Where Recreation and Conservation Meet: Using Stakeholder Input to Guide Conservation Research in the Catch-and-Release Mahseer (Tor spp.) Recreational Fishery of the Cauvery River, India

The mahseer (Tor spp.) of India are a group of potamodromous cyprinids currently facing numerous challenges in their native ranges including overfishing, pollution, and hydropower development. As a result of such challenges, six of eight Indian mahseer species have been listed as ‘Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List. The mahseer recreational fishery may serve as an ally for this group of iconic species, fostering aquatic stewardship and providing livelihood alternatives for poachers. Yet, information regarding species-specific responses to recreational fishing practices is lacking and a 2009 decree equating fishing with hunting in the Indian Wildlife Act (1972) has rendered the future of mahseer recreational fisheries uncertain. In 2014, our team conducted rapid physiological assessments to evaluate the suitability of catch-and-release recreational fishing as a potential tool for mahseer conservation in the Cauvery River. In 2015, we returned to begin a radio telemetry study to measure sub-lethal catch-and-release impacts on mahseer by evaluating post-release behaviours. Rapid assessment findings suggest mahseer are robust to catch-and-release, though the species would benefit from establishment of best practices that include avoiding prolonged angling and air exposure times. We discuss these results in detail, and offer preliminary results of the 2015 field season.