Conservation in Nepal

To this end, SAHAR invited representatives of government mini stries and institutions working in the environmental and natural resources sectors, international and national non-governmental organisations, academia, and members of the press.

Arun Rana, SAHAR secretary, opened the seminar with a brief round up of SAHAR’s mission and the threats to fish species in Nepal, including the irrational methods of fishing employed in Nepal today and the impact of sand and gravel excavation. His presentation focused particularly on the neglect of aquatic conservation in Nepal, and constituted a call to arms to all those who care for our natural heritage.

A selection of speakers then presented their findings on various aspects of aquatic conservation relevant to Nepal. Dr Tek Bahadur Gurung, with the Livestock and Fisheries Research Directorate at the Nepal Agricultural Research Council, spoke about Nepal’s experience of using native fish hatcheries to stock rivers. The incredible success of the Kali Gandaki Hatchery, which has released over 4 million fish fingerlings into the wild, is a rare success story that SAHAR hopes to replicate on different scales in the rivers and lakes of Nepal. Dr Gurung’s presentation sparked a lively debate on the appropriateness of fish ladders or hatcheries to mitigate the impacts of hydraulic engineering works on local fish diversity and movement.

Prof Dr Jiwan Shrestha of NAST outlined the considerable aquatic biodiversity of Nepal, where an estimated 205 species of fish have been identified. Dr Shrestha not only drew attention to the sheer diversity of fish in Nepal’s water bodies, but also noted their economic importance – including the value of specific species for the table, and for ornamental, recreational, larvicidal and medicinal purposes. She also explained the threats to this diversity, citing the example of the  Kathmandu Valley, where fish species in the Bagmati have dwindled from 35 two decades ago to just 2 in recent times. She concluded by outlining conservation strategies.

Prof Dr Tej Kumar Shrestha of Tribhuvan University focused on the habitats and ecology of the migratory species of the Himalayan rivers. In particular, he dwelt on the several species of mahseer, a highly prized and increasingly rare gamefish. Mahseer is known as Sahar in Nepal, and in fact SAHAR is named after this renowned fish. In the course of Dr Shrestha’s presentation, it became clear that the loss of this magnificent species would not only dent the viability of our riverine ecosystems, but also deprive future generations of the opportunity to witness, as hunter-conservation Jim Corbett put it, the ‘tiger of the water’.

SN Ogale, a former consultant to Tata Power Company and World Bank, then highlighted the success of conserving mahseer at Lonavla Lakes, India. In an absorbing presentation, Mr Ogale detailed the decades-long endeavor to raise mahseer fingerlings to maturity in small ponds using improved methods of aquaculture at the mahseer farm operated by Tata Power. The success of the project has led to the revival of mahseer fisheries in India (including through direct supply of mahseer eggs from Lonavla), and also proves that large corporations can contribute directly to the public good in sectors outside of their commercial mandate.

Mahseer Conservancy’s Nicola Addison and Sumantah Ghosh followed with a presentation on successful wildlife tourism as practiced in the Western Ramganga River in Uttarakhand, India, where similar problems of overfishing were overcome through a tripartite agreement in 2005 between the host community, government, and private entrepreneurs. With extensive involvement of locals – who were trained and employed as guides by Mahseer Conservancy – a catch and release policy was instituted that has attracted anglers to a low-impact lodge on the Ramganga, Riverine Woods, and others. This model, which could be replicated in Nepal, benefits not just the mahseer and other fish species, but also the local community.

SAHAR’s efforts will only take root if it receives the support of those working in the field of aquatic conservation. Key partners are the traditional fishing communities of Nepal. Dhan Bahadur Majhi, Chairperson of the Central Committee of the Nepal Majhi Upliftment Society, highlighted the problems faced by his impoverished community. In a heartfelt presentation, Mr Majhi lamented the loss of culture that has accompanied the devastation wrought upon Nepal’s rivers and lakes by over harvesting, unsustainable modes of fishing, and habitat loss. While the Majhi community is not in any way opposed to development, this presentation made it clear they are rooted in the natural heritage we all claim as ours. Any measures to protect this heritage, therefore, should draw upon the traditional knowledge and expertise of the fishing communities of  Nepal.

Ravi Man Singh, President of SAHAR, concluded the seminar with a round-up of the issues raised by the seminar participants. He reiterated the immense importance of Nepal’s aquatic biodiversity, the threats it currently faces, and the need to raise a critical mass of awareness to forge partnerships and involve the marginalized fishing communities of Nepal to conserve the fish of Nepal. Citing the commendable work of Tata Power Company in Lonavla, he opined that commercial hydropower developers can and should play a positive role in conservation efforts. Lastly, he pointed out that the technology for artificial captive breeding of many of Nepal’s fish species has already been successfully demonstrated by the Fisheries Department in Nepal. This offers the opportunity to revive fish stocks in Nepal’s rivers through restocking efforts, and creates opportunities for promoting sustainable angling tourism that could make a significant contribution to alleviating poverty in Nepal.