Small Indigenous Freshwater Fish Species: their Role in Poverty Alleviation, Food Security and Conservation of Biodiversity, 23-25 February 2010, Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore, Kolkata, West Bengal. Workshop report

This is the report on the workshop on “Small Indigenous Freshwater Fish Species: Their Role in Poverty Alleviation, Food Security and Conservation of Biodiversity”, organized by the International Collective in Support of Fishworkers(ICSF) in collaboration with the Inland Fisheries Society of India (IFSI). The workshop was a forum for exchange of views on the role of small indigenous freshwater fish species (SIFFS) in enhancing rural food supply and livelihood security, and in conserving biodiversity. The workshop also discussed the socioeconomic and cultural contexts for the culture and capture of SIFFS, and how to enhance access—especially for women—to better incomes, livelihoods and nutritional security, through appropriate policy spaces. This report provides a fresh focus on SIFFS, usually regarded as ‘trash’ fish. It urges scientists, researchers and decisionmakers to develop policy and legislative measures to ensure the conservation and promotion of SIFFS, both in capture- and culture-fisheries systems. This report will be useful for fishworker organizations, researchers, policymakers, fish farmers, members of civil society and anyone interested in fisheries and livelihoods. (PDF contains 86 pages)

Using RIVPACS for studies on conservation and biodiversity

Invertebrate conservation relies not only on public support and political will, but also on possessing an adequate understanding of the distribution and ecology of invertebrate species and communities. In the UK, RIVPACS is making an important contribution to assessing the conservation importance of river invertebrate assemblages. So far, work has largely centred on using RIVPACS as an integral part of SERCON (System for Evaluating Rivers for Conservation), in which data collected using the standard RIVPACS method are interpreted with reference to conservation criteria such as species richness and representativeness. Applications of RIVPACS to other areas of conservation - whether providing information on the ecological requirements of rare species, monitoring the success of river restoration projects, or making broader assessments of sustainability - are probably more limited, but merit further examination. It is important to develop closer links between RIVPACS and techniques such as SERCON and RHS (River Habitat Survey) in order to maximise the benefit each can bring tostudies on conservation and biodiversity. It should also be recognised that there are limitations in transferring such systems to other countries where approaches to nature conservation may be very different.

Use of biological reference points for the conservation of atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.)in the River Lune, North West England.

This paper deals with the development and use of biological reference points for salmon conservation on the River Lune, England. The Lune supports recreational and net fisheries with annual catches in the region of 1,000 and 1356 salmon respectively. Using models transported from other river systems, biological reference points exclusive to the Lune were developed; specifically the number of eggs deposited and carrying capacity estimates for age 0+ and 1+ parr. The conservation limit was estimated at 11.9 million eggs and between 1989 and 1998 was exceeded in two years. Comparison of juvenile salmon densities in 1991 and 1997 with estimates of carrying capacity indicated that 0+ and 1+ parr densities were at around 60 % of carrying capacity and may relate to the number of eggs deposited in 1990 and 1996 being approximately 70% of the target value. The paper discusses the management actions taken in order to ensure that the management target of the conservation limit being met four years out of five is delivered. It also discusses the balance between conservation and exploitation and the socio-economic decisions made in order to ensure parity of impacts on the rod and net fisheries. The regulations have been enforced since 1999 and the paper concludes with an assessment of the actions taken to deliver the management targets, over the last five years.

ReefBase - a global database of coral reef systems and their resources

ReefBase a global database of coral reefs systems and their resources was initiated at International Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management (ICLARM), Philippines in November 1993. The CEC has provided funding for the first two years and the database was developed in collaboration with the World Conservation Monitoring Centre in Cambridge, UK, as well as other national, regional, and international institutions. The ReefBase project activities and what ICLARM will do to accomplish the project objectives are briefly discussed.

