Recreational angling markets to advance the conservation of a reach of the Western Ramganga River, India

1. Mahseer fishes of the genus Tor are 'iconic species' in Indian rivers, representing 'flagship' species for conservation purposes but with additional exploitable, cultural and economic values. Conservation action is required to address their vulnerability to numerous pressures on multiple habitats, and connections between them, across the extended aquatic ecosystems supporting different life stages. 2. Recreational angling for mahseer, along with associated wildlife and cultural tourism, is a growth industry dependent upon healthy river ecosystems. 3. A cyclic, ecosystem-based model in which local people can benefit economically from sustainable mahseer exploitation through catch-and-release fisheries can form a basis for conservation of both mahseer and the wider river ecosystem. 4. Experience on the Western Ramganga River in the vicinity of the town of Bikhyasen, Uttarakhand State (in the Himalayas in northern India), demonstrates the importance of involving local people in the benefits associated with angling, wildlife and cultural tourism. This creates local incentives for river protection, and may be the most effective means for preventing destructive over-exploitation in poor rural communities. 5. Recognition of this value and its recirculation to local people can form the basis for a 'paying for ecosystems services' (PES) market. This will benefit river ecosystems, local people, tour operators and visiting anglers, provided that local people benefit to a greater extent than through the killing of fish for non-renewable consumption or sale. 6. This is the basis for a potentially transferable model which may support regional development through involving local people in markets for iconic species. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd