<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" >

	<channel>
		<title>Mongabay India</title>
		<atom:link href="https://india.mongabay.com/feed/?topic=fish&#038;type=post" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
		<link>https://india.mongabay.com/list/fish/</link>
		<description>India&#039;s environmental science and conservation news</description>
		<lastBuildDate>Tue, 29 Sep 2026 10:16:13 +0000</lastBuildDate>
		<language>en-US</language>
		<sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod>
		<sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency>
		<generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.5</generator>
				<item>
					<title>Isolated island tribes should choose their own destinies, says Manish Chandi [Interview]</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/09/isolated-island-tribes-should-choose-their-own-destinies-says-manish-chandi-interview/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/09/isolated-island-tribes-should-choose-their-own-destinies-says-manish-chandi-interview/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>28 Sep 2026 13:12:47 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Latoya Abulu]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Mongabay Editor]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marine Fisheries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marine wildlife]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tribal communities]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/09/26224219/q.-Shompen-2-of-the-27th-Km-EW-road-1997-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=41246</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Beyond Protected Areas]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Andaman and Nicobar Islands]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biodiversity, Community based conservation, Conservation, Fish, Fishing, Forests, Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous Rights, Islands, Mangroves, Oceans, and Tribes]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[From above, the North Sentinel Island tribal reserve in India’s Andaman and Nicobar archipelago is a thick, unbroken patch of dark green — starkly surrounded by the shimmering coastal blue waters of its buffer zone. On these shores, Sentinelese people, who live in voluntary isolation protected by a strict government no-contact policy, spear fish, hunt [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[From above, the North Sentinel Island tribal reserve in India’s Andaman and Nicobar archipelago is a thick, unbroken patch of dark green — starkly surrounded by the shimmering coastal blue waters of its buffer zone. On these shores, Sentinelese people, who live in voluntary isolation protected by a strict government no-contact policy, spear fish, hunt turtles and collect mollusks in shallow reefs surrounded by mangroves. The coastal reefs are intact ecosystems rich in fish life, say biologists. “I have seen them [groups of men, women and children] foraging and collecting these food resources during low tide on several occasions,” says Manish Chandi, a tribal expert who has watched the island from afar. “The Sentinelese are aware of these as nutritious and sparsely available resources in such [mangrove] habitats, which are very few on and around the island.” Like other tribal reserves on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, in the southeast of mainland India, North Sentinel Island is a biodiversity hotspot; and, like other tribal reserves, the isolated people who live there have attracted influencers and misunderstandings, says Chandi. “Curiosity and ignorance regarding the islanders is quite high and understandably so amongst outsiders and [government] bureaucrats who have little association with the islands,” he tells Mongabay in an interview. The giant trees along the North Sentinel Island coastline are its first natural defence against storms and hold its coastal soil together. The shore is lined with sandy beaches and rocky shores, while the foreshore is dotted with coral reefs and mangroves&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/09/isolated-island-tribes-should-choose-their-own-destinies-says-manish-chandi-interview/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/09/isolated-island-tribes-should-choose-their-own-destinies-says-manish-chandi-interview/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>El Niño, the monsoon, and the confusion of Kerala&#8217;s fishers [Commentary]</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/09/el-nino-the-monsoon-and-the-confusion-of-keralas-fishers-commentary/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/09/el-nino-the-monsoon-and-the-confusion-of-keralas-fishers-commentary/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>25 Sep 2026 13:00:47 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[John Kurien]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Kundan Pandey]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[arabian sea]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fisheries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fishermen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sea]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/09/24232735/Kochi_Fishing_Fishermen_Kerala_India-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=41191</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Climate Connections]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Kerala]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Climate Change, Climate Science, Coast, Environment, Extreme Weather Events, Fish, Fishing, Monsoons, Oceans, and Villages]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[The phone call came on a humid July afternoon. It was a fisherman from Marianad, a village in Thiruvananthapuram district where I first began my work with fishers in 1973. He was calling to share what he was seeing at sea. The sea had been rough, he said. Fishers were still going out, despite the [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[The phone call came on a humid July afternoon. It was a fisherman from Marianad, a village in Thiruvananthapuram district where I first began my work with fishers in 1973. He was calling to share what he was seeing at sea. The sea had been rough, he said. Fishers were still going out, despite the risk, because there were plenty of fish in the deeper waters. The turbid water was working in their favour too — fish were getting caught in the nets more easily. Supply on the shore was short, so prices were high. Earnings were good. But something puzzled him. The sea felt cooler now than he remembered it in earlier Julys. That was not what he expected. It was not what I expected either. The name that came from fishers To make sense of it, it helps to start with a story from the other side of the world. Off the coast of Peru and Ecuador, fishers noticed that every few years, around Christmas, the ocean would turn unusually warm, and the fish they depended on would vanish. They named the phenomenon after the season it arrived in — El Niño or &#8220;the little boy,&#8221; referring to &#8220;the Christ Child&#8221;. A name given by fishers has since become the scientific term for one of the most powerful climate patterns on Earth. El Niño is not a local event. When the surface of the tropical Pacific warms, the effects ripple outward across the planet — shifting rainfall belts,&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/09/el-nino-the-monsoon-and-the-confusion-of-keralas-fishers-commentary/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/09/el-nino-the-monsoon-and-the-confusion-of-keralas-fishers-commentary/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>A world of bristles beneath the waves</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/09/a-world-of-bristles-beneath-the-waves/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/09/a-world-of-bristles-beneath-the-waves/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>01 Sep 2026 17:06:45 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Nikhil Sreekandan]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Renuka Kulkarni]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fisheries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marine ecosystem]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marine Fisheries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marine wildlife]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[shrimp]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Shrimp farming]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/09/01143225/Amphinomids-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=40603</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Almost Famous Species]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Indian Ocean]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biodiversity, Coast, Conservation, Ecology, Ecosystem