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TRANSCRIPT
River Sanctuaries: Worshipping Endangered Fish.. and Rivers!
Parineeta Dandekar,Himanshu
Thakkar
South Asia Network on
Dams, Rivers and People
(SANDRP)
27th January 2015, Global Conference on Inland
Fisheries, FAO
• India has a blind spot when it comes toprotecting freshwater fish or rivers
• Although we have 158 (and counting)threatened freshwater fish species in our rivers,the Wildlife (Protection) Act includes none in itsschedule of protected species
• We have next to none riverine protected areasand the incidental protection rivers get is onlywhen they pass through terrestrial protectedareas, where too their flows are severelytampered with by upstream and downstreamdams
• In such a scenario, India also has rare gems ofcommunity protection which cut acrossgeographical boundaries, religions andcastes..the Riverine Fish Sanctuaries!
• More than 50 community conserved fishsanctuaries thrive along India’s rivers, protectingits rich freshwater fish diversity as well as therivers.
• Fishing and pollution is strictly prohibited in thesestretches.
• Devotees feed and worship fish, especially theendangered Mahseer (Tor tor, Tor putitora)
• These sanctuaries remain an important bastion forthe threatened Tor species
• Around 30 such sanctuaries are present in WesternGhats Complex which itself has extremely highendemism(67%)
• Eastern Peninsula also has fish sanctuary onMahanadi River
• Fish Sanctuaries are common in Uttarakhand,protecting Golden Mahseer ( Tor putitora)
Yenekal Fish Sanctuary, Netravathi Basin, Karnataka. Thrreatened by a series of Mini Hydel Projects Photo: Parineeta Dandekar
Nakur Gaya Fish Sanctuary, Netravathi Basin, Karnataka. Thrreatened by a series of Mini Hydel Projects Photo: Parineeta Dandekar
Fish Sanctuary near Hosmata, Netravathi Basin, Karnataka. Thrreatened by Kukke Mini Hydel Project Photo: Parineeta Dandekar
Shringeri Fish Sanctuary on Tunga River, Karnataka Photo: Parineeta Dandekar
Chippalgudde Fish Sanctuary, Karnataka. Photo: Parineeta Dandekar
Walen Kondh Fish Sanctuary, Savitri River, Maharashtra. Threatened by 2 Mini Hydel Projects in the upstream: Kal and KumbhiPhoto: Parineeta Dandekar
Tilase Fish Sanctuary, Vaitrana River, Maharashtra. Threatened by 2 dams: one in upstream and one in downstreamPhoto: Parineeta Dandekar
Tilase Fish Sanctuary, Vaitrana River, Maharashtra. Threatened by 2 dams: one in upstream and one in downstreamPhoto: Parineeta Dandekar
Golden Mahseer at Laxman Jhula, Haridwar Ganga in Uttarakhand Photo: Wikipedia
Golden Mahseer of Gomti River, Baijnath, Uttarakhand. Thrreatened by hydropower projects in the upstream Ganga Photo: MalavikaChauhan
Mahseer of the Mahanadi River, Huma Temple Photo: Wikimedia
• In Meghalaya, Community Conserved Areas protectingfish and rivers have been existing as a traditional practice
• About 40 years ago, Amlayee River Fish Sanctuary wascreated by a local visionary named Lyngoh. Fishing isbanned and Mahseer here swim with children!
• Along with Tor Putitora, Chocolate Mahseer(Neolissocheilus hexagonalepis) is protected inMeghalaya Sanctuaries.
• Sanctuaries like Chiphot bibra, Rabdikwari,Miteramabata, Maktrakigol, Degasia, Mandrang wari,Ringpleng wari, Kalbong, Dinran wari, Rongguang andJakpigok
• Most of these systems are a part of the Umngot RiverSystem which is now threatened with 240 MW UmngotHydropower Dam.
• Village Durbars want formal protection for their fishsanctuaries.
Bansamgre Fish Sanctuary (West GaroHills District Photo: Meghalaya Fisheries Department
Amlayee Mahseer Fish Sanctuary, Nongbareh (West Jaintia Hills District) Photo: Photo: Meghalaya Fisheries Department
Amlayee Mahseer Sanctuary Photo: Photo: Meghalaya Fisheries Department
• Several such sanctuaries have dried up or submerged due to dams or killed due to pollution
• The communities who nurtured these sanctuaries play no role in decision-making when dams destroy these places.
• EIAs of dams do not even mention their existence! ( Middle Vaitarna, Kukke Mini Hydel, Umngot HEP, Uttarakhand dams)
• Fisheries Departments are least concerned with these.
• They receive no formal protection, no protection from international bodies or conventions like CBD.
• These communities are the true custodians of riverine conservation.
• Time to acknowledge and respect these efforts and provide flexible protection to these rivers…and their magical fish!
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