Red Data FISHES as EIA INDICATORS : CASE STUDY IN THE GREATER MEKONG SUBREGION

1. Red Data FISHES as EIA INDICATORS :CASE STUDY IN THE GREATER MEKONG SUBREGION Chavalit Vidthayanon Wetland Project, WWF Thailand

2. Criteria in EIA Species base: Red list, Economic, Endemic, Global/Local-National Redlist Status Habitat base: Diversity Hotspot, Area of Endemism, Rare Ecosystem, Critical habitat of spp.

3. Critically Endangered (CR) Considered to be facing anextremely high risk of extinctionin the wild Endangered (EN) Considered to be facing avery high risk of extinctionin the wild. Vulnerable (VU) Considered to be facing ahigh risk of extinctionin the wild A species is THREATENEDwhen the best available evidence indicates that it meets any of the criteria for either Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable. วิกฤติ ใกล้สูญพันธุ์ มีแนวโน้มใกล้สูญพันธุ์

4. Near Threatened (NT) When it is close to qualifying for or is likely to qualify for a threatened category in the near future. Least Concern (LC) When it does not qualify for a threatened category or Near Threatened. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category. Data Deficient (DD) When there is inadequate information to make a direct, or indirect, assessment of its extinction risk. A species that has been evaluated against the criteria and does not qualifyfor athreatened category and is not Extinct or Extinct in the Wildis either: ใกล้ถูกคุกคาม ไม่ถูกคุกคาม ข้อมูลไม่เพียงพอ

5. THREATENED CATEGORIES A Population reduction Restricted geographic range B Critically Endangered (CR) Small population size & decline C Quantitative thresholds Endangered (EN) Very small or restricted population D Vulnerable (VU) E Quantitative analysis Nature of the Red List Criteria CRITERIA

6. Taxa and assemblages to be focused/ reassessment IUCN 2004-07 S/SE Asian outdated taxa Highly endemism/exploited areas Troglobitic taxa Highly exploited wild stocks, but never / rarely been captive breed

7. Thai Redlist Seafishes 34 Involve in Life Reef Fish Trade 30 Coral reef spp. 60 Sharks and rays. 49 Bony fishes. 14 estuarine spp.

8. Betta simplex CR A1acd by Thai Country Evaluation, 2006 IUCN Redlist 2004 as VU D2 • Inhabits only few limestone swamps in Krabi Province, South. Thailand. • EOO less than 100 km2 • AOO < 10 km2 or location < 10 • Occurrence declining continuously including habitat alteration • Continuously exploited for aquarium trades as well as local exploitation as baitfish

9. Over-evaluated case 2007 Red List Assessment EN EN A1ac    ver 2.3 (1994)(out of date) Probarbus jullieni • Fact • Population/fishing record reduction observed less than 30% • Wide ranging over Mekong basinwide and Pahang basin • Genetic diversity show healthy populations in the Mekong • Captive bred carrying out, commercially 2007 Thai Red List Assessment VU E

10. Subpopulations Population Size (mature individuals only) Lake Lanao’s Pait Puntius amarus Population

11. Sub-criterion A1Observed, estimated, inferred or suspected past decline where causes of decline are understood, AND are reversible, AND have now ceased Present Last 10 years or 3 generations (whichever is longer) Sub-criterion A2Observed, estimated, inferred or suspected past decline where causes of decline may not be understood, OR may not be reversible, OR may not have ceased  30% Vulnerable  50% Vulnerable  50% Endangered  70% Endangered  90% Critically Endangered  80% Critically Endangered Present Last 10 years or 3 generations (whichever is longer)

12. Points to remember:CR EN VU • extent of occurrence, EOO <100 km2 <5000 km2<20,000km2 • area of occupancy. AOO <10 km2 <500 km2< 2,000 km2 • Severely fragmentation • by number of fragments =1 < 5 < 10

13. Threatening Status of Thai Fishes Species bases • IUCN (2004: 73spp.) • 1EW • 3 Critical • 12 Endangered • 22 Vulnerables • 12 Near Threatened • 12 Lower Risk • 11 Data Deficient • OEPP (1998: 224spp.) • 3 Extinct • 29 Endangered • 155 Vulnerables • 4 Threatened in the wild • 33 Data Deficient • This Thai Categorizes: 273 • 1 Extinct, 2 Extirpated • 18 Critical • 42 Endangered • 155 Vulnerabled • 21 Near Threatened • 30 Data Deficient • 11 Threatened in situ