services, Environment, Fish, Fishing, Oceans, Overfishing, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Polychaete worms are among the most diverse groups of marine invertebrates on Earth. According to the World Register of Marine Species, approximately 13,148 valid polychaete species are currently recognised. Some researchers even estimate that this number could rise to 16,700 by the end of the century. “They (polychaete worms) occur in almost all marine habitats, [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Polychaete worms are among the most diverse groups of marine invertebrates on Earth. According to the World Register of Marine Species, approximately 13,148 valid polychaete species are currently recognised. Some researchers even estimate that this number could rise to 16,700 by the end of the century. “They (polychaete worms) occur in almost all marine habitats, from estuaries, mangroves, sandy shores, coral reefs, and seagrass beds to the continental shelf and deeper waters,” said Sanitha Sivadas, a marine benthic ecology expert and Scientist E at the National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR), Visakhapatnam. “A small percentage of polychaete species have even adapted to low-salinity and inland water environments,” Sivadas added. Polychaeta, Greek for “having much hair”, refers to the bristles on the fleshy, leg-like protrusions on their body, which also lends them their other name, bristle worms. These worms range in size from a few millimetres to more than a metre long and come in colours ranging from dull brown to neon yellow and orange-red. In India, despite their vast diversity, polychaete worms remain understudied. Mongabay-India spoke to polychaete experts and taxonomists to learn more about the bright, bristly worms of our seas. India’s underexplored diversity With its extensive coastline and diverse coastal and marine habitats, India is home to a huge diversity of polychaete worms, said Sivadas. “[But] the current recorded [polychaete] diversity represents only a part of the actual diversity in Indian waters,” she added. Pierre Fauvel laid the foundation for documenting India’s polychaete fauna. The well-known French polychaetologist’s&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/09/a-world-of-bristles-beneath-the-waves/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/09/a-world-of-bristles-beneath-the-waves/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Scientists identify new deep-sea shark species from India’s southwest coast</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/scientists-identify-new-deep-sea-shark-species-from-indias-southwest-coast/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/scientists-identify-new-deep-sea-shark-species-from-indias-southwest-coast/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>04 Aug 2026 12:15:07 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Ananya Singh]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bycatch]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[deep seas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fisheries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[shark]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[trawling]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/08/04130134/A_drona_holotype_image_male-1-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=39826</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Almost Famous Species]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Kerala]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biodiversity, Coast, Conservation, Ecology, Fish, Fishing, New species, Oceans, Overfishing, Positive Environmental, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[A deep-sea catshark caught off Kerala’s coast has now been identified as a new species, highlighting the need for better understanding of deep-sea biodiversity. In 2022, a team of scientists sifting through the bycatch of deep-sea shrimp trawlers came across a black, slender-bodied fish with an angular, pointed snout and striking white eyes. This fish [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[A deep-sea catshark caught off Kerala’s coast has now been identified as a new species, highlighting the need for better understanding of deep-sea biodiversity. In 2022, a team of scientists sifting through the bycatch of deep-sea shrimp trawlers came across a black, slender-bodied fish with an angular, pointed snout and striking white eyes. This fish had been caught at a depth of 400-650 metres at Kollam slope, a continental slope in the southeastern Arabian Sea off Kerala’s coast, designated as an Important Shark and Ray Area. The team confirmed that it belonged to the genus Apristurus — a group of deepwater catsharks — and brought it back to the lab for further examination. Two years later, the researchers collected three additional specimens at Sakthikulangara Fisheries Harbour, Kollam, during monitoring surveys. Through morphological and molecular analyses of the four specimens, the team found that this species was distinct from others within the genus and described it as a new species of deepwater catshark (Apristurus drona) in their paper published earlier this year in Zootaxa. The objective of the study, part of a larger project under the Ministry of Earth Sciences’ Deep Ocean Mission, was to explore the diversity of deep-sea chondrichthyans which are cartilaginous fish such as sharks (Selachimorpha), rays and skates (Batoidea) and chimaeras (Holocephali) and resolve some of the taxonomic confusion around them. “From biodiversity inventory surveys, we have realised that our understanding of deep-sea biodiversity is limited,” said Bineesh K.K., the study’s corresponding author and a scientist at&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/scientists-identify-new-deep-sea-shark-species-from-indias-southwest-coast/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/scientists-identify-new-deep-sea-shark-species-from-indias-southwest-coast/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>A fertile landscape at the crossroads of ecology and development [Commentary]</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/a-fertile-landscape-at-the-crossroads-of-ecology-and-development-commentary/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/a-fertile-landscape-at-the-crossroads-of-ecology-and-development-commentary/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>03 Aug 2026 15:47:18 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[C.P. Rajendran]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[farming]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fisheries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[invasive plants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solution]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/08/03125249/4670487709_c95df8f47d_4k-scaled-e1785742237892-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=39805</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Just Transitions]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Kerala]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Agriculture, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change Mitigation, Fish, Fishing, Floods, Lakes, Monsoons, Pollution, Sea Level Rise, Waste management, Water, Water Pollution, and Wetlands]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[The Kuttanad region of Kerala, often celebrated as the &#8220;rice bowl&#8221; of the state, is a landscape of profound beauty and immense ecological significance. Yet, its existence is a delicate balancing act, a testament to both the generative power of nature and the often-destructive ambition of human intervention. This intricate wetland system, a mosaic of [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[The Kuttanad region of Kerala, often celebrated as the &#8220;rice bowl&#8221; of the state, is a landscape of profound beauty and immense ecological significance. Yet, its existence is a delicate balancing act, a testament to both the generative power of nature and the often-destructive ambition of human intervention. This intricate wetland system, a mosaic of lush green paddy fields, labyrinthine canals, and the vast expanse of Vembanad lake, is a geographical marvel that is simultaneously a victim of its own fertility and the relentless pressures of modernisation. Kuttanad is world-renowned for its below-sea-level paddy cultivation and unique brackish-water ecosystem. Alongside this remarkable agricultural practice, the region&#8217;s brackish-water ecosystem supports a thriving inland fisheries sector, with the Vembanad estuary serving as a critical nursery for numerous fish and prawn species. Together, these intertwined livelihoods — agriculture and fisheries — form the economic and cultural backbone of Kuttanad. So distinctive and globally significant is