Mongolian Journal of Biological Sciences 2005 Vol. 3(2): 29-36

Proceedings of the Mongolian Biodiversity Databank Workshop: Assessing the Conservation Status of Mongolian Mammals and : III – Fishes: Assessment Results and Threats

Joanne F. Ocock1, Emma L. Clark1, Sarah R. B. King2 and Jonathan E.M. Baillie1*

1Zoological Society of London, Regent’s Park, London, NW1 4RY, England. 2Steppe Forward Pro- gramme, Biology Faculty, National University Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar 210646, Mongolia. E-mail: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]. *Corresponding author: Jonathan. [email protected],

Abstract The Mongolian Biodiversity Databank Workshop was held at the National University of Mongolia and Hustai National Park from 31st October to 4th November, 2005. As part of the workshop, a working group of experts assessed the conservation status of all Mongolian fishes using the IUCN Catego- ries and Criteria. Of the 64 fish found in Mongolia, 48 were assessed, with 16 considered Not Applicable (NA) by the working group. Only one species, the Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii) was assessed as Critically Endangered (CR) in Mongolia, however six species were assigned Endangered (EN) status. Four were found to be Vulnerable (VU) and three were assessed to be Near Threatened (NT). Forty-eight percent of Mongolian fishes were Data Deficient (DD) and 25% were Least Concern (LC). The north-east of Mongolia was most species rich, particularly the Onon River basin and Buir Lake. There was no trend for where the most threatened species occurred as they were found throughout the north of Mongolia. Hunting/fishing was the greatest threat to Mongolian fishes, followed by resource extraction and pollution.

Keywords: biodiversity, extinction risk, fish, Mongolia, taimen, threat

Introduction Fish have not traditionally been a part of the regions with the highest number of threatened spe- Mongolian diet or economy, so historically spe- cies. These sites will therefore be those most need- cies were relatively unaffected by human presence. ing protection. As well as assessing the threatened However, by the close of the 20th century, new pres- status of fish, direct threats affecting their persis- sures were coming to bear on Mongolian society, tence were discussed. The increase of mining in driving a new – mainly commercial – interest in Mongolia, especially along waterways in the north, the inhabitants of Mongolia’s many water-bodies. is putting Mongolia’s fishes at risk due to inorganic Experts on Mongolian fish were brought together pollution and localised habitat loss and degradation. for the Mongolian Biodiversity Databank work- However, it is the substantial increase in fishing of shop (held at the National University of Mongolia all fishes at all times of the year that poses the big- and Hustai National Park from 31st October to 4th gest and most immediate threat. Without baseline November, 2005) to assess the status of Mongolian information about species it is hard to conserve fishes using the IUCN Categories and Criteria, and them. The information amassed at this workshop to discuss threats affecting the species and what con- should help policy makers address how the law can servation measures were needed to address them. be used to help fish under threat, and will also alert Despite its many large lakes and rivers, Mon- NGOs and scientists about species and regions most golia’s fishes have received relatively little scien- in need of research and protection. tific attention. Results from this workshop hope to rectify this both for the charismatic species such Results and Discussion as the taimen (Hucho taimen), and for less well- The distribution of Mongolian fishes known fish. The working group on fishes were able Fish richness in Mongolia appears to be rough- to create distribution maps for species, so the most ly demarcated into four regions (Figure 1). The species rich zones could be identified, and those north-eastern region had the highest species rich- http://dx.doi.org/10.22353/mjbs.2005.03.10 29 30 Ocock et al. Conservation status of Mongolian fishes

