METHODS AND BASELINE FOR AQUATIC ECOLOGY AND FISHERIES PETER-JOHN MEYNELL & RICK GREGORY

METHODS AND BASELINE FOR AQUATIC ECOLOGY AND FISHERIES PETER-JOHN MEYNELL & RICK GREGORY

APPROACH FOR AQUATIC ECOLOGY AND FISHERIES 1. Identifying ecologically sensitive areas in Myanmar s rivers Quantifying the different types of river reach Overlaying with key biodiversity areas 2. Estimating the threatened fish, molluscs, insects and crustacea in selected parts of river basins (HydroSheds) 3. Assessing the importance of these species for livelihoods and nutrition 4. Describing pressures and trends on aquatic ecosystems and fisheries 5. Possible interactions with hydropower - Degree of Regulation and Degree of Fragmentation

ISH01 WHAT IS AN ECOLOGICALLY SENSITIVE AREA? 2 A functioning Ecologically Sensitive Area is an area that contains high ecological value/importance, supports sustainable ecological processes in support of socioeconomic and ecological value, supports the sustainability of ecosystem services and, hence, livelihoods (ecosystem services), is fragile to impacts no matter if human and/or natural, and, hence is at possible risk to lose its support of ecological value and processes by these impacts.

USE OF DATA BASES AND SOURCES OF INFORMATION 1. River classification database for GMS prepared for WWF, by Lehner et al. 2. Global surface water explorer from EU Joint research centre - https://global-surfacewater.appspot.com/ 3. Integrated Biodiversity Assessment Tool, developed by IUCN, WCMC, BirdLife https://www.ibatalliance.org/ibat-conservation/ 4. IUCN Redlist http://www.iucnredlist.org/ 5. FishBase www.fishbase.org/

Chindwin River reach types as an example Mainstem: Rock cut river channel 907 km Multi-rock cut channels 73 km Large rivers: Moist broadleaf, low elevation with sediment Moist broadleaf, low elevation with floodplains Medium rivers: Coniferous, low gradient / High gradient Moist broadleaf, high elevation, high gradient / low gradient Karst, low elevation Small rivers: Coniferous, low gradient / High gradient Moist broadleaf, high elevation, high gradient / low gradient Karst, low elevation 4

Quantifying the lengths of different river classes in Myanmar s rivers Mainstem, Large, Medium, Small and headwater streams Lengths of large rivers types in Chindwin river basin 600 500 Length of river type, km 400 300 200 100 0 Large river, in moist broadleaf forest region at low elevation, with low gradient Large river, in moist broadleaf forest region at low elevation, with floodplains Large river, in moist broadleaf forest region at low elevation, with sediment Large river, in moist broadleaf forest region at low elevation, with floodplains and sediment Large river, in moist broadleaf forest region at high elevation, with low gradient Large river, in moist broadleaf forest region at high elevation, with floodplains Large river, in karst region at low elevation Large river, in karst region at high elevation 5

Key Biodiversity Areas in and near the Chindwin river basin Htamanthi (wetland species) Uyu river (wetland species) Indawgyi Lake, Grasslands and 6 Indaw Chaung wetland Ramsar site Thaungdet (terrestrial) Ayeyarwady Shwegu Section Mahayaing (terrestrial) Chatthin (wetland species) Mahandar Kan (wetland species) Alaungdaw Kathapa (terrestrial) Irrawaddy Dolphin Yemyet Inn

Distribution of freshwater fish species throughout the Eastern Himalaya and Indo-Burma hotspots Ayeyarwady 30-56 species Chindwin 57 81 species From IUCN: Status and distribution of freshwater biodiversity in the eastern Himalaya and Indo Burma hotspot Sittaung 46 72 species Thanlwin 73 105 species 7

Endangered and Endemic fish species Majority of endangered fish species are in upper Chindwin basin. 24 Vulnerable species 4 Endangered species Psilorhynchus microphthalmus Puntius manipurensis Schistura kangjupkhalensis Schistura reticulate 18 Turtle species recorded in Myanmar, of which 2 are Critically Endangered, 6 Endangered and 5 Vulnerable There are more endemic species in the Sittaung-Irrawady region than in the Ganga Brahmaputra sub-region. Highest areas of endemism in Rakhine Yoma, Chin hills, Bago Yoma and northern tributaries around the Chinese border. Fish species distribution in large areas of Myanmar are still poorly known and have not been sampled, e.g. Upper Chindwin and hills around Lake Indawgyi Update for Chindwin 2016 153 species. Update for Thanlwin (WWF) c 140 species 8

FISH PRODUCTION STATISTICS AND CONSUMPTION RATES 1,100,000 tons of fish and fisheries products consumed annually. 31.5% of the fish are from freshwater sources 20% of fish are from Aquaculture. 27% of fish are from freshwater and coastal capture fisheries. Freshwater capture fisheries important as sources of fish for fermented fish for fish deficit areas and off season fish consumption Needham, S. & Funge-Smith, S. J. (2014) The consumption of fish and fish products in the Asia-Pacific region based on household surveys. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific,

FISHER LIVELIHOODS Around 3,200,000 people (6.4% of the population) involved in the fisheries sector in Myanmar 1 Full time, part time or occasional basis. LIFT study 2 (4,000 households, (disaggregated by hilly, dry and Delta/coastal regions)) suggests figure could be as high as 6.5m people. 1. Department of Fisheries Statistics 2014-2015 2. LIFT Baseline data (2012)

SPECIES OF FOOD FISH SPECIES IN SELECTED SUB- BASINS IN THE CHINDWIN These species represent more than 80% of the fish species present in the sub-basins

LONG DISTANCE MIGRATORY SPECIES Hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha) & Giant Freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) - important for rural livelihoods, domestic fish consumption and exports. Both species threatened by hydro development.