this integrated farming system that the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has recognised it as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS), placing Kuttanad alongside other iconic agricultural landscapes like the terraced rice fields of the Philippines and the saffron fields of Kashmir. Geologically speaking, Kuttanad is a young and dynamic landscape. In the distant past, this region formed part of the shallow coastal shelf of the Arabian Sea. Over millennia, the powerful rivers originating in the Western Ghats, chiefly the Pampa, Achankovil, and Manimala, carried massive loads of silt and alluvium from the&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/a-fertile-landscape-at-the-crossroads-of-ecology-and-development-commentary/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/08/a-fertile-landscape-at-the-crossroads-of-ecology-and-development-commentary/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>A newly-described fish sheds light on a biodiversity blind spot</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/a-newly-described-fish-sheds-light-on-a-biodiversity-blind-spot/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/a-newly-described-fish-sheds-light-on-a-biodiversity-blind-spot/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>31 Jul 2026 10:42:59 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Monish Upadhyay]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[freshwater]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/07/31003452/Image-2-768x512.jpeg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=39744</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Beyond Protected Areas]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Nagaland]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biodiversity, Conservation, Ecology, Fish, Forests, Himalayas, New species, Rivers, Water, Water Pollution, and Wetlands]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[A new catfish species, Pseudecheneis likimroensis, has been described from India&#8217;s north-eastern state of Nagaland. The species, named after the fast-flowing Likimro river, from which specimens have been collected so far, was described in the Journal of Ichthyology. The discovery took place unexpectedly when a research team was in the region to survey fish fauna [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[A new catfish species, Pseudecheneis likimroensis, has been described from India&#8217;s north-eastern state of Nagaland. The species, named after the fast-flowing Likimro river, from which specimens have been collected so far, was described in the Journal of Ichthyology. The discovery took place unexpectedly when a research team was in the region to survey fish fauna in Nagaland’s Kiphire district, said Limatemjen, co-author of the paper on the new species. Kiphire is a remote district, situated in the eastern part of the state and lies along the India-Myanmar border. “First we had to travel from Kohima to Kiphire, covering a distance of around 100 km. However, the journey takes much longer due to difficult road conditions,” Limatemjen, a professor of Zoology and Dean of Sciences at Kohima Science College, told Mongabay-India. After reaching Kiphire, the team took another four-hour journey to Likimro river where they walked yet another hour to reach the designated sampling site. Characteristic of mountain streams, the sampling site is torrential in nature and is surrounded by steep valleys. Around five specimens of Pseudecheneis likimroensis were collected by the team during the survey in October 2024. Although initially surprised by the unusual catch, found at an elevation of 446 m above sea level, it was only after bringing the specimens to the laboratory and running detailed examinations did the team realise they had an undescribed species at hand. A Pseudecheneis likimroensis specimen found in the fast flowing Likimro river in Nagaland in 2024. The species was described in&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/a-newly-described-fish-sheds-light-on-a-biodiversity-blind-spot/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/a-newly-described-fish-sheds-light-on-a-biodiversity-blind-spot/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>West coast fishers confront ‘ghost gear’ problem</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/west-coast-fishers-confront-ghost-gear-problem/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/west-coast-fishers-confront-ghost-gear-problem/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>23 Jul 2026 10:47:10 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Robert Bociaga]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Mongabay Editor]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fisheries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fishermen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ghost nets]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marine Fisheries]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/07/23095213/IMG_5513-2048x1536-1-768x512.jpeg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=39539</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Beyond Protected Areas]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Kerala]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biodiversity, Coast, Environment, Fish, Fishing, Oceans, and Water Pollution]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[In the early light at Thoppumpady fishing harbour in the city of Kochi, coils of blue and green nylon nets lay heaped on the concrete docks, stiff with salt after a long night at sea. Many had been patched and repatched so often that they were barely holding together. Nets too damaged to mend are [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[In the early light at Thoppumpady fishing harbour in the city of Kochi, coils of blue and green nylon nets lay heaped on the concrete docks, stiff with salt after a long night at sea. Many had been patched and repatched so often that they were barely holding together. Nets too damaged to mend are often cut loose offshore. Once they sink, few are ever recovered. Across India’s west coast, lost fishing gear known as “ghost gear” has become a significant source of marine pollution. Nets vanish whole or in fragments, slipping into the waters of the Arabian Sea where they continue trapping fish, turtles and other marine life long after fishers abandon them. India operates one of the world’s largest marine fishing sectors, supporting an estimated 14.5 million livelihoods along more than 7,500 kilometres of coastline. While national estimates are scarce, a 2022 study in the southwestern state of Kerala, where Kochi is located, found that fishers lost, abandoned or discarded about 21% of their fishing gear annually. That’s more than 10 times the global average of 1.82% estimated by another study, which highlights the scale of material entering India’s marine environment. Despite growing concern among researchers and conservationists, India lacks a systematic way to track, retrieve or recycle lost fishing gear, as well as accessible mechanisms to collect and safely dispose of end-of-life nets and other equipment before they are discarded at sea. The government regulates fisheries tightly in many respects — from mesh sizes and seasonal bans&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/west-coast-fishers-confront-ghost-gear-problem/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/west-coast-fishers-confront-ghost-gear-problem/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Dolphins tread the waters between tourist boats and fishing nets</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/dolphins-tread-the-waters-between-tourist-boats-and-fishing-nets/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/dolphins-tread-the-waters-between-tourist-boats-and-fishing-nets/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>21 Jul 2026 16:03:04 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Sneha Mahale]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dolphins]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/07/21145702/Researchers-found-that-dolphins-were-more-likely-to-avoid-tourist-boats-as-they-approached-more-closely-or-surrounded-them-in-larger-numbers.