadhar Atkore of ATREE,

Mr. Samir Sinha, Former Head, Traffic-India and Mr. Rashid Raza, Coordinator Traffic -India,

WWF-India.

At WWF-India, we are highly obliged to Mr. Ravi Singh, Secretary General and CEO, for seeding

this idea and Dr. Sejal Worah, Programme Director for her unparalleled support.

Additionally, we would like to acknowledge the financial support from the HSBC Water

Programme.

Published by WWF-India

© WWF-India February, 2013

Designed by: Sarita Singh, Nirmal Singh

Printed by: Lustra Print Process Pvt. Ltd.

Cover photo credit: www.arofanatics.com, www.aquaonline.com

Cover design: Nirmal Singh

MAHSEER CONSERVATION IN INDIASTATUS, CHALLENGES AND THE WAY FORWARD

© D

R. S

EJ

AL

WO

RA

H / W

WF

-IND

IA

2

PH

OT

O C

RE

DIT

: NIT

IN K

AU

SH

AL

/ WW

F-IN

DIA

Many Himalayan rivers like the Ganga is home to numerous aquatic species including the Mahseer

Proceedings of the workshop on Mahseerconservation in India: Status, challenges and the way forwardCONTENTSForeword

Chapter 1...................................................................................................................................... 5Background

Chapter 2 ..................................................................................................................................... 7Key recommendations

Chapter 3 ..................................................................................................................................... 15Proceedings

Chapter 4 ..................................................................................................................................... 30Wrap-up and Next steps

Annexure I: List of Tor Species............................................................................................. 31

Annexure II: Agenda ............................................................................................................... 33

Annexure III: List of participants ........................................................................................ 35

4

Mahseer is a group of game fish that belongs primarilyto the genus Tor, but also includes some species of thegenus Neolissochilus (for e.g. the Chocolate Mahseer orNeolissochilus hexagonolepis). Mahseer inhabitpristine freshwaters usually equated with untamedwilderness and are, therefore, considered indicators ofhealthy freshwater ecosystems. A few of the Mahseerspecies are already endangered while others arethreatened by indiscriminate fishing methods that

include dynamiting and poisoning. A secondary threat comes from habitat alterationthrough construction of multipurpose reservoirs resulting in habitat fragmentation aswell as loss of habitat and migratory pathways. Sand mining in spawning areas posesanother major hazard. These problems are prevalent in most Mahseer habitats allacross the country including the Himalayan foothills, the Vindhya-Satpura and theWestern Ghats. If these threats are not addressed immediately and effectively, it ispossible that most species of Mahseer will reach a point of no return.

Realizing the severity of these dangers, WWF-India convened a meeting to identifythe problems, review current conservation initiatives and develop a conservation planto improve the status of this species in the reservoirs and rivers of India. Hoping toaccomplish these goals, Government officials, civil society groups and anglersinterested in Mahseer conservation came together on July 19, 2012 in New Delhi.

The discussions were enriched by the presence of people who have done pioneeringwork on Mahseer conservation in the Ganga, Ramganga, Kali, Brahmaputra andCauvery in India and certain rivers in Bhutan. Based on the experiences shared by theparticipants, the group jointly came up with a set of recommendations. The assemblyfelt that there is a need to act expeditiously, if the decline of Mahseer population isto be arrested.

Considering the wide distribution, ranging across the Himalayan foothills into the Indus,Ganga and Brahmaputra basins, the group recommended declaring the Golden Mahseer(Tor putitora) as the National Freshwater Fish of India so as to instill awarenessregarding the urgency of Mahseer conservation. The group felt that a Mahseerconservation plan for the country needed to be developed and it was suggested thatMoEF may consider constituing a steering committee comprising of subject experts fromthe Government, universities, research institutes, NGOs and community groups todevelop an integrated plan. The group also suggested that a programme to strengthenresearch and monitoring of Mahseer and its habitats be urgently designed and launched.

There is no legal framework to protect Mahseer. This has increased the vulnerabilitiesof an already endangered group. Going forward, based on scientific surveys and socialstudies, zero-tolerance zones need to be identified, demarcated and offer legalprotection facilitating the conservation of Mahseer. In addition, the Fisheries Acts ofvarious states require urgent review and revision since these Acts focus oncommercial fishery regulations and are not effective in overall fish conservation.

We hope that the recommendations from the workshop will be translated into actionby various key stakeholders. This entails some intense work with a wider group ofstakeholders and the detailing of effective strategies and steps. WWF-India iscommitted to work with diverse stakeholders and take the proposals to the next level.While policy dialogues with the Government at the Centre and State levels will beinitiated, we also look forward to working with local stakeholders to initiate aMahseer conservation programme in the Ganga basin.

RAVI SINGH

FOREWORD

5

Mahseer are highly dependent upon the quality andquantum of the environment in which they haveevolved. A slight change in the attributes of theenvironment can lead to the elimination of Mahseerliving there. Sadly, fish are at the receiving end of allkinds of human activity – building of dams, diversion ofrivers and drying up or alteration in habitats due tonatural calamities such as drought or flooding have aprofound impact on Mahseer like most other species offish. Yet the fate of Mahseer have been largelyoverlooked, as has been the impact of the declining fish

population on the livelihood of people.

The Mahseer fish acts as an indicator of ecosystem health because it is essentially arheophilic species that inhabits hill streams with a rocky, and stony substrate. Its primerequirement being pristine natural waters, Mahseer is a sensitive species that can barelytolerate a modified water environment. This is evident from the decrease in its size(length) recorded over the last century, size composition (predominance of young/immature individuals) and reduced share in the catch (as low as 5% from 40-50%) fromit’s distribution ranges. Out of the 47 species of Mahseer that exist in the world, India ishome to fifteen. Tor remadevi is one of the newest species identified while Tormoyarensis, confined to the Moyar river of Tamil Nadu, is reported to be another.

Tor species found in India:

People in India are commonly aware of three species of Mahseer, i.e, Tor putitora, Torkhudree and Tor tor, since all other species have only recently been added to scientificliterature. Information on habitat, feeding and breeding is available but scanty1.

Chapter 1BACKGROUND

1 Art and science of Mahseer Conservation and Management. Indian Fisheries Association, Mumbai andCentral Institute of Fisheries Education, Mumbai 2007. pp. 113

Species IUCN Criteria

Tor putitora (Hamilton, 1822) Endangered

Tor tor (Hamilton, 1822) Near Threatened

Tor khudree (Sykes, 1839) Endangered

Tor progeneius (Mc Clelland,1839) Near Threatened

Tor kulkarnii (Menon, 1992) Endangered

Tor barakae (Arunkumar & Basudha, 2003) Data insufficient

Tor macrolepis (Heckel, 1838) Not Evaluated

Tor remadevii (Madhusoodana Kurup & Radhakrishnan, 2011)* Not Evaluated

Neolissochiilus hexagonolepis (Mc Clleland, 1839) Near Threatened

Naziritor chelynoides (McClelland,1839) Vulnerable

Neolissochilus hexastichus (McClelland,1839) Near Threatened

Neolissochiilus dukai (Day, 1878) Data deficient

Neolissochiilus hexastichus (Mc Clelland, 1839) Near Threatened

Neolissochilus spinulosus (Mc Clelland, 1845) Data insufficient

Neolissochilus (Barbados) wynaadensis (Day, 1873) Critically Endangered

Source: www. fishbase.org*Tor remadevii, a new species of Tor (Gray) from Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Pambar River, Kerala, southernIndia. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. [2010] 107(3):227-230.

Out of the 15 species listed, 13 have been assessed by IUCN for threat status. Of these, 5species are considered near threatened, 1 species critically endangered, 3 speciesendangered and 4 species data deficient.

With this background, WWF-India’s ‘Rivers for Life, Life for Rivers’ Programme organizeda day-long workshop (July 19, 2012) on Mahseer conservation to reassess currentconservation initiatives, identify lessons learned, develop a conservation plan to preventdegradation and improve the species’ population status from its present declining trends.

The participants of the workshop included senior government officials, experts, academia,civil society groups and anglers working on Mahseer related issues. Twenty-fiveparticipants from Bhutan as well as various Indian states (Delhi, Assam, Maharashtra,Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh) attended the workshop.