THE IMPORTANCE OF SEDIMENTS & NUTRIENTS FOR COASTAL FISHERIES Reduced sediments and nutrient discharge into coastal areas would likely reduce fisheries productivity. This could affect the livelihoods of many coastal communities in Myanmar Particularly Ayeyarwaddy Delta Gulf of Mottama.

FISH PRODUCTION IN RESERVOIRS Reservoirs have high potential for small-scale cage aquaculture and enhanced fisheries Myanmar s Irrigation policy currently does not allow for the use of reservoirs for fish production purposes.

EXPERIMENTAL FISH PASSAGES ACIAR Project - Laos PDR - Pak Peung Wetland 132 different fish species recorded moving through the fishway into wetlands upstream. Fish can be lifted up to 6m through the passageway. The mainstream Mekong Xayaburi dam has a series of (as yet untried) hi-tech solutions to lift fish above the 50m dam wall. Research into fish passage design continues in many countries To maximise the number of species and individuals able to pass obstacles To reduce physical damage to fish caused by high water velocities and abrasion To reduce costs and maximise benefits to biodiversity and local communities.

1 6 Trends and threats to aquatic ecosystems and fish Declining water quality: Population growth and urbanisation waste waters, solid waste disposal Industrial wastes discharged into river Mining and sand and gravel extraction from rivers increase sediment loads and toxic materials e.g. mercury from gold mining Increased use / abuse of agricultural chemicals Changes in landuse increasing soil erosion Changing aquatic habitats: Changing sediment patterns bank and bed erosion, and deposition Loss of important areas for fish spawning and nursery areas e.g. gravel beds and inchannel wetland areas Inundation of rivers and floodplains by reservoirs from irrigation and hydropower dams Loss of connectivity due to dams and weirs across rivers

1 7 Trends and threats to aquatic ecosystems and fish Changing flows in rivers: Storage of water in irrigation and hydropower reservoirs higher flows in the dry season, smaller peak flows in the wet season Daily changes in flow due to peaking operations of hydropower Over exploitation of aquatic resources: Overfishing Use of illegal fishing methods electro-fishing, poisons and dynamite All these pressures lead to declining health and aquatic resources in Myanmar s rivers

Mining on the Uyu River a Key Biodiversity area 1 8

Species in Hydroshed EUR_58032 Uyu River Taxonomic group Fishes Molluscs Dragonflies and Damselflies Crabs, lobsters and shrimps Non-threatened 47 23 NT and VU 6 0 EN and CR 0 0 117 1 0 1 0 0 Uyu River Key Biodiversity Area External stress level expected to be high because of mining pressure 1 9 23 commercial fish species 20 subsistence fish species

2 0 Species in Hydroshed EUR_58709 Manipur dam Taxonomic group Non-threatened NT and VU EN and CR Fishes 48 5 0 Molluscs 24 0 0 Dragonflies and Damselflies Crabs, lobsters and shrimps 118 1 0 1 0 0 22 commercial fish species 21 subsistence fish species Manipur dam

Manipur Hydropower project - planned 2 1

Species in Hydroshed EUR_59542 Taxonomic group Non-threatened NT and VU EN and CR Fishes 35 4 0 Molluscs 25 0 0 Dragonflies and Damselflies 115 1 0 Crabs, lobsters and shrimps 1 0 0 Myittha dam (under construction) 2 2 18 commercial fish species 14 subsistence fish species

Myittha Hydropower project: under construction 2 3

Htamanthi HPP Postponed 1,200 MW 74 m high, Storage 21 million cu.m, Reservoir area 510 sq km (estimated) 2 4

2 5 Two important indicators of changes in aquatic ecosystems Indicators of disturbance of river ecosystems by water infrastructure Degree of regulation measures the hydrological changes in the rivers due to storage of water in reservoirs Degree of fragmentation measures the loss of connectivity between aquatic habitats important for migration of fish Source: Grill & Lehner for WWF 2016

2 6 Changes in the Degree of Regulation Existing and under construction dams (left) If Myanmar s hydropower potential is fully realised (right)

2 7 Degree of Fragmentation in the Ayeyarwady River Basin. Existing and under construction dams (left) If Myanmar s hydropower potential is fully realised (right)

2 8 Next steps 1. Carry out detailed analysis of the distribution of different aquatic habitats in all the major rivers 2. Identify Ecologically Sensitive Areas in these areas 3. Assess the redlisted aquatic fauna fish, molluscs, insects and crustacea compositions in selected river basins and their degree of vulnerability 4. Assess the importance of aquatic resources for local livelihoods and nutrition 5. Assess the current degree of regulation and degree of fragmentation in each of the river basins. Impact assessment stage Overlay the proposed hydropower plans, to assess the impacts upon aquatic ecosystems and resources

THANK YOU 2 9