-Photo-Credit-Imran-Samad-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=39516</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Beyond Protected Areas]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Goa]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Animal Behaviour, Biodiversity, Coast, Conservation, Fish, Fishing, Mammals, Oceans, and Tourism]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[For Indian Ocean humpback dolphins off Goa&#8217;s coast, fishing nets may offer feeding opportunities, while tourist boats often bring disturbance. A recent study, published in the journal Marine Ecology Progress Series, examined how the endangered species balances these competing responses when tourism and fisheries overlap in the same waters. “Tourism and fisheries are among the [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[For Indian Ocean humpback dolphins off Goa&#8217;s coast, fishing nets may offer feeding opportunities, while tourist boats often bring disturbance. A recent study, published in the journal Marine Ecology Progress Series, examined how the endangered species balances these competing responses when tourism and fisheries overlap in the same waters. “Tourism and fisheries are among the most common human activities in the habitats used by these dolphins. We were interested in how dolphins respond when they have to balance disturbance from boats with the opportunity to access food resources,” says Imran Samad, corresponding author of the study and a scholar at the Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science. Watching dolphins from above The study was carried out in north Goa between October 2023 and April 2024. The region supports relatively high densities of Indian Ocean humpback dolphins and also experiences intensive fishing and dolphin-watching tourism activity. Researchers monitored dolphin groups from elevated coastal vantage points. Once dolphins were sighted, they followed the animals using a drone, flown at a height of 60-100 metres above sea level. “Traditionally, dolphin behaviour is studied either from the shore using theodolites (monoculars used to estimate dolphin positions) or from boats. We used drones, which allowed us to observe animals from above and follow individuals and groups without directly disturbing them,&#8221; says Samad. Over six months, the team conducted 90 focal follows of dolphin groups and recorded 19 hours of dolphin footage. The footage was then analysed using machine-learning tools that tracked dolphin movements&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/dolphins-tread-the-waters-between-tourist-boats-and-fishing-nets/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/dolphins-tread-the-waters-between-tourist-boats-and-fishing-nets/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Warming lake threatens fish habitats and the wetland economy</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/warming-lake-threatens-fish-habitats-and-the-wetland-economy/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/warming-lake-threatens-fish-habitats-and-the-wetland-economy/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>07 Jul 2026 13:34:16 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Barasha Das]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[climate change]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fish]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[global warming]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[lake]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Loktak Lake]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/07/07121938/Fishing-community-in-Loktak-Lake.-PC-R.K.-Neetu-Sana-1-scaled-e1783407009209-768x512.jpeg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=39035</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Climate Connections]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Manipur]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biodiversity, Climate Change, Conservation, Ecology, Environment, Fish, Impacts of Climate Change, Lakes, and Wetlands]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Loktak lake is northeast India’s largest freshwater wetland and is the ecological heart of Manipur. The lake spans about 287 square kilometres, about half the size of the capital Imphal, and is already under growing stress from pollution, altered hydrology and catchment degradation. Now, a new study warns that climate change could further reduce the [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Loktak lake is northeast India’s largest freshwater wetland and is the ecological heart of Manipur. The lake spans about 287 square kilometres, about half the size of the capital Imphal, and is already under growing stress from pollution, altered hydrology and catchment degradation. Now, a new study warns that climate change could further reduce the fish habitat that sustains livelihoods and food systems. The study published in the journal Ecological Indicators finds that rising temperatures and shifting monsoon patterns could reduce habitat suitability for native fish species. Using predictive methods, researchers have mapped out how a changing climate will fundamentally alter the lake’s water depth, temperature, and oxygen levels. Loktak is an indelible part of the Manipuri identity — lives, lore, legends, history, and aquatic ecosystems. It was designated a Ramsar site in 1990, and made its way into the Montreux Record, a register of wetlands that face significant ecological threats, in 1993. Loktak in Manipur is northeast India’s largest freshwater wetland. Amidst growing stress from pollution, altered hydrology and catchment degradation, a new study warns that climate change could further impact fish habitat that sustain livelihoods and food systems. Image by zehawk via Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0). Fish habitat under threat &#8220;We wanted to gauge the health of the entire lake,” says Vicky Anand, lead author of the study. “Fish are considered the most sensitive indicator of a water body’s health. We bypassed harder pollution-tolerant fish that can survive anywhere, choosing instead the rohu (Labeo rohita), an indigenous carp,&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/warming-lake-threatens-fish-habitats-and-the-wetland-economy/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/warming-lake-threatens-fish-habitats-and-the-wetland-economy/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Forest clearance for dam puts white-bellied herons at risk</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/06/forest-clearance-for-dam-puts-white-bellied-herons-at-risk/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/06/forest-clearance-for-dam-puts-white-bellied-herons-at-risk/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>19 Jun 2026 13:54:23 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Simrin Sirur]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hydroelectric Power]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/06/19110747/WHITE-BELLIED-HERON-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=38747</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Hewing The Regulatory Tree]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Arunachal Pradesh and India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biodiversity, Fish, Hydroelectric power, Rivers, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[The  Forest Advisory Committee has granted “in principle” approval to a hydropower project in a region of Arunachal Pradesh that is inhabited by the white bellied heron, a critically endangered bird whose species number was estimated to be less than 60, globally, in 2015. To compensate for the forest loss resulting from the project, the [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[The  Forest Advisory Committee has granted “in principle” approval to a hydropower project in a region of Arunachal Pradesh that is inhabited by the white bellied heron, a critically endangered bird whose species number was estimated to be less than 60, globally, in 2015. To compensate for the forest loss resulting from the project, the FAC approved afforestation thousands of kilometres away, in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, a decision experts termed futile for the bird’s conservation. The FAC, a statutory body under the environment ministry which evaluates project proposals on forest land, gave its approval to the Kalai II hydroelectric power plant (HEP) in a meeting on May 8. The 1200-megawatt run-of-the river dam is planned on the Lohit river, a tributary of the Brahmaputra, in the border district of Anjaw. The river’s catchment area is flanked by tropical wet and dense mixed forest types and sits in the Eastern Himalaya biodiversity hotspot. A total of 33,338 trees are proposed to be felled within this landscape for the dam. In its meeting, the FAC noted that the white-bellied heron was absent in the list of important species that could be impacted by the project, and granted its approval on the condition that the Wildlife Institute of India vet the project’s Wildlife Management Plan. The FAC insisted that the assessment put a special emphasis on conserving the bird’s habitat. However, conservation experts say that the hydropower project is likely to cause major disruptions to the species’ survival in&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/06/forest-clearance-for-dam-puts-white-bellied-herons-at-risk/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/06/forest-clearance-for-dam-puts-white-bellied-herons-at-risk/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>New-to-science