Freshwater fishes, fisheries, and habitat prospects of Nepal

Abstract

This paper deals with the status of fish, fisheries, and habitats in Nepal. Being a landlocked country, it has only freshwater habitats covering an area of 745,000 hectares (5% of the total area) that includes rivers, lakes, ponds, wetlands, reservoirs, and irrigated rice fields. It has a diverse fish species totaling 200 fish species, of which 191 are indigenous and nine exotic. Thirty-four fish species were categorized as threatened (IUCN categories), requiring due attention for the conservation. Legal protection is recommended for ten fish species in the endangered and vulnerable categories. Fish harvests are mainly based on the subsistence fish farming, and from capture fisheries. National fish production in the year 2000/01 was 33,270 metric tons. Lowland areas are most suitable for aquaculture, whereas hill streams have a great attraction for sport fishing. Some destructive fishing methods are in use in capture fishery, e.g., electric fishing, explosives and poisons. In Nepal, some of the major fish habitats are in protected conservation areas, e.g., national parks and World Ramsar Sites. However, proper consideration has not been given for fish habitat management. The national plan includes a fisheries/aquaculture sub sector mainly for supplying animal protein, and for generating self-employment and income of small-scale farmers. The number of people involved in the capture fisheries has increased and included 142,000 men and 223,000 women in the year 2000/01. At the same time, commercial trout farming in the private sector has increased. Long-term perspectives in the fields of aquatic ecology, genetics, biotechnology and ecotoxicology are essential to enhance the fish and fisheries science in the country. [Supplementary material is available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management for the following free supplemental resource: an appendix containing a checklist of freshwater fishes of Nepal.]