6

Mahseer Conservation in India

Figure 1:

Mahseer – iconic

but endangered

PH

OT

O C

RE

DIT

: PR

OF. A

TU

L B

OR

GO

HA

IN; D

R A

.J.T

. JO

HN

SIN

GH

© W

WF

-IND

IA

7

The workshop discussed issues related tothe conservation status of various species ofMahseer, responses of the states and otherstakeholders and the need for an action plan for conservation. After the keypresentations, participants deliberated uponand drew up a set of plans to address thefollowing key issues:

� Identifying areas of research for long-term conservation of Mahseer. � Institutional issues related to enhancingawareness, capacity building and improvinggovernance framework for Mahseerconservation.

� Prevention and mitigation of impact of development projects and restoration ofhabitats.

The participants were divided into three groups and all the groups in their respectiveaction plans, observed that while the Mahseer, on one hand, is an ecologicallysensitive species that reflects ecosystem health, it has, on the other hand,international recreation value apart from sustaining livelihoods of upland riverinefishing communities. In view of such importance, it is necessary to declare differentMahseer species as “flagship” species of the habitats where they occur, meritingattention at the highest level for implementation of appropriate conservationstrategies in order to build sustainable Mahseer stocks in our river systems.

Chapter 2KEY

RECOMMENDATIONS

Figure 2:

Participants at

the workshop


8

The key recommendations are listed below.

I. RESEARCH AND MONITORING

It was found that even after many years of work on Mahseer, there remain significantgaps in the existing knowledge on the distribution, population, migration andspawning grounds of various species (of Mahseer) in our diverse waters. This lack ofinformation needs to be urgently addressed through proper field and literaturesurveys. Environmental flows (a regime of flows, quantity, quality and timing)need to be mandated at all diversion and storage structures to ensure that the habitat,spawning and migratory requirements of the Mahseer are fulfilled. Steps need to betaken to ensure the longitudinal and lateral connectivity of rivers and theirtributaries. This is important to conserve habitats and to ensure that migratoryrequirements are met.

II. POLICY INITIATIVES

In order to garner public support for Mahseer conservation, the house suggestedinitiation of steps by the Government of India to recognize the Golden/HimalayanMahseer (Tor putitora), one of the most beautiful wildlife species of the country, as‘National Freshwater Fish’ by virtue of its wide distribution range all along theHimalayas, as well as in the Indus, Gangetic and Brahmaputra basins. Because of itsimportance, the assorted species of Mahseer needs to be recognised as flagshipspecies of the habitats in which they are found.

Figure 3:

A.J.T. Johnsingh

with a Golden

Mahseer

© A

. S. N

EG

I / WW

F-IN

DIA

Key Recommendations

9

In view of the special ecological significance as an indicator species for healthyfreshwater ecosystems, Mahseer also has huge potential for providing livelihoods,apart from its importance in international sport. The workshop, hence, recommendedthe development of a ‘National Mahseer Conservation Action Plan’. This planneeds to be knowledge-based and drawn up in a participatory manner with inputsfrom diverse stakeholders.

The Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 need to strengthened and properlyimplemented to eliminate threats such as dynamiting, poisoning, electrocution,poaching and sand mining in spawning sites etc, outside the protected areas, whichadversely affect the Mahseer and its population. Environmental impact of river valleyand other projects on Mahseer population needs to be carefully studied andconsidered thoroughly at the conception and planning stages. Necessary fundingsupport may be provided by NFDB/NABARD along with State and CentralGovernment agencies/institutions. Government efforts in developing protected areasfor the conservation of various species have significantly improved their conservationprospects in those habitats. Similar effective measures are also required forprotection and in-situ conservation of endangered Mahseer and other sympatricanimals though the protection of reservoirs and river stretches identified exclusivelyfor conservation purposes.

The Fisheries Acts of various states are not effective in protecting fish in reservoirsand rivers. Illegal fishing is, additionally, a major menace to this species. Efforts needto be taken to address this issue. There is a need to strengthen the existing legalprovisions to eliminate threats like indiscriminate fishing and for implementing a“close season”. The Inland Fisheries Act in many states is not effective against fishconservation issues. This needs urgent review and revision.

Figure 4:

A Blue-finned

Mahseer

© J

AM

ES

ZA

CH

AR

IAS

/ WW

F-IN

DIA

Site based Mahseer conservation plans, both in-situ and ex-situ, need to be plannedand implemented as a collaborative project of MoEF, State Governments, researchorganizations and community groups.

A steering group comprising the Ministry of Environment and Forests, NGOs,subject experts, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Water Resources, Departmentof Fisheries along with other State Departments and community representativesneed to be set up to guide, coordinate and monitor efforts made for Mahseerconservation.

Identification, demarcation and notification of zero-tolerance zones, basedon scientific and social studies in potential Mahseer habitats to offer legal protection,facilitating the conservation of the Mahseer is called for. The establishment of Mahseer“Conservation Reserves” and “Community Reserves” needs to be explored. Stretchesof viable Mahseer habitats like the expanses from Sivasamudram to Hogenakal inCauvery, from Devprayag to Rishikesh including the Nayar river in Ganges andPancheshwar to Boom in Sharadaare are declared as ‘no go areas’ and set asideexclusively for Mahseer conservation. More such areas should be identified in thecountry. Locals in these stretches should be encouraged and permitted to fish withline and hook, cast nets and nooses and educated and persuaded not to use destructivemethods of fishing.

Community based angling: Angling in India is a hobby supported and organizedby various angling associations across the country. In some states, TourismDepartments link angling as a part of tourist packages. However, this linkage has notbeen developed as a “sport fishing” activity on sound management practices. There

10


Figure 5:

Kali River

PH

OT

O C

RE

DIT

: MR

. KIR

AN

RA

JA

SH

EK

AR

IAH

/ WW

F-IN

DIA

11

Key Recommendations

is scope to promote community-based angling as a method to enhance livelihoods aswell as create an incentive for the conservation of the Mahseer. The potential of suchprograms to promote conservation in several stretches of potential Mahseer habitatswith the involvement of local NGOs needs to be evaluated, planned and implementedas urgently as possible.

III. AWARENESS AND CAPACITY BUILDING

The meeting observed that huge capacity gaps exist with respect to research as wellas conservation of the Mahseer at all levels of stakeholder groups.

Awareness on Mahseer conservation is lacking at the moment. There is no existinginstitutionalized mechanism in place. Local communities will get involved only whenthey derive some kind of benefit (financial or otherwise) from the endeavor. Thereexists a need to develop a campaign on Mahseer to generate awareness and inspirestakeholders to undertake conservation initiatives. To this end, it was suggested thata postage stamp on the Golden Mahseer be released. Media mobilisation is alsoimportant to raise awareness on addressing Mahseer conservation. Similarly a posteron Mahseer species specific to each State needs to be prepared and propagated. Iconicindividuals and celebrities need to be made champions advocating the urgency ofconserving Mahseer and its habitats.

Most Mahseer habitats are within forest areas, which fall under the jurisdiction ofForest Departments. It was recognized, therefore, that motivating forest officers toundertake conservation measures would go a long way in securing Mahseer and theirhabitats. In this regard, it was recommended that a training course on Mahseer

Figure 6:

A view of Thunakadavu

reservoir from Vengoli

Ridge, Parambikulam

Tiger Reserve.

A stronghold of Blue-

finned Mahseer

© A

. J, T

. JO

HN

SIN

GH

/ WW

F-IN

DIA

Recommendations Action Agency

points responsible

I. RESEARCH & MONITORING


12

conservation, including a field visit to Mahseer habitats, be incorporated into thesyllabus of Indian Forest Service (IFS) and State Forest Service (SFS) trainee-officers.These field visits would enable the officers not only to understand the problems ofMahseer conservation but would also offer them an opportunity to try their hand atangling, which could go a long way in instilling love for the species. Fortunately, manyof the training centres are not far from Mahseer habitats. For example, IFS and SFStrainee-officers from Dehradun can be taken to the river stretch of the Gangaupstream from Rishikesh and trainees from Coimbatore to Parambikulam TigerReserve (outside PA).

Detailed recommendations are as follows:

Design and launch a

programme to strengthen

research on the Mahseer and

its habitats.

Develop and implement

monitoring programme at the

national, state and river basin

levels

� Studies to be conducted identifying migratory habits

and related behavioural aspects of different species.

� State-wise survey for locating Mahseer spawning

areas should be conducted for site-based

restoration.

� Potentially viable Mahseer habitats, ecotourism

centers, national parks /sanctuaries for the Mahseer

to be identified.

� Periodic survey of Mahseer stocks in important river

stretches to be conducted.

� An atlas of Mahseer hotspots to be created.

� Suitable fish ladders/fish passages for the Mahseer

to be developed. Efficiency of various designs of

fish ladders to be studied and surveys of some of

the fish ladders constructed on major hydroelectric

projects in the country for their effectiveness need

to be conducted.