catfish sheds light on west-flowing rivers of the Western Ghats</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/05/new-to-science-catfish-sheds-light-on-west-flowing-rivers-of-the-western-ghats/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/05/new-to-science-catfish-sheds-light-on-west-flowing-rivers-of-the-western-ghats/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>18 May 2026 17:33:19 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Lisann Dias]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Aquatic life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bioindicators]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fishes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[freshwater]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[river]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/05/18113811/Amblyceps-vayavy-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=38217</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Almost Famous Species]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Western Ghats]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biodiversity, Ecology, Endemic species, Environment, Fish, New species, Rivers, Western Ghats, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[A new species of freshwater catfish has been described from the northern Western Ghats in Maharashtra and Goa. The species, Amblyceps vayavy, was formally described in the journal Zootaxa and is likely endemic to west-flowing rivers of the northern Western Ghats. Amblyceps is a genus of freshwater catfish with 24 identified species found in moderate [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[A new species of freshwater catfish has been described from the northern Western Ghats in Maharashtra and Goa. The species, Amblyceps vayavy, was formally described in the journal Zootaxa and is likely endemic to west-flowing rivers of the northern Western Ghats. Amblyceps is a genus of freshwater catfish with 24 identified species found in moderate to swift-flowing rivers in South and Southeast Asia. The only known congener, or closely related species, from the Western Ghats is A. accari, first described in 2016. The name vayavy (pronounced vah-yhav-yah) means ‘northwest’ in both Konkani and Marathi, derived from the species’ distribution in the northern Western Ghats. The first reports emerged in 2020, when a Mumbai-based citizen scientist, Neil Soares, found an Amblyceps specimen in the Kundalika River in Kolad, Maharashtra. It was previously unrecorded in the region, as the distribution of A. accari is restricted to the central Western Ghats. Balaji Vijaykrishnan, the lead author of the study and an independent researcher, said, “This genus was initially thought to be restricted to the northern parts of India. The discovery of A. accari in 2016 and A. crassioris in 2023 from the Western and Eastern Ghats, respectively, revealed that the genus is also present in both the south-western and eastern parts of the country. Amblyceps vayavy is the second species (of this genus) known from the Western Ghats.” Over five years, between 2020 and 2025, the team, which included Vijaykrishnan along with researchers Tejas Thackeray and Abhishek Shirke of the Thackeray Wildlife Foundation,&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/05/new-to-science-catfish-sheds-light-on-west-flowing-rivers-of-the-western-ghats/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/05/new-to-science-catfish-sheds-light-on-west-flowing-rivers-of-the-western-ghats/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Invasive species and waste are redrawing an estuary’s food web</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/04/invasive-species-and-waste-are-redrawing-an-estuarys-food-web/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/04/invasive-species-and-waste-are-redrawing-an-estuarys-food-web/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>14 Apr 2026 15:20:20 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Max Martin]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Kundan Pandey]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ecosystem]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[estuary]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fish]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fisheries Biology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[invasive species]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marine ecosystem]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marine Fisheries]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/04/14093447/Tvm-veli-akkulam-backwaters3-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=37677</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Conserving Agro-biodiversity]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Kerala]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Ecology and Fish]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Exotic fish, invasive plants, and urban waste are quietly reshaping a scenic estuary in Thiruvananthapuram. Beneath the calm surface of the Veli-Akkulam estuary, ecosystem modelling over three decades reveals its food web is fraying, key links are broken, and top predators like local fish and birds are being edged out, even as tourists and migratory [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Exotic fish, invasive plants, and urban waste are quietly reshaping a scenic estuary in Thiruvananthapuram. Beneath the calm surface of the Veli-Akkulam estuary, ecosystem modelling over three decades reveals its food web is fraying, key links are broken, and top predators like local fish and birds are being edged out, even as tourists and migratory birds still flock to its waters. Flanking some of India’s premier scientific institutions, including the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, the estuary spans just 0.85 sq. km., about the size of a golf course. Its shallow waters—on average 1.3 metres deep—are a temporarily closed system within the fabled Kerala backwaters, oriented perpendicular to the Arabian Sea. During the monsoon, a narrow sandbar at its mouth is breached briefly, allowing two-way flow with coastal waters –letting in fish and other marine creatures to spawn here. The lake is not collapsing. It is reorganising into a simpler system dominated by invasive species with ecological links under stress. That signals a slow but steady erosion of ecosystem health. An ecosystem is a community of organisms, across different levels of the food chain (called trophic levels), including producers (organisms like plants that make their own food), consumers (organisms that eat other organisms), and decomposers (organisms that break down dead material), all interacting with each other and their environment. These interactions sustain vital functions like nutrient cycling, fisheries, and water purification, which support biodiversity and human well-being. “Over three decades, we have observed measurable restructuring of energy pathways and trophic interactions,”&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/04/invasive-species-and-waste-are-redrawing-an-estuarys-food-web/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/04/invasive-species-and-waste-are-redrawing-an-estuarys-food-web/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Humid heat rises on the coasts of India impacting health</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/04/humid-heat-rises-on-the-coasts-of-india-impacting-health/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/04/humid-heat-rises-on-the-coasts-of-india-impacting-health/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>02 Apr 2026 12:11:15 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Job RajayyanMax Martin]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Kundan Pandey]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[extreme heat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fisheries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fishermen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[heat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Heat impacts]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/04/02102320/AP23103051151525-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=37565</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Climate Connections and Decoding Heat]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Climate Change, Coast, Environment, Fish, Impacts of Climate Change, and Oceans]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Before the sun shines on the Arabian Sea, fisherman Mariyani Miyelpillai, 73, is already turning his kattamaram raft homeward. He must escape another summer morning turning too hot and dense to bear. Fishing solo off the seam where Thiruvananthapuram and Kanyakumari districts