The golden mahseer Tor putitora, a well-known large cyprinid freshwater game fish of mountain rivers and lakes of most Trans-Himalayan countries, is categorized as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. It is declining as a result of overfishing and chemical and physical alterations of its habitat.

The National Trust for Nature Conservation, with the support of IUCN Save Our Species and Fondation Segré Conservation Action Fund, implemented a 1-year project, to April 2025, in the Babai and Sharada Rivers to initiate community-led conservation action for the mahseers. We first conducted a fish diversity survey along 76 and 62 km stretches of the Babai and Sharada Rivers, respectively. We recorded 17 species from 8 families and 3 orders, along with threats to aquatic life from dams, river resource extraction and fishing.

Using our previous experience of mobilizing local people in wildlife conservation, we trained community members to work as change agents to raise conservation awareness of the golden mahseer in their communities. This replicated successful awareness raising in the Bardia–Banke Complex that focused on terrestrial megafauna (Kadariya et al., 2023, Oryx, 57, 11). From the 40 community forest user groups, we selected a total of 43 young participants, representing all parts of the rivers, for training as change agents. From amongst these, 26 interested and committed trainees were mobilized. They used a combination of community-level training and a door-to-door campaign to raise awareness of the golden mahseer.

To involve community members in curbing illegal fishing, the concept of a River Guard Group was formulated, and 18 youths were trained to patrol the rivers. We also explored the potential of linking mahseer conservation to fishing-based ecotourism by upgrading a homestay in Salyan district, where recreational fishing activities have been established. With future support for this kind of ecotourism initiative, we hope to develop a sustainable model for fishing-based ecotourism that can support local livelihoods and contribute to the conservation of the golden mahseer.

Over the 1-year programme, there were a total of 490 community training sessions and door-to-door interactions, reaching 11,984 community members, the River Guard Group conducted 1,062 patrols along 1,641 km of river, and we successfully identified and protected seven hatchling sites of the golden mahseer. Local communities along the Babai and Sharada Rivers have embraced their role as stewards of aquatic biodiversity. Their enthusiasm to continue as change agents and River Guard Group members reflects a deepening sense of ownership and pride. By advocating for the golden mahseer and broader riverine life, these communities are proving that conservation thrives not only through formal policy and legal protection, but through the active engagement of local people.