� Assessment of environmental flow requirements in

potential Mahseer habitats.

� Establishment of brood banks for different Mahseer

species based on their habitat. Setting up of flow

through hatchery complexes and cage rearing units.

� Development of protocol viz. nutrition, disease, etc.

for seed production, rearing of fry and fingerling.

� Methodology to be devised for proper monitoring of

Mahseer ranching programmmes.

� Development of database along river basins at

different altitudes for the purpose of long-term

conservation.

Research to be taken up by the

Directorate of Coldwater Fisheries

Research, Central Inland Fisheries

Research Institute (CIFRI), Agricultural

& Universities in the concerned regions.

Funding support to be garnered from

Ministry of Environment and Forests

(MoEF), Department of Agriculture,

Research and Education (DARE), State

Forest and Tourism Departments related

to PAs, conservation reserves.

CIFRI, State Forest Departments, MoEF,

IIT (Roorkee and National Institute of

Hydrology for engineering component),

MoEF, Ministry of Water Resources,

Ministry of Power and ICAR in

consultation with subject experts.

Relevant ICAR fishery institutes, fishery

colleges, Universities in the Himalayan

and Western Ghats region, State Line

Departments, DAHD&F, GoI, NFDB,

DARE as well as public and private

sector institutions for funding.

MoEF, State Departments and ICAR.

continued…

Key Recommendations

13

Strengthen policies to

promote Mahseer

conservation and to

eliminate threats

Strengthen the legal

framework to conserve

the Mahseer

Launch concerted

campaigns to generate

awareness on Mahseer

conservation

Recognize and declare the Golden Mahseer (Tor putitora) India’s

“National Freshwater Fish”

“Mahseer Conservation Action Plan” to chart out a strategies for

conservation of the Mahseer and its habitat across the country

Environmental flows (a regime of flows, quantity, quality and timing)

need to be mandated and implemented at all diversions and storage

structures to ensure that the habitat, spawning and migratory

requirements of the Mahseer are fulfilled.

For any hydroelectric project and mega-developmental projects that

lead to muck disposal in rivers, especially in stretches identified as

critical, the conservation of the Mahseer should be in the Detailed

Project Report (DPR) and a specific fund for conservation should be

provided as an integral part of the project.

Lateral connectivity between the main channels and tributaries of

rivers needs to be maintained to facilitate the migration of the Mahseer.

Site-based conservation projects, both in-situ and ex-situ, including

Mahseer based ecotourism and Mahseer watching sites need to be

planned and implemented for Mahseer conservation.

A steering group comprising the Ministry of Environment and

Forests, WWF, subject experts, ICAR, department of fisheries,

Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Water Resources, other state

departments and community representatives, needs to be set up to

guide, coordinate and monitor efforts for Mahseer conservation.

There is no legal framework for protecting the Mahseer. No-go Areas

need to be identified and notified for river valley projects; Based on

scientific and social studies, zero-tolerance zones need to be

identified, demarcated and offered legal protection, facilitating the

conservation of Mahseer.

Fisheries Acts of various states are not effective in fish conservation

as these Acts focus on commercial fishery regulations. This needs

urgent review and revision.

The possibility of community based angling as a tool to promote

the conservation of Mahseer may be explored.

� Awareness on Mahseer conservation is lacking at the moment.

There is no existing institutionalized mechanism. Local people

need to be incentivized and motivated to get involved.

� Young minds need to be the target of awareness campaigns on

Mahseer conservation.

� A postage stamp on the Golden Mahseer by the Department of

Posts will go a long way in raising awareness regarding this

endangered species.

MoEF

MoEF; A steering committee

comprising subject experts from

universities, research institutes,

MoEF officials, State Departments,

NGOs and community groups to

be constituted.

MoEF, State Departments,

DARE, ICAR and Ministry of

Water Resources in consultation

with subject experts.

MoEF and State Forest

Departments to provide policy

and funding support to research

organizations, NGOs and

community groups.

MoEF

MoEF, ICAR, State Departments

in consultation with other

stakeholders.

MoEF

MoEF, State Departments,

NGOs.

continued…


points responsible

2. POLICY INITIATIVES

3. AWARENESS AND CAPACITY BUILDING


14

Need to build capacity of

diverse stakeholders

Initiate Institutional

set-up

� Prepare and propagate a poster on the Mahseer.

� Iconic individuals and celebrities shall be engaged in a

campaign to propagate the message of Mahseer

conservation.

� The media needs to be sensitized and mobilized for

addressing Mahseer conservation.

� People earning livelihoods from the Mahseer should also

be made to contribute to conservation efforts.

� A steering group comprising the Ministry of Environment

and Forests, department of fisheries, Ministry of

Agriculture, Ministry of Water Resources, other state

departments, NGOs and others engaged in Mahseer

conservation need to coordinate and monitor the

Mahseer conservation efforts.

� Training and awareness programmes for different

stakeholders at state and national levels; sustained

research programmes in universities and ICAR institutes.

� Dedicated funding support for research.

� Training courses on Mahseer conservation, including a

field visit to Mahseer habitats to be incorporated in the

syllabus of Indian Forest Service (IFS) and State Forest

Service (SFS) trainee-officers; sensitization programme in

engineering courses.

� The capacity of various line departments dealing with

Mahseer-related issues should be further developed.

The following departments may be included:

a. Department of fisheries,

b. Irrigation/water resources department,

c. Department of tourism/ecotourism,

d. Local communities,

e. Department of forest,

f. Department of hydropower/power corporation,

g. Public and private sector companies.

� Effective conservation is possible if all the

departments/agencies managing common property

resources have sound institutional linkage. Presently, no

such linkage is in place. Therefore, there exists a need

to develop an institutional framework comprising diverse

stakeholders to plan, design, implement and monitor

Mahseer conservation initiatives.

� The community needs to be involved and their

participation in conservation efforts is important.

� A monitoring agency for Mahseer conservation efforts is

required.

� Demonstrate small-scale seed production of the Golden

Mahseer through a pilot project.

NFDB, NABARD, State and Central

Government agencies/ institutions.

MoEF, State Forest Departments.

MoEF/State Departments along with

NGOs.

MoEF/State Departments

State Fisheries Department,

Uttarakhand, and subject experts—

independent and those from research/

academic organizations and NGOs.


points responsible

15

A. INAUGURAL SESSION

The workshop opened with a brief welcome of theparticipants, followed by an inaugural address by Mr.Ravi Singh, Secretary General & CEO, WWF-India.Welcoming the participants, he stated that it was aproud moment for WWF-India to convene a workshopon an iconic aquatic species—the Mahseer. He stressedthat it is imperative that we conserve the habitat of thisimportant fish species in Indian rivers. He alsoemphasized that WWF-India will work on the

conservation of the Mahseer and its habitats in collaboration with diversestakeholders.

Mr. Suresh Babu, Director of River Basins and Water Policy, WWF-India, gave a briefintroduction to the ‘Rivers for Life, Life for Rivers Programme’. He also elaboratedon the objective of the workshop, which was to discuss the current status of theMahseer in different river basins and the state of conservation initiatives and to drawup a comprehensive and integrated conservation strategy.

The workshop was divided into three sessions:

Session1: Status of Mahseer.

Session 2: Status of response to Conservation (State & Non-state).

Session 3: Strategy and action plan for Mahseer conservation (Breakout groups).

Chapter 3PROCEEDINGS

Figure 7:

Mr. Ravi Singh

delivering the

inaugural

address

© W

WF

-IND

IA

B. TECHNICAL SESSION ONE: STATUS OF MAHSEER

The session on the Status of Mahseer was chaired by Dr. P.C. Mahanta, Director,Directorate of Cold Water Fisheries Research, Uttarakhand. Dr. Mahanta recollectedthat in the 1980s, while he was at National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources(NBFGR), experts from all over the country were invited to discuss the status of fishesin India and at that time, lack of data was identified as a major problem. However,things have changed a lot since then. He added that assigning the endangered statusto the Mahseer group might be debated in absence of accurate data on its abundance.Hence, further research is required in this area.

In this session, five experts presented their views on the overall status of Mahseer inthe Ganga–Yamuna basin, Ramganga and Kumaon rivers, Brahmaputra and north-eastern rivers, rivers in the Western Ghats and the rivers of Bhutan.

Prof. Prakash Nautiyal, Garhwal University, Srinagar, Uttarakhand, in hispresentation on “Status of Mahseer in Ganga and Yamuna” gave a detaileddescription of the Mahseer and the various issues related to it based on primaryresearch. He informed that the Mahseer originated and diversified in the north-eastern parts of the country and from there it dispersed to other parts of the countryand formed various species. The Golden Mahseer has now been introduced innorthern and southern Ghats as well as Papua New Guinea.

Prof. Nautiyal outlined the naturally inherent (slow growth, late sexualmaturity, low reproductivepotential) and man-madecauses (indiscriminatefishing, habitat frag -mentation, barriers inmigration path) for thedecline of the Himalayan or Golden Mahseer, Torputitora. He also talkedabout the natural discre -pancy in the male–femaleratio of the HimalayanMahseer, as no malesbeyond six years of agewere encountered incontrast to 18 years of agefor females in the Gangabasin. He impressed uponthe house that evenimmature fish are caught,

which hampers the natural recruitment process; he considered this as a severe impactof unregulated fishing. He informed that in the Himalayas there are select spawningsites of the Golden Mahseer and yet hydropower is being developed in these criticalriver sections. He emphasized that it is time to initiate a “Project Mahseer”, similarto Project Tiger instituted by the National Tiger Conservation Authority, to planconservation measures for the Mahseer whose future has become even more insecureas a result of the impending threats of climate change.

Figure 8:

Prof. Prakash

Nautiyal highlighting

the issues in the

Ganga basin

16


© W

WF

-IND

IA

17

Proceedings

It also came to light during the discussions that theHimalayan Mahseer has historically declined inUttarakhand over a period of time, but the extentof decline remains unknown due to the lack ofpopulation estimates. The Mahseer was said toaccount for 10-15 per cent of the total fish landingsin the foothill section. However, there exist nopopulation estimates (numbers, abundance), aprerequisite for assessing threat categories. One ofthe experts put forth a few reasons for theinaccuracy of this estimate, suggesting that it couldbe either more or less. Over the last two decades, adatabase has been developed with respect to theMahseer, but it is inadequate for an effectiveconservation programme. Most experts were of theview that the habitat of the Himalayan Mahseer isunder serious threat because of the construction ofa large number of dams for hydropower in theHimalayas.

Dr. K.D. Joshi, Principal Scientist and Head,Regional Centre of CIFRI, presented the “Status ofMahseer Fishery in Kumaon Region” in the state ofUttarakhand. He described the various species ofMahseer available in the rivers of the Kumaon

region. He also gave comprehensive details of the catch composition (as percentage)of the Mahseer in some lotic systems of the Kumaon district. He stated that the richfish resources in the region, in general, are under severe stress from habitatdegradation, over exploitation and destruction.

For conservation, he emphasized ecotourism as a model of resource use, whichpromotes environmental conservation and can provide direct accrued economicbenefits to the people as well as indirect values from natural biological resources. Healso stated that, like bird watching, fish watching also has abundant potential to beexplored. In his opinion, the moving shoals of different-sized fishes of the GoldenMahseer and the sparkling golden colour can provide joy to visitors, particularly tochildren.

He informed that many of the religious and protected waterbodies in the hills areexamples of fish watching spots, which can attract many tourists. Similar spots needbe developed near tourist sites in other parts of the country. The effort of theGovernment in developing biosphere reserves, national parks and sanctuaries for theprotection and conservation of terrestrial animals and birds has significantlyimproved the status of the target species. Similar effective measures are also requiredfor protection and in-situ conservation of the endangered Mahseer and other aquaticorganisms. He stated that the endangered Mahseer and certain other similar speciesneed to be protected under a strict legislation like the Indian Wildlife (Protection)Act, 1972.

Prof. Atul Borgohain, Assam Agricultural University, made a presentation on ‘GoldenMahseer in the North-East’. He presented a detailed account of the fish resources ofNorth-East India and the angling records in the Bhoreli, Buroi and Subansiri rivers.According to him, the major reason for the depletion of Mahseer population in north-

Figure 9:

Dr K.D. Joshi

© W

WF

-IND

IA

Figure 10:

Slides from

Prof. Atul Borgohainʼs

presentation

Year Season Largest Average Species River Season

Size Size Total

1981 Oct-Mar 6kgs 2.5kgs Golden Mahseer Bhoreli/Buroi/Subansiri 25kgs


1983 Oct-Mar 9.5kgs 3kgs Golden Mahseer Bhoreli/Buroi/Subansiri 36kgs


1985 Oct-Mar 11kgs 2kgs Golden Mahseer Bhoreli/Buroi/Subansiri 40kgs

1986 Oct-Mar 6.5kgs 1.5kgs Golden Mahseer Bhoreli/Buroi/Subansiri 27kgs

1990 Oct-Mar 12.5kgs 1.5kgs Golden Mahseer Bhoreli/Buroi/Subansiri 45kgs







1999 Oct-Mar 12kgs 1ks Golden Mahseer Bhoreli/Buroi/Subansiri 37kgs









2010 Oct-Mar 1.5kgs .750g Golden Mahseer Bhoreli/Buroi/Subansiri 2kgs

Angling record of a Group of 4 Anglers


18

eastern rivers are siltation (33,000 hectare meter per year), hydropower projects,anthropogenic pressure, fishing during breeding season, climate change andpropagation of various fast-growing carp species. He raised the issue of setting upbenchmarks while deciding whether a Mahseer population is under threat in a certain

region. He also suggested that the "popularization ofregulated angling is the only answer to Mahseerconservation in the north-east rivers, where there is noorganized effort to save this beautiful fish so far". Hesaid that the catch is not regulated in most parts ofNorth-East India.

Dr. A.J.T. Johnsingh, WWF-India and NatureConservation Foundation, Mysore, made a presentationon Mahseer conservation in the Western Ghats. He saidthat the Mahseer is a large-scaled carp belonging to thefamily Cyprinidae, which can grow to a large size. Healso stated that there are numerous species of Mahseerthat need proper identification and taxonomicconfirmation. An interesting fact he mentioned wasthat, according to late Vellayan, a tribal Mahseer expert

in Periyar Tiger Reserve, the Mahseer uses its whiskers to attract and catch a speciesof crab, which takes shelter below the rocks.

He gave a detailed account of Mahseer distribution in the Western Ghats. He saidthat the Mahseer could also be found in more areas but a perusal of existing literatureand field surveys would throw light on this. Dr. Johnsingh highlighted that the largesthumpback Mahseer, Tor khudree, caught by rod and line in the Kabini, a tributary ofthe Cauvery, was the 119-pound fish caught by Col J.S. Rivett-Carnac on 29December, 1919 and the 120-pound fish caught by J. Wet. Van Ingen on 22 March,1946. These are the largest Kabini Mahseer on record (only Mahseer caught with rod

Proceedings

19

Figure 12:

Blue-finned mahseer in

Periyar Tiger Reserve

entices this crab, a

favourite food, with its

whiskers and catches it

Figure 11:

Dr. A.J.T. Johnsingh

presenting on Mahseer

in the Western Ghats

© W

WF

-IND

IA

and line are considered for records). Unfortunately, with the building of the reservoirin 1974 and uncontrolled fishing, the Mahseer has almost disappeared from theKabini.

He said that the major threats for the Mahseer in the rivers of the Western Ghats areoverfishing, siltation and pesticides. Reservoirs can be considered threats (as inKabini) but if the river above the reservoir is sufficiently long and well protected (e.g.,Corbett, Periyar, and Parambikulam Tiger Reserves), the Mahseer can thrive. As aconservation measure, Dr. Johnsingh said that the feeding and breeding habitats ofMahseer need to be protected. Protection of the fish while spawning from gill-netting,poisoning, electrocution and dynamiting is necessary. Local people participation isessential for conservation of the species and implementation of the Explosives Actby the Police Department is the need for now.

Dr. Karma Tenzin, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, Bhutan, gave a brief accounton the Status of Mahseer in Bhutan. He stated that the Constitution of the Kingdomof Bhutan mentions that the Royal Government shall: protect, conserve and improvethe pristine environment and safeguard the biodiversity of the country; preventpollution and ecological degradation; secure ecologically balanced sustainabledevelopment while promoting justifiable economic and social development; andensure a safe and healthy environment. Additionally, a Bhutanese citizen is duty-bound to preserve, protect and respect the environment, culture and heritage of thenation. He gave a detailed account of the Golden Mahseer (Tor putitora) distributionin the rivers of Bhutan and the conservation measures taken by the government ofBhutan to save this species form further depletion.

C. TECHNICAL SESSION TWO: STATUS OF RESPONSE TO MAHSEER CONSERVATION (STATE AND NON-STATE).

The second session on Status of response to Mahseer Conservation (State & Non-state) was chaired by Mr. A.S. Negi, retired PCCF, Uttarakhand, and President,Wildlife Preservation Society of India.

Dr. B.P. Madhwal, Deputy Director, State Fisheries, Uttarakhand, presented the stateresponse to Mahseer conservation in Uttarakhand. Dr. Madhwal gave a detailed

20


Figure 13:

Dr. Karma Tenzinʼs

presentation

highlighted some

mitigation strategies

account of the fisheries prospects in Uttarakhand and fish fauna in the rivers,reservoirs and lakes in the state. He also briefly described game fishery in the state.For Himalayan Mahseer fishery, he suggested, remodelling the Dhakrani hatchery(0.3 million seed) and setting up of a national Mahseer seed farm at Dhakrani (5million seed), upgrading the Bhimtal farm (0.5 million seed), setting up of aKoteshwar hatchery (0.2 million seed) and ranching of streams, reservoirs and lakes.

He briefly spoke of the agencies engaged in conservation and ecotourism in the state.Some of his suggestions for conserving Mahseer in the state of Uttarakhand are: theremodeling and upgradation of the Bhimtal and Dhakrani fish farms by theDepartment of Fisheries, the submission and sanctioning of a centrally sponsoredproject on a national Mahseer seed farm, a tie-up consultancy project with DrShashank Ogale, courtesy Tata Electric Co., Lonavala, for demonstration andtraining, the enrichment of Himalayan Mahseer stock in select Mahseer stretches ofthe state, and finally, the declaration and protection of a Mahseer sanctuary acrossselected areas in the state for conservation. Suitable clauses may be incorporated inthe fishing rules for providing legal support.

Mr. Viraj Chopra, Environment and Angler’s Association, Uttarakhand, providedsome details of his angler fishing experiences. He said that angling as a sport is funand it should be encouraged. He said that people working for conservation shouldnot look down upon angling as it does not affect the fish population in a serious way.He added that all states are interested in revenues from fisheries. He suggested thatthey should work on a PPP model for breeding Mahseer. The framework of the PPPmodel should be as follows: funding from the central government, oversight/supervision from the state fisheries departments and breeding by private parties.

Mr. Sumantha Ghosh, Mahseer Conservancy, presented his experience on “Hook forConservation”. He briefly presented information on the historical records of Mahseerfishery. He stated that old records, for example, classics like The Angler in India orThe Mighty Mahseer written in 1909, talk of this area as being extremely rich inwildlife and fish stocks. He gave much stress on combining wildlife tourism withenvironmental conservation. He informed that dynamiting and poisoning arerampant in the rivers of Uttarakhand and are a threat to the lifeline of India’s firstNational Park. Uncontrolled sand mining and rock extractions degrade the riverineecosystem in the state. Water abstraction in an uncontrolled and unscientific wayreduces the capacity of the river as a fish habitat. Pollution from irresponsibletourism operations also adds to the threats.

Figure 14:

Action points suggested

by Dr B.P. Madhwal

21

Proceedings

Figure 15:

Mr. Sumantha Ghosh

shared some best

practices


22

He mentioned that the solution for conservation was proposed by local anglingassociations, in conjunction with the Corbett Tiger Reserve. A tripartite agreementwas made between 12 village communities and eco-development communities, theUttarakhand Forest Department and private angling associations. A result of theagreement was that stretches of the river were given to the angling associations tomaintain, with a security bond given to the Forest Department. The associationsengaged in discussions with river bank village heads and concerned parties for thecreation of fish sanctuaries. The measures proposed are: handing over beats tovillages headed and represented by Van-Panchayats; enforcing the ban on dynamitingwith patrolling guards; promoting angling-based eco-tourism. According to Mr.Ghosh, the angling tourism industry is large and can be very successful if it ismanaged correctly. Conservation of the Mahseer can bring great benefits, both

Figure 16:

Presentation by

Dr. Debajit Sarma

financially and environmentally, but cooperation is necessary between all parties forit to be successful. Involving the locals is very important. He gave a brief on theconservation effort by Mahseer Conservancy, because of which not only have theMahseer species benefited from the protection of the river, but also other largerspecies like the goonch.

Dr. Debajit Sarma, Principal Scientist, DCFR, presented a detailed scientific account of“Seed Production and Hatchery Management of Himalayan and Chocolate Mahseer inthe State and North-East by Directorate of Coldwater Fisheries Research, Bhimtal,Nainital, Uttarakhand”. He also highlighted the details of Mahseer habitat preferences.

Dr. J.P. Bhatt, Centre for Inter-Disciplinary Studies for Mountain and HillEnvironment (CISMHE), Delhi University, presented a detailed report on the impactof river valley projects and suggested measures for the conservation of the Mahseer.He focused on issues like Mahseer habitat and the mitigation measures suggested in

Proceedings

23

Figure 18:

Work of

Dr. Shashank Ogaleʼs

presentation

Figure 17:

Presentation by

Dr J.P. Bhatt

EIAs and EMPs for hydroelectric projects in Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Jammu &Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, along with environmental flow andits impact on the Mahseer.

Dr. Shashank Ogale, former consultant to the World Bank and Tata Power, and anardent Mahseer breeder gave an overview of the protocols standardized over the yearsfor breeding various species of Mahseer, primarily Tor putitora and Tor khudree. Heinformed that pond breeding of the Golden Mahseer in captivity is now possiblethroughout the year, while in nature it is known to breed thrice in a year, indicatingthe importance of stock management and development of captive breeding. Hehighlighted recent experiences and present efforts for cage culture and ranching withthe imprinting of the Mahseer in the Western Ghats, which holds promise for thefuture. According to him, there is no option but to strip the fish (mechanical pressure

24


Mahseer Hatchery

Stripping Eggs

Female Male

Stripping Mix

Cage Culture & Ranching in Indrayani River

25

Proceedings

on the abdomen that releases sperm and eggs) for breeding and artificial propagationof the species. He emphasized the need for small seed production units instead oflarge establishments and that the only way forward was to develop brood stock,produce seeds locally and stock them in nearby rivers and reservoirs.

D. STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN FOR MAHSEER CONSERVATIONThis session was chaired by Dr. K.K. Vass, Former Director, CIFRI and Prof. B.C.Choudhury, formerly with WII. The three groups presented their discussion points.

Key recommendations from the breakout groups

GROUP – 1: Identifying areas of research for developing long-term conservationof Mahseer (Facilitators: Dr. Usha Moza, ICAR and Dr. Shashank Ogale)

A) Status of research, gaps and areas for future research.� Establishment of habitat-based brood bank for captive breeding of different

Mahseer species. � Studies on fish behavior, migratory pattern of different species.� Development of appropriate protocol for nutrition and disease control for

hatchery systems, fry and fingerling production units.� Ascertain the viability of fish ladders/fish passages for Mahseer migration.� Assessment of environmental flow requirements.� Identification of ecotourism centers, national parks and sanctuaries in

potential river systems for the Mahseer.� Developing site-specific in-situ and ex-situ knowledge-based Mahseer

conservation strategies in potential river systems.� Conducting studies on Mahseer population dynamics in important river

basin stretches.� Developing a national angling protocol for game fish on existing population

trends.

B) Monitoring at national, state and river basin levels.� Development of a database along river basins at different altitudes for the

purpose of long-term conservation.� Methodology to be devised for proper monitoring of ranching programmes.

C) Capacity and funding needs for dedicated research.� Training and awareness programmes for different stakeholders at the state

and national levels.� Necessary funding support may be provided by NFDB, WWF, NABARD as

well as state and central government agencies/institutions for establishmentof flow through hatchery complexes and cage rearing units.

GROUP – 2: Institutional: Enhancing the awareness, capacity and improvementof governance frameworks for Mahseer conservation (Facilitators: Dr. K.K. Vassand Mr. A.S. Negi)

A) How do we create awareness on Mahseer conservation?� Awareness about Mahseer conservation is lacking at the moment. There is no

existing institutionalized mechanism. � Local people will get involved only when they have some kind of benefit

(financial or otherwise). If we create incentives for them, awareness willautomatically come.