meet, his work days have turned into a test of endurance. His raft [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Before the sun shines on the Arabian Sea, fisherman Mariyani Miyelpillai, 73, is already turning his kattamaram raft homeward. He must escape another summer morning turning too hot and dense to bear. Fishing solo off the seam where Thiruvananthapuram and Kanyakumari districts meet, his work days have turned into a test of endurance. His raft must be propelled by sheer muscle power, adding to the already challenging heat. “I go for fishing at 5 am, but come back by 8 am, whether I get enough fish or not,” he told Mongabay-India. “I cannot manage this heat.” As the sun moves past the Tropic of Cancer, ushering in summer, a certain heaviness settles on skin and breath for veteran fishers like Miyelpillai. So does Tarsila Thresya, 54, a fisherwoman. “I go early to sell fish by the roadside. I’m back by 5:30 pm or 6 pm. Earlier it was okay, but now the heat is increasing a lot. Sometimes I put a towel on my head, but it does not help.” Humid heat intensifies Amidst more frequent and intense heatwaves, the southwestern coast is facing another quieter, insidious shift — rising humid heat. Air so soaked with moisture that sweat no longer cools. On tropical coasts, especially before the monsoon, this is getting closer to dangerous levels as studies show — the human body struggles to cool itself, touching the limits of adaptation. Closer to home, heat stress along India’s coasts has intensified significantly since 1981, driven by the combined rise&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/04/humid-heat-rises-on-the-coasts-of-india-impacting-health/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/04/humid-heat-rises-on-the-coasts-of-india-impacting-health/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>New global report flags risks to migratory freshwater fish in India’s rivers</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/03/new-global-report-flags-risks-to-migratory-freshwater-fish-in-indias-rivers/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/03/new-global-report-flags-risks-to-migratory-freshwater-fish-in-indias-rivers/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>24 Mar 2026 18:00:01 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Manish Chandra Mishra]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dam]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fisheries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fishermen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[freshwater]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ganga]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[livelihood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[livelihoods]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/03/24133928/goonch-underwater-1-april-21-2010-scaled-e1774340324400-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=37430</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Beyond Protected Areas]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Conservation, Ecology, Fish, Himalayas, Migration, Oceans, Rivers, Wetlands, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Freshwater fishes are among the “most imperilled vertebrates”, according to a new global assessment prepared for the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), which lays the legal foundation for internationally coordinated conservation measures throughout a migratory range. The Global Assessment of Migratory Freshwater Fishes report 2025 notes that many migratory [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Freshwater fishes are among the “most imperilled vertebrates”, according to a new global assessment prepared for the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), which lays the legal foundation for internationally coordinated conservation measures throughout a migratory range. The Global Assessment of Migratory Freshwater Fishes report 2025 notes that many migratory freshwater species are declining because of “loss of connectivity, flow alteration, habitat degradation, exploitation, pollution, and interacting pressures across borders.” Out of 349 migratory freshwater fish that may qualify for protection under the CMS, only 24 are currently listed — leaving 325 still without legal protection, of which about 205 concentrated in Asia. The report identifies the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna river system as one of the priority regions, pointing to its “high biomass of migrants” and threats from “dams and hydropeaking”, marking it as a region where CMS cooperation is both “necessary and feasible.” For India, this warning comes at a time when rivers are already fragmented by dams, barrages and altered flows, raising questions about whether migratory fish and river-dependent communities are being adequately considered in river planning. The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals is a legally binding international treaty under the United Nations which provides a global platform for the conservation and sustainable use of migratory animals and their habitats. CMS brings together countries through which migratory animals pass or that have jurisdiction over a geographical area a migratory species inhabits, crosses, or overflies. The Brahmaputra river. Freshwater fish are among the&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/03/new-global-report-flags-risks-to-migratory-freshwater-fish-in-indias-rivers/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/03/new-global-report-flags-risks-to-migratory-freshwater-fish-in-indias-rivers/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Study explores social media as a tool to track shark and ray consumption</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/02/study-explores-social-media-as-a-tool-to-track-shark-and-ray-consumption/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/02/study-explores-social-media-as-a-tool-to-track-shark-and-ray-consumption/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>03 Feb 2026 16:55:03 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Divya Kilikar]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marine Fisheries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marine wildlife]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[shark]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/02/02190409/Rhizoprionodon_acutus_mangalore2-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=36701</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Almost Famous Species]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biodiversity, Coast, Fish, Fishing, Food, Oceans, Overfishing, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[It was March 2020, and the COVID-19 lockdown had begun. Divya Karnad and her colleagues at InSeason Fish — an initiative promoting sustainable seafood consumption in India — could no longer approach fish landing centres or seafood restaurants for their work. They turn to social media and to their surprise, unearth a plethora of insightful [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[It was March 2020, and the COVID-19 lockdown had begun. Divya Karnad and her colleagues at InSeason Fish — an initiative promoting sustainable seafood consumption in India — could no longer approach fish landing centres or seafood restaurants for their work. They turn to social media and to their surprise, unearth a plethora of insightful photos of sharks and rays along India’s coastline. Posts from tourists, seafood consumers, fishers and others revealed a host of marine species — many that were on the IUCN Red List, and some that rarely even found adequate representation in existing scientific research. “The lockdown led to this sudden boom of photographs being posted from fish markets and fish landing sites. There were selfies with baby sharks in the background, or photos of menus and dishes from restaurants,” says Karnad, who has been researching marine fisheries since 2010 and is a co-founder of InSeason Fish. Karnad is now based at the University of Exeter in the U.K. The team analysed 1,293 elasmobranch-related posts, from six social media and citizen science platforms, uploaded from all coastal states. The findings were published in Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, in November 2025. Elasmobranchs are a subclass of cartilaginous fish (Chondrichthyes) which include sharks and rays. The paper suggests that digital media can fill several gaps left by research to better understand not only elasmobranchs, but also the larger class of cartilaginous fish in India. Some of these gaps include a focus on charismatic species (such as the whale&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/02/study-explores-social-media-as-a-tool-to-track-shark-and-ray-consumption/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/02/study-explores-social-media-as-a-tool-to-track-shark-and-ray-consumption/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>A