14. IUCN (2006:70 Thai Marinespp.) • 4 Critical (> 90% losses) • 3 Endangered (>60-90%) • 22 Vulnerabled (>40-60%) • 24 Near Threatened (15-40%) • 13 Lower Risk • 7 Data Deficientfromwww.redlist.org Including 20 species in LRFT Most of sharks/rays and others are bycatch and habitat loss threats

15. Habitat bases • Sensitive species • Endemic species : good in local base • Specialist (stenotopic) spp. : good in habitat base • Wide ranging taxa: best for all ranges and types • Large/top predatory and trophic diversity: Ecosystem health and fish stocks • Criteria for indicator • Sensitive species • Endemic species • Specialist (stenotopic) spp. • Alien invasion • Fish anomalies • Habitat integrity • Existing of Keystone species/Umbrella spp. • Can be use as Flagship species

16. Habitat diversity • Habitat types/landscapes • Heterozygousity • Species diversity and Taxonomic diversity • Genetic diversity • Population sizes • Size compositions • Juveniles and spawners diversity • Ethno-diversity • Ethno-fisheries • Socio-economic value • Fish ecosystem function and services • Taxonomic diversity • Fish in higher taxa • Aquatic fauna and flora in higher taxa • Invertebrate phyla • Vertebrate taxa • Submerge and riparian dominant vegetation

17. Biodiversity indices • Number of indigenous spp. • Stock of alien spp. • Relative % of tolerant and sensitive spp. • % of trophic and habitat specialist • Incident of disease and anomalies • % of mature, large individuals • Reproduction of sensitive spp. • Number of size-, age-classes

18. FW Fish Significant 20 hotspots of future Ramsar Sites potential Coastal/marine habitats Cave fishes Mekong Giant catfish High diversity 150-300 spp. Endemic fishes

19. Good place to see indicator fishes: Local markets Dominate replacement of farm/alien species indicate degradations of the wetlands: as well as abandon of local fishing gears/ knowledge

20. Ethno-Diversity Over 27 Fishing methods • Kut Ting27 types • Bueng Khong Long 17 types

21. Over 25 types of fishing gears from hand collecting to larger barrages

22. 6 Trophic diversity Large piscivores Insectivores Small carnivores Benthic feeders Planktivores Herbivores

23. Planktivores Benthic carnivore Trophic diversity Small predator insectivore Benthic herbivore Larger piscivore Herbivore

24. Juvenile diversity At least 70 spp. juveniles occurred

25. Taxonomic Diversity Over 30 species in 2 wetlands

26. Taxonomic Diversity 9 crustacean 18 mollusks 11 FW reptiles 16 amphibians

27. Kut Ting Waterplant Vegetation profiles Bueng Kong Long

28. Sensitive taxa Ecological impact Bio-indicatorinHillstreams Tolerant taxa

29. Bio-indicator inmarshlands Sensitive species Tolerant species

30. Indicator in Mainstream rivers Sensitive and larger species Fishing impact Ecological impact Tolerant and small species

31. Estuaries-lower reaches Fish Mekong Delta Fish 68 families/>460 species 80 cyprinids 70 Gobiids 70 catfishes

32. Gobies diversity mudskippers Up to 70 species in the Delta

33. Elasmobranches Bio-indicator in Estuaries Sensitive and larger species Fishing impact Ecological impact Tolerant/ alien species

34. Criteria for Red Data VS EIA • Thai/Over all population, ranges ? • Refill opportunity? • Sub population/subspecies? • Habitat health function indicator • Ecosystem services • Socio-Economic Importance • : Fisheries • : Tourism • : Flagshipness • Sensitive species • Endemic species : Material or non material value • Specialist (stenotopic) spp. : Rare Ecosystem • Wide ranging taxa: % of existing populations • Large/top predatory and trophic diversity: Ecosystem health and stock indices

35. Mitigation process • No-take Zones designation • Fishing regulation • Breeding and restocking • Translocate to Satellite habitats • Habitat rehab. • Habitat Zoning • Modified Project • Cancel project !!? Local participation base

36. Thank you www.siamensis.org www.wwfthai.org www.wwfgreatermekong.org WWF-Canon/R. Kongmoung