Figure 19:

Group discussion

underway


26

� A postage stamp on the Mahseer by Department of Posts should be launched. � Each state should prepare and propagate a poster on the Mahseer. � Iconic individuals should propagate the message of Mahseer conservation. � The media can be mobilized for addressing Mahseer conservation, which

should be supported by the Ministry of Environment and Forests. � People earning livelihoods from the Mahseer should also be made to

contribute towards the conservation efforts. � Young minds should be the target of awareness campaigns on Mahseer

conservation. � A consortium of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, NGOs,

Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of WaterResources, and other state departments should coordinate efforts forMahseer conservation.

B) Building capacity for conservation: What capacity gaps exist and what do we doabout it?

� Since conservation at present is knowledge-based and knowledge onMahseer conservation is lacking, a national/state-level mission programmeon fish conservation is required. A Mahseer conservation plan of actionneeds to be initiated.

� Initiate/strengthen courses/research in Universities and research instituteson fish conservation.

� The capacity of various line departments dealing with Mahseer-relatedissues should be augmented. The following departments may be included:

i. Ministry of Agriculture/Department of Fisheries, ii. Irrigation Department/Water Resource, iii. Department of Tourism/Ecotourism, iv. Local communities, v. Ministry/Department of Forest, vi. National and state Biodiversity Boards,vii. Ministry of Power.

© W

WF

-IND

IA

C) Which institutions are responsible? Can the current institutional set-up addressthe challenges of Mahseer conservation? Or do we need to improvise on theexisting institutional set up? How do we involve communities? � Presently no institutional set-up exists. � The possibility of establishing “Conservation Reserves” and “Community

Reserves” for Mahseer conservation should be explored. � The community should be involved and should also be given benefits for

conservation efforts. � A monitoring agency for Mahseer conservation efforts is felt as necessary.

D) Funding available for Mahseer research and conservation: How much and who provides these funds? What possibilities exist in leveraging existingschemes?� For any hydroelectric project, the conservation of Mahseer should be in the

DPR and a fund for its conservation should be made an integral part of it. � The Ministry of Agriculture/NFDB should give support for conservation

research.

GROUP – 3: Prevention, mitigation of impact from development projects and restoration of habitats (Facilitators: Prof. Prakash Nautiyal and Dr. H.S.Pabla)

A) SWOT of existing legal framework: What lessons can be learned? Impactprevention, mitigation and restoration:� There is no legal framework for protecting Mahseer. � Environmental flows should be maintained keeping the sizable population of

the Mahseer as a flagship species in mind.� Identification, protection and restoration of spawning grounds.� Zero-tolerance for sand mining and rock extrusion in Mahseer breeding

areas.

B) Establishment of a legal framework for the conservation of the Mahseer byaddressing threats like illegal fishing, sand mining, fragmentation (by dams,etc.). Angling as a tool for conservation?� Action Plan – Using the species for livelihood development.� Ecological flagship, sport and livelihood – unique species.� Development of community-based, angling-based ecotourism for

conservation.

C) Design/location of projects/no-go areas:� No-go Areas (identification and notification) for river valley projects.� Lateral connectivity between the main channel and tributaries must be

maintained.� State-wise surveys for locating Mahseer spawning areas should be

conducted.� A “National Mahseer Conservation Action Plan” should be developed in view

of its unique qualification as a flagship species, its high recreational valueand its significance as a source of livelihood.

� The endangered Mahseer and certain other similar species need to beprotected under strict legislations like the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act.

Proceedings

27


28

DISCUSSIONS

The workshop was intended to draw up a model approach towards conservation andmanagement of the Mahseer by harnessing the enthusiasm and knowledge of localgroups and citizens, combining it with technical expertise, policy enforcement andpolitical will, and thereby reinvigorating the effort to protect our nation’s mosttreasured fish species. The highlights of the discussion are as follows:

� Prof. Prakash Nautiyal emphasized the need to identify “critical” stretches forthe conservation of the Mahseer and the urgency of promulgating regulations onfishing, enforcing closed seasons and totally banning dynamiting in the rivers tosave aquatic biodiversity — important elements of its food-web. He also statedthat action could begin through demonstration, for which a WWF-India pilotproject on small-scale seed production of the Mahseer should be immediatelyinitiated at Dhakrani by engaging fisher-folk under the supervision of Dr. B.P.Madhwal and himself as well as expert help from Dr. Shashank Ogale. Onceestablished, the model could be extended to the Ramganga, with adequatesupport from DCFR, Bhimtal.

� Dr. Debajit Sarma urged that the Mahseer be declared a “State Aquatic Animal”by the states where it thrives in significant numbers in their waters.

� Dr. B.C. Choudhury emphasized the development of an atlas of Mahseerhotspots.

� Mr. Viraj Chopra requested the experts to develop a national angling policy. Hestated that angling should be promoted. From an angler’s perspective, theMahseer is a difficult fish to catch as it is comparatively more active than otherfishes. He also stated that anglers should be considered one of the stakeholdersso that they could be party to a formal mechanism for Mahseer conservation. A

Figure 20:

Dr. B.C. Choudhury

stressing on the

development of an atlas

on Mahseer hotspots

© W

WF

-IND

IA

PPP model should be promoted for Mahseer breeding and to achieve the largergoal of its conservation.

� Action towards Mahseer conservation should be three dimensional, i.e., throughresearch, awareness campaigns and field activities.

� Dr. H.S. Pabla said that while talking about wildlife and fish conservation,economic factors have to be taken into account. He said that the Fisheries Actsof various states, including that of Madhya Pradesh, are not effective inprotecting fish as these Acts are limited to reservoirs. There is big money infishing, and hence people involved in illegal fishing are willing to overstep limits.He also said that the MP Angling Association made efforts to prohibit illegalfishing and replace it with angling in certain areas but it was too small an effortfor effective conservation.

� It was also emphasized that the migratory patterns and behaviour of the Mahseerneed to be understood so as to find the answers to questions such as how they canbe found at high altitudes and how high they can jump, how capable they are innegotiating currents/torrents and what their response is to hydraulics of artificialstructures, especially during the spawning season.

� On the question as to whether the Mahseer prefers clear water to turbid water,there were different views. Finally, a consensus was reached that some species ofthe Mahseer like clear water, while others like turbid water. Similarly, there weredifferent views as far as “hatching”/artificial propagation is concerned. Someexperts were strongly in favour of it, while others were of the view that since thebreeding programme of the Mahseer varies from region to region, fish bred inone region cannot be introduced in other areas because of the difference inclimatic conditions and other factors. In addition to that, fish bred at one centrewill not be able to fulfill the requirements of the large number of rivers in India.Hence, the argument for “zone hatching” was made.

29

Figure 21:

Dr. H.S. Pabla while

making his point

Proceedings

© W

WF

-IND

IA

Dr. Sejal Worah, Programme Director, WWF-India andDr. B.C. Choudhury summarized the deliberations. Dr.Worah recommended the formation of a working groupto ensure finalization and follow-through on therecommendations emerging from the workshop. Thenominees were Prof. P. Nautiyal, Dr. K.K. Vass, Dr. AtulBorgohain, Dr. A.J.T. Johnsingh, Mr. A.S. Negi and Dr.H.S. Pabla. Mr. Suresh Babu and Dr. Sandeep Beherawill represent WWF-India. Other participants were alsoinvited to join this group.

Dr. Worah also suggested that WWF-India, under its‘Rivers for Life, Life for Rivers’ campaign, shouldinitiate a project on Mahseer conservation in the Gangabasin. She suggested that inputs and collaboration with

the participants would help in designing a comprehensive programme.

Policy advocacy with the MoEF and state departments was highlighted as the nextbig area of engagement. The group recommended initiation of a MahseerConservation Action Plan. WWF along with the participants and the working groupwill engage in policy advocacy on this.

Note: Mr. Viraj Chopra, one of the participants, has not endorsed therecommendations from this workshop.