Lakshadweep island’s strategic value worries conservationists and fishers</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/01/a-lakshadweep-islands-strategic-value-worries-conservationists-and-fishers/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/01/a-lakshadweep-islands-strategic-value-worries-conservationists-and-fishers/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>27 Jan 2026 21:19:46 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Max Martin]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[construction]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Infrastructure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[livelihood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marine ecosystem]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marine Fisheries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marine wildlife]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/01/27120512/A_catch_of_groupers-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=36636</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Beyond Protected Areas]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Lakshadweep]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biodiversity, Coast, Coral Reefs, Ecology, Fish, Fishing, Islands, Land Rights, Oceans, Overfishing, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[“A thousand leopards in a forest patch the size of a football field!” This is how marine conservation researchers Rucha Karkarey and Vardhan Patankar described unusually large shoals of squaretail groupers (Plectropomus areolatus) gliding along the coral reefs, off the shores of Bitra, an island in northern Lakshadweep. In 2010, Karkarey’s team recorded densities of [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[“A thousand leopards in a forest patch the size of a football field!” This is how marine conservation researchers Rucha Karkarey and Vardhan Patankar described unusually large shoals of squaretail groupers (Plectropomus areolatus) gliding along the coral reefs, off the shores of Bitra, an island in northern Lakshadweep. In 2010, Karkarey’s team recorded densities of over 3,600 fish in over four hectares — an area roughly the size of five football fields. “This was between two and six times higher than any density previously recorded across south-east Asia,” recalled Karkarey, who is now a senior research associate at Lancaster University, U.K. Geographically, the Union Territory of Lakshadweep comprises 12 atolls, three reefs, and five submerged banks. Out of a total of 36 islands in the Lakshadweep archipelago, with a total area of 32 sq km, only ten are inhabited. Among them Bitra is a tiny shark-fin-shaped strip of sand that is home to just about 271 people. The island is 570 metres in length and 280 m at its widest point, with an area of 0.105 sq km. The smallest inhabited island of the archipelago with its ecologically-sensitive marine landscape, Bitra is now under spotlight. The Lakshadweep administration is planning to take over the island, because of its strategic location, its national security relevance, and the inherent logistical and administrative challenges associated with civilian habitation. The islanders however, say this is “land-grabbing” for tourism, trade and development, especially in the post-COVID-19 tourism boom. “The islanders have been fishing here for&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/01/a-lakshadweep-islands-strategic-value-worries-conservationists-and-fishers/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/01/a-lakshadweep-islands-strategic-value-worries-conservationists-and-fishers/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Traditional fishers turn rescuers in a win for declining marine wildlife [Commentary]</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/01/traditional-fishers-turn-rescuers-in-a-win-for-declining-marine-wildlife-commentary/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/01/traditional-fishers-turn-rescuers-in-a-win-for-declining-marine-wildlife-commentary/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>26 Jan 2026 14:38:21 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[I. SanthanamariM. Fathima HannaM. Soubadra DevyMaria Antony P.Teresa Scholastica ThomasVinod M. Kumar]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Divya Kilikar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bycatch]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dolphins]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marine Fisheries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marine wildlife]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[turtles]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://india.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/01/1-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=36616</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Almost Famous Species]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Tamil Nadu]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biodiversity, Coast, Conservation, Fish, Fishing, Human Wildlife Conflict, Hunting, Oceans, Overfishing, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[“Neither turtles nor dolphins harm us when we rescue them. Many people from our village have saved them before. They cooperate with us and do not cause any trouble,” says Sheenik Abdullah, a 23-year-old fisher-rescuer from Valinokkam in Ramanathapuram district, Tamil Nadu. Fishers along the Gulf of Mannar coast in southern Tamil Nadu once caught [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[“Neither turtles nor dolphins harm us when we rescue them. Many people from our village have saved them before. They cooperate with us and do not cause any trouble,” says Sheenik Abdullah, a 23-year-old fisher-rescuer from Valinokkam in Ramanathapuram district, Tamil Nadu. Fishers along the Gulf of Mannar coast in southern Tamil Nadu once caught marine animals, including the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis), hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta), green turtle (Chelonia mydas), olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), and dugong (Dugong dugon). Today, many of them are recognised for protecting the very species they once pursued. This shift reflects a gradual reworking of human-marine relations, shaped by experiential learning at sea, locally grounded ecological knowledge, and state-led conservation incentives. In villages such as Keelamundal, Valinokam, and Mel Mundal, conservation is enacted through everyday decisions made on the shore and during fishing trips. A changing tide The waves crash loudly against the shore of Keelamundal as seagulls, known locally as kadal kaka, hover low above the surf. Fishing nets lie spread across the sand, mended by men and women who do not pause their work even as rain falls. Boats returning from the morning’s fishing trip are pulled ashore using tractors, while ice-filled storage boxes are opened to sort the catch ahead of evening sales. Fishers sort through the day’s catch in Keelamundal. The catch is carefully removed from the nets and collected into baskets and crates. Image by Vinod Kumar. For generations, the hunting of marine animals&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/01/traditional-fishers-turn-rescuers-in-a-win-for-declining-marine-wildlife-commentary/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/01/traditional-fishers-turn-rescuers-in-a-win-for-declining-marine-wildlife-commentary/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>A river carries industrial waste and sewage from Nepal to India</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/01/a-river-carries-industrial-waste-and-sewage-from-nepal-to-india/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/01/a-river-carries-industrial-waste-and-sewage-from-nepal-to-india/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>23 Jan 2026 12:47:24 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Suresh Bidari]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Mongabay Editor]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[industrial pollution]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[industrial waste]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/01/23101221/WhatsApp-Image-2026-01-21-at-13.48.48-768x512.jpeg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=36589</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Global and India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Cities and Towns, Ecology, Environment, Fish, Industry, Pollution, Rivers, Waste management, Water Pollution, and Wetlands]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[When 38-year-old Pradeep Kumar Bishwokarma was growing up in Ramgadhawa, a neighbourhood in southern Nepal’s industrial town of Birgunj, he would jump into the