ness, particularly around the Onon River basin and species. Therefore, it was not surprising that the Buir Lake, within the River basin, where it north-eastern region also had the highest concentra- reached a maximum of 31 described species. The tion of DD species. north-central region was the next highest in species richness. The rivers and lakes in this region drain Status of Mongolian fishes toward the Arctic Ocean and include the Selenge, Forty-eight of the 64 native fish species were Orkhon and Shishged rivers and Khövsgöl Lake. assessed by the Red List Categories and Criteria; The north-western and southern regions are part the other 16 were Not Applicable (NA). A quarter of the Central Asian Inland drainage basin. This (25%) of the assessed species were not threatened basin is an endorehic watershed, i.e. none of these with extinction in Mongolia (Figure 4). However, rivers and lakes has an outflow outside the basin. 23% of the assessed species were facing a high risk The north-western region and the area known as of extinction and thus considered threatened, and a the Valley of the Lakes (south-central) had the low- further 6% were viewed as being close to qualifying est richness of fishes, but included a number of in the future for a threatened or Near Threatened Mongolia’s most threatened species, for example (NT) category. Nearly half of the evaluated species the Mongolian grayling (Thymallus brevirostris), were found to have insufficient data regarding their the lake osman (Oreoleuciscus angusticephalus), population size, trends, and the impact of threats, Dzungarian dace (Leuciscus dzungaricus) and Gobi and were therefore assessed as DD. loach (Barbatula dgebuadzei). The region consist- For well-known species, such as commercial ing almost entirely of the Gobi desert had no known and sport-fishing species, population trends could fish species. There did not appear to be any clear be inferred from declining catches. For other little geographical trend in the distribution of threatened known species declines could be inferred where fish species in Mongolia (Figure 2). They were threat processes were clearly documented and un- spread throughout the northern half of Mongolia, derstood. However, nearly half the fish species in with the highest richness of threatened species in Mongolia were lacking sufficient data to determine the south of Khövsgöl province. The distribution their conservation status. Data was lacking not only of Data Deficient (DD) species appeared to mirror in population trend information, but also on basic the distribution of all fish species: the area around biology and the effect of threats. Sixty-four percent the Onon River had the highest richness of DD of the DD species were , (loaches and species (Figure 3). Areas of high species richness minnows). All four sculpin () spe- were more likely to have a high number of DD cies, such as the Siberian sculpin ( sibiricus)

Figure 1. Species richness of Mongolian fishes. The darker shades represent areas with the highest number of threatened species.

http://dx.doi.org/10.22353/mjbs.2005.03.10 Mongolian Journal of Biological Sciences 2005 Vol. 3(2) 31

Threatened species 0 1 2 3 4 Figure 2. Species richness of threatened Mongolian fishes. The darker shades represent areas with the highest number of threatened species. This DD assessment was due to uncertainty about and Kessler’s sculpin (Leocottus kesslerii) were whether the species still occurred in Mongolia. Par- assessed as DD. The majority of the DD fishes were ticipants felt it was likely that if the Amur sturgeon small, had little economic importance and were not was still extant in Mongolia, it would also be CR. favoured by anglers. The Salmoniforme order includes the whitefish Threatened species (coregonids), graylings (thymallids), and the tai- Only one species was assessed as Critically En- men and lenok (salmonids). Six out of the nine dangered (CR) in Mongolia, and six species were Salmoniforme species found in Mongolia were assigned Endangered (EN) status. Four species threatened, making them the most threatened order were found to be Vulnerable (VU) and three were of fish in Mongolia. Four qualified as EN: the Amur assessed as NT (Table 1). Table 1. Fish species categorised as regionally threatened (Critically Endangered, Endangered and Vulnerable) and Near Threatened in Mongolia. Critically Endangered Endangered Vulnerable Near Threatened

Siberian sturgeon Gobi loach Lake osman Amur spiny bitterling Acipenser baerii Barbatula dgebuadzei Oreoleuciscus angusti- Acheilognathus asmussi cephalus Dzungarian dace Small osman Ide Leuciscus dzungaricus Leuciscus idus Pidschian Mongolian grayling Arctic grayling Coregonus pidschian Thymallus brevirostris Thymallus arcticus Amur grayling Lenok Thymallus grubei Brachymystax lenok Khövsgöl grayling Thymallus nigrescens Taimen Hucho taimen

There were two sturgeon species (Acipenseri- grayling (T. grubei), taimen, Khövsgöl grayling (T. formes) on the Mongolian Red List, one is assessed nigrescens) and pidschian (Coregonus pidschian). as CR: the Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii) and Two are VU: the lenok (Brachymystax lenok) and the the other is DD: the Amur sturgeon (A. schrenkii). Mongolian grayling (T. brevirostris). One Salmoni- http://dx.doi.org/10.22353/mjbs.2005.03.10 32 Ocock et al. Conservation status of Mongolian fishes