Production and conservation of nutrient-rich small fish (SIS) in ponds and wetlands for nutrition security and livelihoods in South Asia: Proceedings of a World Bank/SAFANSI funded regional workshop on small fish and nutrition, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 1st - 2nd March 2014

Small indigenous fish species (SIS) are an important source of essential macro- and micronutrients that can play an important role in the elimination of malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies in the populations of many South and Southeast Asian countries. Of the 260 freshwater fish species in Bangladesh, more than 140 are classified as SIS and are an integral part of the rural Bangladeshi diet. As many SIS are eaten whole, with organs and bones, they contain high amounts of vitamins and minerals, including calcium, and iron and zinc. Some SIS, such as mola, are also rich in vitamin A. SIS are often cooked with vegetables and a little oil, so they contribute to the food diversity of the rural poor.SIS are recognized as a major animal-source food group, contributing to improved food and nutrition security and livelihoods of the people of South and Southeast Asia. The purpose of this workshop is to bring together policy makers, extension agents, researchers, non-governmental and development organizations to share knowledge about small fish, their contribution to better nutrition, production technologies, and strategies for wider dissemination of pond culture and wetland based-production and conservation technologies. The workshop is expected to generate ideas for further research and development of sustainable technologies for production, management and conservation of SIS for the benefit of the people of Bangladesh as well as the South and Southeast Asian region.

The major aquatic systems of the Victoria and Kyoga lake basins

The Victoria and Kyoga lake basins form the major aquatic system of this study (Fig. I). The two lake basins share a common evolutionary history and have similar native fish faunas (Graham 1929, Worthington 1929). The two main lakes have also had similar impacts by introduction of Nile perch Lates niloticus and therefore these two lakes can be considered to be similar for ichiogeographical purposes. These lake basins have many satellite lakes isolated from one another and from the main lakes Victoria and Kyoga by swamps and other barriers. Some of these satellite lakes still possess stocks of endemic fish species which are almost extinct from the main water bodies. It was therefore considered that understanding of these lakes would contribute to the knowledge base required to solve some of the problems experienced in Lake Victoria and Kyoga especially the loss in trophic diversity arising. The study was carried out in these two main water bodies (Kyoga and Victoria) and on other satellite lakes e.g Wamala, Kachera, Mburo, Kayanja and Kayugi in the Victoria lake basin and lakes Nawampasa, Nyaguo, Agu, Gigate, Lemwa and Kawi in the Kyoga lake basin (Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6).

Biodiversity values of different aquatic systems, habitats and organisms in relation to restoration and sustaining of biodiversity

Biodiversity values provide objective data and advice from which policy makes could assess the conservation options and determine optimal policies that would balance the needs of conservation with the socia-economic needs of the people in the area.

Rapid assessment of the fish biodiversity of the Mburo-Nakivali wetland systems and Opeta-Bisina wetland systems, Uganda

There are 46 different fish species in the Lake Kyoga basin with some of them endemic. The Nile Perch (Lates niloticus) was introduced into the main Lake Kyoga, Nakuwa and Bisina in the late 1950s to increase the fish production. The Nile Perch profileration in lakes Kyoga and Nakuwa led to the almost complete elimination of many native fish species such as Orechromis esculentus and variabilis, Mormyrus kanumme, Schilbe mystus and several Haplochromines species. Lakes Mburo, Kachera, Nakivali and Kijjanebalora are part of the complex system of lakes separated from Lake Victoria by extended swamps known as the Koki lakes, some of the satellite lakes in the Lake Victoria basin. The fisheries of these lakes are important as they contribute to government efforts of increasing food security, poverty reduction and conservation of natural resource base. These lakes are important biodiversity areas because some of these lakes have been found to contain the native tilapiine Oreochromis esculentus (Ngege), absent or threatened with extinction in the main Lakes Victoria and Kyoga. It’s also important to note that this species is only unique to the Victoria and Kyoga lake basins (Graham, 1929, Worthington, 1929). The values of some of these lake fisheries are however, threatened by human activities such as over exploitation, introduction of exotics especially water hyacinth that is already present in River Rwizi and habitat degradation among others.

Conservation of aquatic biodiversity

Uganda is rich in aquatic resources. Up to 17 % of the country's surface area is covered by Aquatic systems comprising five major lakes; Victoria, Albert, Kyoga, Edward, George, about 160 minor lakes, an extensive river and stream system, dams and ponds. These aquatic systems are associated with extensive swamps