Sirsiya River to beat the summer heat as his mother washed clothes and residents drew drinking water from it. Today, Bishwokarma and his fellow residents of the border town cover their [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[When 38-year-old Pradeep Kumar Bishwokarma was growing up in Ramgadhawa, a neighbourhood in southern Nepal’s industrial town of Birgunj, he would jump into the Sirsiya River to beat the summer heat as his mother washed clothes and residents drew drinking water from it. Today, Bishwokarma and his fellow residents of the border town cover their noses with a handkerchief whenever they pass by the river that was once their village’s lifeline. The flowing liquid no longer resembles a river. It is thick and black as if a truckload of oil had been dumped into it. The air around the river feels heavy with the stench of sulphur and rotting organic matter. “This is no longer a river,” Bishwokarma said, pointing toward it. “It has become an open drain for factories, and we haven’t just lost a river, we’ve lost our self-respect,” he added. The river, which was once a crucial part of daily life, religion and agriculture in Bara and Parsa districts, is one of the 6,000-odd rivers and rivulets flowing into India from Nepal. It begins its journey from the Ramban Jhadi (forest) of Bara district farther north and passes through Nepal’s largest industrial zone, the Bara-Parsa corridor. Today, ineffective environmental regulation and poor coordination among government agencies have allowed factories to dump untreated industrial waste and sewage into the river. Even after decades of protests, multiple court cases and government committees and unimplemented wastewater treatment plans, the river remains a public health hazard, damaging local culture and ecosystems&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/01/a-river-carries-industrial-waste-and-sewage-from-nepal-to-india/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/01/a-river-carries-industrial-waste-and-sewage-from-nepal-to-india/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Mangrove restoration needs more than planting; it needs monitoring and data</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/01/mangrove-restoration-needs-more-than-planting-it-needs-monitoring-and-data/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/01/mangrove-restoration-needs-more-than-planting-it-needs-monitoring-and-data/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>15 Jan 2026 10:30:22 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Barasha Das]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fisheries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[restoration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sundarbans]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/01/14235503/AP23104582960456-scaled-e1768415608186-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=36473</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Beyond Protected Areas]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biodiversity, Coast, Coastal erosion, Ecology, Ecosystem services, Environment, Fish, Mangroves, Plantations, Plants, Reforestation, and Wetlands]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Mangroves serve as a bridge between land, freshwater, and the sea; they sustain rich and diverse ecosystems, and are crucial for shoreline protection and carbon storage. The Mangrove Alliance&#8217;s 2024 report states that India’s mangroves are home to 5,746 species, with 84% being animals, spanning 21 major taxonomic groups. Across the country, several community-based mangrove [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Mangroves serve as a bridge between land, freshwater, and the sea; they sustain rich and diverse ecosystems, and are crucial for shoreline protection and carbon storage. The Mangrove Alliance&#8217;s 2024 report states that India’s mangroves are home to 5,746 species, with 84% being animals, spanning 21 major taxonomic groups. Across the country, several community-based mangrove restoration projects have been initiated over the past few years. According to the Forest Survey of India, the country’s mangrove cover expanded by more than 336 square kilometres between 2011 and 2021. In contrast, during nearly the same period (2010-2020), the global mangrove area has been declining at an average annual rate of 0.07%. However, studies show that on the ground, many restoration efforts rely on large-scale plantation drives, often planting a single fast-growing mangrove species such as Rhizophora, Sonneratia, or Avicennia. These activities, carried out under popular models like Ecological Mangrove Rehabilitation (EMR) and Community-Based Ecological Mangrove Rehabilitation (CBEMR), focus more on silviculture than on true ecological restoration. Experts caution that large-scale plantations alone are unlikely to deliver meaningful ecological outcomes. “Success should not be measured in how many hectares are being planted, but rather in survival rates, long-term establishment, and the recovery of ecosystem functions. What truly counts is the return of critical services such as coastal protection, carbon sequestration, the restoration of native biodiversity, and livelihood support like fisheries,” says K. Kathiresan, a scientist who has spent decades of his career studying mangroves. Plantation-heavy approaches, he cautions, could risk eroding the natural&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/01/mangrove-restoration-needs-more-than-planting-it-needs-monitoring-and-data/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/01/mangrove-restoration-needs-more-than-planting-it-needs-monitoring-and-data/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Does the dry bed of the Aral Sea reflect India’s water future? [Commentary]</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/01/the-dry-bed-of-the-aral-sea-reflects-indias-water-future-commentary/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/01/the-dry-bed-of-the-aral-sea-reflects-indias-water-future-commentary/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>12 Jan 2026 11:12:47 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Tisha Srivastav]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ecological droughts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[livelihood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sea]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/01/12101625/Moynaq_Aral_Sea_6226842732-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=36425</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Just Transitions]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Global]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Agriculture, Drought, Ecology, Environment, Fish, Lakes, Natural Resources, Rivers, Water, and Wetlands]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[My feet crunch an uneven, dusty saltiness, as I stare at a slanting row of ghosts. Of boats. Like some clothes after their first wash, each of these seem to have shrunk in size and shape. One, no more than a heap of rust. The other, with scrap metal joints clanging in a windiness that [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[My feet crunch an uneven, dusty saltiness, as I stare at a slanting row of ghosts. Of boats. Like some clothes after their first wash, each of these seem to have shrunk in size and shape. One, no more than a heap of rust. The other, with scrap metal joints clanging in a windiness that slap-welcomes you into sensing. You are now in the thick of a desert. Another has so many holes, it looks like an indecisive XXL submarine periscope. Zero-buoyancy remains, of where the Aral Sea once used to moisten the floor. This expanse where the boats seem to have amnesia is where the once fourth largest lake in the world, the size of Sri Lanka, went into nature’s ICU, in the second half of the 20th century. Shrink, sputter, disappear. The southern Aral Sea, by Moynaq town, in what is now the autonomous region of Karakalpakstan in Uzbekistan, which is where I am standing, never recovered. For several epochs before ours though, the Syr and Amu Darya rivers as a combo, kept the water level high here. Guided tours to the State museum of history and culture back in Nukus, the capital city of this region, apparently used to start with the high bird count, once found all over the Aral Sea. Archaeological records also confirm the provenance of the people of Karakalpakstan’s Moynaq township: a nomadic East Asian gene base, always somehow being able to fish. Small clans, who were able to live across vast spreads&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/01/the-dry-bed-of-the-aral-sea-reflects-indias-water-future-commentary/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/01/the-dry-bed-of-the-aral-sea-reflects-indias-water-future-commentary/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
			</channel>
</rss>