Data deficient specie 0 1 - 3 4 - 6 7 - 9 10 - 12 13 - 15 Figure 3. Species richness of the Data Deficient fishes of Mongolia..The darker shades represent areas with the highest number of threatened species. forme is NT: the Arctic grayling (T. arcticus), and Comparison with other regions two are DD (Chadary, C. chadry and Baikal omul, The IUCN Freshwater Biodiversity Assessment C. migratorius). The threatened Salmoniforme spe- Programme have conducted several regional as- cies were commercially and recreationally favoured sessments of the status and distribution of priority large fish; the two Cypriniforme species classified groups of freshwater taxa (see website http://www. as VU, the two osman species (Oreolecusicus hu- iucn.org/themes/ssc/programs/freshwater/ region- milis and O. angusticephalus), also shared these al_biodiv_assess.htm). However, comparisons be- characteristics. Two Cypriniformes were listed as tween these regions and Mongolia are difficult, as EN, Dzungarian dace, L. dzungaricus and Gobi their data are based on the threat status of endemic loach, B. dgebuadzei, however these are recently species and Mongolia only has four known endemic described species. They are both only found in one species, all of which were assessed as threatened: location that is at risk from threatening activities, the Mongolian and Khövsgöl graylings, the lake such as mining or illegal fishing, and little is known osman, and the Gobi loach. However, if the overall about their general ecology in Mongolia. percentage of Mongolian native species under threat CR 2% EN 13%

VU 8%

DD 46% Figure 4. Conservation status of NT 6% the 48 native fish species of Mon- golia for which an assessment was made according to the IUCN Regional Red List Categories and Criteria. CR = Critically Endan- gered, EN = Endangered, VU = Vulnerable, NT = Near Threat- ened, LC = Least Concern, DD = LC 25% Data Deficient. http://dx.doi.org/10.22353/mjbs.2005.03.10 Mongolian Journal of Biological Sciences 2005 Vol. 3(2) 33

is compared with the other assessments, Mongolia Threats to Mongolian fishes has a low percentage of threatened species. Hunting/fishing was the most dominant cause of decline in Mongolian fishes (Figure 5). It was Table 2. Results of regional assessments showing found to be the dominant threat to 23 species, more the percentage of threatened endemic species, than twice the number affected by the next most including Mongolia’s percentage of threatened dominant threat, resource extraction. Resource native species. The North American result was extraction, which includes activities like gold- or part of a different assessment and the result has coal-mining, can be viewed as one of the underlying been adjusted to fit with the IUCN categories causes of habitat degradation, which ranked as a sig- (Kevin Smith pers. comm.). nificant threat to many threatened fishes (Table 3). Region Percentage Following this was energy consumption, environ- Eastern Africa 28% mental change and agricultural development. The Mediterranean basin 56% high percentage of DD species was also reflected North America 34% here, as no information on threats or their causes Madagascar 54% was known for a large number of species. Mongolia 23% The foremost threat to threatened species was intentional mortality, e.g. mortality from fishing This conclusion should be treated with caution, (Table 3), caused by the current level of hunting/ because almost half of Mongolian native species fishing (Figure 5). For two species the dominant were classified as DD. In comparison, the assess- threat was habitat degradation, and for a further two, ment of the 98 endemic fish of Madagascar found climate change. Habitat degradation was identified 28% are Data Deficient (IUCN Freshwater Bio- as the second most dominant threat for the majority diversity Assessment Programme, 2004) and the of threatened fishes. There was only one species for Eastern Africa assessment found only 8% (73) of which intentional mortality and habitat degradation 901 species to be DD (Darwall et al., 2005). Further was not the dominant threat, the pidschian. Pollu- research into the DD species in Mongolia could tion was considered the third most dominant threat result in an increase in the number of threatened to these species. species.

No information

Environmental change

Translocation/transfer Dominant threat cause Infrastructure development Energy consumption

Resource extraction

Agricultural development Collecting

Hunting/fishing

0 5 10 15 20 25 Number of species

Figure 5. The dominant causes and activities leading to the decline of Mongolian fishes as identified by participants of the workshop.

http://dx.doi.org/10.22353/mjbs.2005.03.10 34 Ocock et al. Conservation status of Mongolian fishes

Table 3. Summary of the direct threats facing threatened Mongolian fishes, as identified by the work- shop participants. The primary threat is represented by a black square, the secondary threat is mid grey and the tertiary threat is light grey. Habitat degradation Habitat loss Pollution Hybridisation Competitors Intentional mortality Climate change Category of threat

Species CR Acipenser baerii EN Barbatula dgebuadzei Leuciscus dzungaricus Coregonus pidschian Thymallus grubei Thymallus nigrescens Hucho taimen VU Oreoleuciscus angusticephalus Oreoleuciscus humilis Thymallus brevirostris Brachymystax lenok