30


Figure 22:

Dr. B.C. Choudhury

and Dr. Sejal concluding

the workshop

Chapter 4WRAP-UP AND

NEXT STEPS

© W

WF

-IND

IA

31

Annexure I: LIST OF TOR SPECIES

Valid Tor species (Mahseer) found in the world

1. Tor putitora (Hamilton, 1822) The putitor Mahseer or Golden Mahseer (Afghanistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, China,

India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan) - Endangered

2. Tor tor (Hamilton, 1822), Tor barb (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan) - Near Threatened

3. Tor khudree (Sykes, 1839) The Deccan or Yellow mahseer (India, Sri Lanka) - Endangered

4. Tor progeneius (McClelland,1839) The Jungha Mahseer (India) - Near Threatened

5. Tor kulkarnii (Menon, 1992) (India) - Endangered

6. Neolissochiilus hexagonolepis (McClleland, 1839) (Bangladesh, Bhutan, China Main, India, Indonesia, Malaysia,

Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, Vietnam) - Near Threatened

7. Tor tambroides (Bleekeer, 1854) (Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam Singapore) - Data

insufficient

8. Tor douronensis (Valencienne, 1842) Semah Mahseer (Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand,

Vietnam) - Not Evaluated

9. Tor barakae (Arunkumar & Basudha, 2003 -India) - Data insufficient

10. Tor ater (Roberts, 1999) (Laos) - Vulnerable

11. Tor laterivittatus (Zhou & Cui, 1996) (China Main, Laos) - Data deficient

12. Tor hemispinus ( Chen & Chu, 1985) (China Main) - Not Evaluated

13. Tor macrolepis (Heckel, 1838) (India, Pakistan) - Not Evaluated

14. Tor polylepis (Zhou & Cui, 1996) (China Main) - Not Evaluated

15. Tor qiaojiensis (Wu, 1977) (China Main) - Not Evaluated

16. Tor remadevii (Madhusoodana Kurup & Radhakrishnan, 2011) (India) - Not Evaluated

17. Tor sinensis (Wu, 1977) (China Main, Laos, Thailand) - Data Insufficient

18. Tor soro (Valenciennes,1842)(Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand) - Not Evaluated

19. Tor tambra (Valenciennes, 1842) (Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China Main, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand,

Vietnam) - Data Insufficient

20. Tor yingjiangensis (Chen &Yang, 2004) (China Main) - Not Evaluated

21. Tor yunnanensis (Wang, Zhuang & Gao, 1982) (China Main) - Endangered

22. Tor brevifilis (Peters, 1881) (Vietnam, Mainland China) - Data Insufficient

23. Naziritor chelynoides (McClelland,1839) (Nepal, Pakistan, India) - Vulnerable

24. Neolissochilus hexastichus (McClelland,1839) (India, Myanmar) - Near Threatened

25. Neolissochilus stracheyi (Day, 1871) (Myanmar) - Least Concern

26. Naziritor zhobensis (Mirza, 1967) (Pakistan) - Not Evaluated

27. Tor zonatus (Lin, 1935) (Mainland China) - Not Evaluated

28. Neolissochiilus baoshanensis (Chen & Yang, 1999) (China Main) - Data Insufficient

29. Neolissochiilus benasi (Pellegrin & Chevey, 1936) (China Main) - Data Insufficient

30. Neolissochiilus blythii (Day, 1870) (Myanmar) - Data Insufficient

31. Neolissochiiluscompressus (Day, 1870) Myanmar - Not Evaluated

32. Neolissochiilus dukai (Day, 1878) (India, Myanmar,Thailand) - Data Insufficient


32

33. Neolissochiilus hendersonii (Herre, 1940) (Malaysia) - Not Evaluated

34. Neolissochiilus heterostomus (Chen & Yang, 1999) (China Main) - Not Evaluated

35. Neolissochiilus nigrovittaus (Boulenger, 1893) (Myanmar, Thailand) - Data Insufficient

36. Neolissochiilus paucisquamatus (Smith, 1945) (Myanmar, Thailand) - Least Concern

37. Neolissochilus soroides (Dunker, 1904) (Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand) - Least Concern

38. Neolissochilus spinulosus (Mc Clelland, 1845) (India) - Data Insufficient

39. Neolissochilus longipinnis (Weber & de Beaufort, 1916) (Indonesia) - Not Evaluated

40. Neolissochilus namlenensis (Nguyen & Doan, 1969) (Vietnam) - Not Evaluated

41. Neolissochilus stevensonii (Day, 1870) (Myanmar) - Data Insufficient

42. Neolissochilus subterraneus (Vidthaynon & Kottelat, 2003) (Thailand) - Vulnerable

43. Neolissochilus sumatranus (Weber & de Beaufort, 1916) (Indonesia, Thailand) - Not Evaluated

44. Neolissochilus thienemanni (Ahl, 1933) (Indonesia) - Vulnerable

45. Neolissochilus tweediei (Herre & Myers, 1937) (Malaysia) - Not Evaluated

46. Neolissochilus vittatus (Smith, 1945) (Thailand) - Least Concern

47. Neolissochilus wynaadensis (Barbados) (Day, 1873) (India) - Critically Endangered

Valid Tor species found in India

1. Tor putitora (Hamilton, 1822) - Endangered

2. Tor tor (Hamilton, 1822) Tor barb - Near Threatened

3. Tor khudree (Sykes, 1839) The Deccan or Yellow Mahseer - Endangered

4. Tor progeneius (Mc Clelland,1839) The Jungha Mahseer - Near Threatened

5. Tor kulkarnii (Menon, 1992) - Endangered

6. Tor barakae (Arunkumar & Basudha, 2003) - Data insufficient

7. Tor macrolepis (Heckel, 1838) - Not Evaluated

8. Tor remadevii (Madhusoodana Kurup & Radhakrishnan, 2011) - Not Evaluated

9. Neolissochiilus hexagonolepis (Mc Clleland, 1839) The Copper Mahseer - Near Threatened

10. Naziritor chelynoides (McClelland,1839) - Vulnerable

11. Neolissochilus hexastichus (McClelland,1839) - Near Threatened

12. Neolissochiilus dukai (Day, 1878) - Data insufficient

13. Neolissochiilus hexastichus (Mc Clelland, 1839) - Near Threatened

14. Neolissochilus spinulosus (Mc Clelland, 1845) - Data insufficient

15. Neolissochilus wynaadensis (Barbados) (Day, 1873) - Critically Endangered

Compiled by: Dr. Vidyadhar Atkore, ATREE ([email protected])

Source: www. fishbase.org

33

Annexures

Annexure II: AGENDA

Mahseer conservation: Status, challenges and the way forward

Date: 19 July, 2012

Venue: WWF, New Delhi

Welcome address (10:30-10:45 a.m.) Mr. Ravi Singh, SG & CEO, WWF-India

Setting the objectives of the meeting (10:45-10:55 a.m.) Mr. Suresh Babu, Director, River Basins and Water Policy,WWF-India

Status of Mahseer (10:55-12:00 p.m.) Chair: Dr. P.C. Mahanta, Director, Cold Water Fisheries (10 mins each + 15 mins discussion) Research, Uttarakhand

Ganga–Yamuna Prof. Prakash Nautiyal, Garhwal University

Ramganga and Kumaon rivers Dr. K.D. Joshi, CIFRI, Allahabad

Brahmaputra and north-eastern rivers Prof. Atul Borgohain, Assam Agricultural University

Western Ghats Dr. A.J.T. Johnsingh

Bhutan Dr. Karma Tenzin, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests,Bhutan

Tea (12:00-12:15 p.m.)

Status of response to Mahseer Conservation Chair: Dr. H.S. Pabla, Advisor to Madhya Pradesh (State and Non-state) (12:15-13:35 p.m.) Eco-Tourism Development Board(10 mins each + 20 mins discussion)

State response to Mahseer conservation in Uttarakhand Dr. B.P. Madhwal, Deputy Director, State Fisheries, Uttarkhand

Angling and Mahseer conservation in Kali river Mr. Viraj Chopra, Environment and Angling Association, Uttarakhand

Angling and Mahseer Conservation in Corbett Mr. Sumantha Ghosh, Mahseer ConservancyNational Park

Experiences with Mahseer hatcheries Dr. P.C. Mahanta, Director, Cold Water Fisheries Research

Conservation of Golden Mahseer Dr. Debajit Sarma, Principal Scientist, DCFR

Impact of hydropower & EMP for Mahseer Dr. J.P. Bhatt, Delhi Universityfishery and conservation in the Himalayas

Lunch break (13:35-14:00 p.m.)

Breakout groups: Strategy and action plan for Chair: Dr. K.K. Vass, former Director, CIFRI and Mahseer conservation (14:00-15:45 p.m.) Prof. B.C. Choudhury, formerly with WII

Breakout groups: 60 minsLead Presentation - Dr Shashank Ogale10-min presentation by groups Discussion in the plenary (15 mins)

Tea (15:30-15:45 p.m.)

Way forward and Next Steps (15:45-16:30 p.m.) Chair: Dr. B.C. Choudhury and Dr. Sejal Worah, Discussion (30 mins) WWF-India

Breakout groups: (6 members each)

Identifying areas of research for developing long-term conservation of Mahseer (Facilitators: Dr. Usha Moza, ICARand Dr. Shashank Ogale)

a. Status of research, gaps and areas for future research.

b. Monitoring at the national, state and river basin levels.

c. Capacity and funding needs for dedicated research.

