Current status of bagarius fish (Bagarius sp.) exploitation and proposed measures for conservation, resource development in Phu Tho province

Abstract

This study was conducted to survey the current status of Bagarius sp. fish resource exploitation, serving as a basis for proposing conservation and resource development measures for this species in Phu Tho province. The survey results show that Bagarius fish is not the main target of local fishermen. The proportion of fishermen who catch Bagarius ranges from 6.7% to 60%. Although fishing activities cover a wide area and the average fishing time on rivers is relatively high (from 4.5 to 7.7 hours per day), the catch yield is quite low (ranging from 4.6 to 128.4 kg per river per year). The resource abundance and density of Bagarius fish in Phu Tho are low, and their distribution area is narrow. This is mainly due to overfishing, the use of destructive fishing gear, and the construction of hydropower dams and sand mining on rivers, which have polluted the water and led to a decline in Bagarius populations. Additionally, fishermen’s awareness of resource conservation and their participation in conservation training programs remain limited. Based on these findings, we propose several measures to conserve and develop Bagarius fish resources in Phu Tho province.