Institutional: Enhancing the awareness, capacity and improvement of governance frameworks for Mahseerconservation (Facilitators: Dr. K.K. Vass and Mr. A.S. Negi)

a. How do we create awareness on Mahseer conservation?

b. Building capacity for conservation: What capacity gaps exist and what do we do about it?

c. Which institutions are responsible? Can the current institutional set-up address the challenges of Mahseerconservation? Or do we need to improvise on the existing institutional set-up? How do we involve communities?

d. Funding available for Mahseer research and conservation: How much and who provides these funds? Whatpossibilities exist in leveraging existing schemes?

Prevention, mitigation of impact from development projects and restoration of habitats (Facilitators: Prof. PrakashNautiyal and Dr. H.S. Pabla)

a. SWOT of existing legal framework. What lessons can be learned?

b. Establishment of a legal framework for the conservation of the Mahseer by addressing threats like illegal fishing, sandmining, fragmentation (by dams, etc.). Angling as a tool for conservation?

c. Design/location of projects/no-go areas

Notes:

� Each group will have facilitator/facilitators. Groups to identify key issues and suggest ways to address these. Someindicative issues are given in the note. Groups may add/delete/modify these.

� Each group to suggest 3-5 key action points with roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders defined; Groups tonominate one person to present.

� Time for discussion: 60 minutes.

� Presentation: 10 minutes per group.

34


35

Annexures

Annexure III: LIST OF PARTICIPANTS

Name Address Phone # Email address

Dr. K.D. Joshi Head- Riverine Division, Riverine Fisheries 0532 460531, [email protected]

Division of CIFRI, 24, Pannalal road, 461529

Allahabad - 211022. U.P. (India).

Prof. Atul Borgohain Honorary project director of the Golden 094351-48555 (M) [email protected]

Mahseer Rehabilitation and Hatchery project

Dept of Extension education, Faculty of

Veterinary Science, Assam Agricultural

University, Khanapara, Guwahati - 781022

Dr. Shashank Ogale NFDB Project, Talegaon, Srinagri phase - 2, 02114 231234 [email protected]

House no. G-5, House name -SNEH, M- 9922924941-42

Station road, Talegaon, Dabhade, Pune

Mr. A.S. Negi President, Wildlife Preservation Society 9837015819 [email protected],

of India, 7, Astley Hall, Dehradun, [email protected]

Uttarakhand & President Environment &

Anglers Association, Dehradun

Shri Sumantha Ghosh Mahseer Conservancy, Post Box No.14, 91-97611 66777 [email protected],

Ramnagar - 244715, Nainital District, Mahseerconservancy-

Uttarakhand, India @gmail.com

Dr. Usha Moza ADG fishery, Fisheries division, ICAR, KAB-II, 25843457 [email protected]

Krishi Bhawan -2, PUSA, New Delhi - 12

Dr. P.C. Mahanta Directorate of Coldwater Fisheries Research, 05942-247279, [email protected]

Anusandhan Bhawan, Industrial Area, 247280 [email protected]

Bhimtal, India - 226003 PBX: [email protected]

91-5942-247280 (O) [email protected]

Dr. Debajit Sarma Directorate of Coldwater Fisheries Research, 08057912707; [email protected]

Anusandhan Bhawan, Industrial Area, 09410581550

Bhimtal, India - 226003

Dr. A.J.T. Johnsingh 101 Magnolia, Esteem Gardenia, 9448488770 [email protected]

Sahakara Nagar, Bangalore - 92 [email protected]

Dr. J.P. Bhatt Centre for Inter-Disciplinary Studies of 9810855598 [email protected]

Mountain & Hill Environment, ARC Building

3rd floor, Patel Marg, University of Delhi, Delhi - 7

Dr. B.P. Madhwal Deputy director Administration, Director of 9412992904 [email protected]

Fisheries, Raipur Road, Dhanyari, Dehradun

Dr. K.K. Vass Ex-Director, CIFRI, C-218, Pocket -7, Kendriya Cell: 9999330182, [email protected],

Vihar-II, Sector-82, NOIDA -201304, UP Tel: 0120-2462012 [email protected]

Mr. Karma Tenzin Department of Livestock, Ministry of Agriculture Tel (PABX): [email protected]

and Forests, Post Box No. 113, Trimphu, Bhutan +975-2-322418,

Cell +975- 17662027

Fax +975-2-335167

Dr. B.C. Choudhury D- Block, Lane No. 7, Aman Vihar, 9412992631 [email protected]

Sehestradhara road, Dehradun [email protected]

Dr. H.S. Pabla Advisor to M.P. Ecotourism Development Board, Tel : 0755- 2674333 [email protected]

A Wing, Urja Bhawan, Link Road No. 2, M - 09425007850

Bhopal - 462016 Fax: 0755- 2768805

Shri Viraj R. Chopra 10A, Alipur Road, Civil Lines, Delhi 110054, India +91-9810175349 [email protected]

Prof. Prakash Nautiyal HNB, Gharwal University, Srinagar [email protected]

Name Address Phone # Email address

Mr. Ravi Singh SG & CEO, WWF-India [email protected]

Dr. Sejal Worah Programme Director, WWF-India [email protected]

Mr. Suresh Babu Director, River Basins and Water Policy, +91-9818997999 [email protected]

WWF-India

Dr. Sandeep Behera Associate Director, River Basins and +91-9312902040 [email protected]

Water Policy, WWF-India

Dr. Parikshit Gautam WWF-India [email protected]

Dr. Anjana Pant WWF-India [email protected]

Mr. Nitin Kaushal WWF-India [email protected]

36


WWF-India’s Rivers for Life, Life for Rivers programme envisions the Ganga as a healthy

river system that is rich in biodiversity, providing long term water security to communities and

nature. This initiative is supported by the HSBC Water Programme (HWP), a five year

partnership between HSBC, WWF, WaterAid and Earthwatch. During 2012 - 2017, HWP aims

to deliver a powerful combination of water provision, protection and education resulting in the

most ground-breaking water programme committed to by a financial organization.

WWF-India will be building on its Living Ganga Programme (LGP (2007 - 2012)), which has

developed, validated and implemented some of the most innovative pathways and processes for

sustainable water resources and energy management in the face of climate change. These

include pioneering work such as methodologies for assessment of Environmental Flows, water

and energy footprint work with industries, pollution abatement in cities using bioremediation,

engagement in the development of a dolphin action plan, reintroduction of gharials as well as

climate vulnerability assessment and ecosystem based climate adaptation. The LGP’s focus area

was the critical 800 kilometer stretch of the Ganga from Gangotri to Kanpur spanning the

Upper Ganga Basin.

The new phase of the programme, Rivers for Life, Life for Rivers seeks to implement the

lessons learned from the LGP and apply this basin management framework to the Ramganga

River– the first major tributary of the Ganga. The Ramganga River replicates the Ganga in

terms of major issues faced, thereby presenting some complex and nested challenges in water

resource management. In attempts to maximize the impact of ongoing work in the Ganga and

its mainstreaming by various actors, WWF-India plans to continue some of the key initiatives of

the LGP. The focus lies in the 300 kilometer stretch of the Ramganga and the 900 kilometer

stretch of the Ganga (from Bijnore to Varanasi).

The four pillars of the programme are:

• Sustainable Water Management: Working towards ensuring Environmental Flows

and sustainable water management.

• Habitat and Biodiversity Conservation: Improving the population and habitats of 7

endemic and endangered aquatic species (Gangetic Dolphins, gharial, Otters, Mahseer

(fish) and 3 species of turtles, across 400 km (6 districts) of the Ganga and the Ramganga

River.)

• Water stewardship: Collaborating with cities and SMEs in the Ganga basin to manage

water related risks by adopting water stewardship (protection of sources, cleaner

production, sustainable consumption, green financing along with concerted stakeholder

action and policy dialogues). Multi stakeholder groups will be formed to actively engage in

river conservation.

• Climate change adaptation: Developing a framework for climate adaptation so as to

reduce climate vulnerabilities and improve base-flows in the Ganga and its tributaries.

The approach of the programme will incline towards policy advocacy and engagement of

riparian communities with the aim of creating sectoral and basin level as well as state and

national level outreach to generate support and catalyse action towards conserving the revered

river Ganga.

WWF-India, 172-B, Lodi Estate, New Delhi 110 003

REPORT .2013WWW.WWFINDIA.ORG

IND

Supported By:

mahseer conservation in india status, challenges

Documents