Expert Working Group conclusions enforce them. Also noted was the non-species spe- During the three days of assessments, the par- cific nature of the illegal fishing. The market for ticipants of the expert working group on Mongolian fishes appears to be indiscriminate, the only require- fishes brought together information from a num- ment being that they are large enough to consume. ber of different sources. This information formed However, taimen are specifically targeted by illegal a baseline of knowledge on Mongolian fishes upon fishers due to the growing national and international which future research and other activities can be market for taimen-meat (Parkinson pers. comm.; founded. These data can be found in the Biodiver- Erdenebat, pers. comm.), and by recreational an- sity Databank, this article, the Red List on Mongo- glers using catch-and-kill methods. Participants also lian Fishes and the Summary Conservation Action stated that local demand plays only a small part in Plans (the latter two to be published later this year). the commercial nature of the threat. Most of the The workshop assessments also involved details of fishes are sold for foreign markets, predominantly threats to Mongolian fishes, and the conservation China but also Russia. measures required to conserve species under threat The second dominant threat process discussed and prevent further species becoming threatened. by participants was habitat degradation and loss These are discussed below. due to resource extraction, principally mining Participants identified hunting/fishing as the for gold. Mining is viewed as a threat process on dominant threat to fishes due to the amount of un- the increase. It causes habitat loss, as rivers and regulated, illegal fishing being undertaken. This gravel are dredged, and also habitat degradation fishing is believed to be for commercial purposes, with increased sedimentation and inorganic pol- being driven by the growing international trade lutants. There are mining regulations and controls, of fishes. This is occurring despite the Mongolian such as a ban on operating within a two kilometre Parliament legislating fishing seasons for all fishes, buffer zone around protected areas. However, it outlining when it is illegal to catch them (Mongolian appears companies are either not aware of these Law on Hunting, section 13; Wingard & Odgerel, zones (Mendsaikhan, pers. comm.) or are ignoring 2001). Participants agreed that regulations are be- them (Farringdon, 2005). The danger the mining ing ignored and there are not enough resources to industry poses to Mongolia’s biodiversity, not only http://dx.doi.org/10.22353/mjbs.2005.03.10 Mongolian Journal of Biological Sciences 2005 Vol. 3(2) 35

fishes, is its economic attractiveness. The govern- The Mongolian Law on Hunting and the Law on ment is actively encouraging foreign investment Fauna work in tandem to protect Mongolian fishes. It and the mining sector is expected to be one of the was recommended at the conclusion of the working nation’s most important sources of revenue in the group session that these laws be updated to incor- future (Anon, 2005; Pui-Kwan, 2004; Farringdon, porate the reviewed status of the fishes, particularly 2005). the species assessed as threatened. However, these Habitat degradation and loss to Buir Lake, regulations will continue to be ineffective if im- Khövsgöl Lake and the Valley of the Lakes wa- proved enforcement regimes are not implemented. terways also concerned participants. A decline in Threatened species are facing imminent extinction the water level at Buir Lake has been noted. It is due to illegal fishing. Rangers are in place in some believed this may have been caused by people re- areas, but it was suggested they would benefit from moving vegetation from near the lake while fishing an increase in personnel, improved transport (mo- during winter (Baasanjav, pers. comm). Previously, torcycles instead of horses), cameras for collecting Khövsgöl Lake had 96 rivers flowing into it, now evidence, and communication methods that allow only 20 rivers have water in them. While they all them to keep track of poachers and to alert rangers used to be permanent, a majority now dry up over in other areas of poachers’ movements. Mongolia summer (Mendsaikhan, pers comm), preventing has an extensive network of protected areas. None fishes from migrating up them to spawn. Partici- have been created specifically for the protection of pants also expressed concern about changes in land fishes; although several include sites important to use and climate change reducing water levels of the fish diversity – notably Khövsgöl Lake. Khövsgöl rivers and lakes in the Gobi. Lake is a Mongolian National Park and a World Mongolian Parliament has enacted two laws Heritage Site, as well as the only location for the which concern the conservation of fishes. The endangered Khövsgöl grayling. Mongolian Law on Hunting regulates the fishing The Taimen Conservation Fund (TCF) is a Mon- season, as it contains a general ban on the hunting golian-based non-governmental organisation pro- of all species between 1st April and 16th June. There moting taimen conservation in the community and are also longer ban periods in place for particular developing a collaborative management plan for species (Wingard & Odgerel, 2001) (Table 4). the Eg-Uur watershed near Khövsgöl Lake. TCF is Table 4. The season during which particular fish cannot be hunted Species Hunting ban period Pidschian (Coregonus pidschian) 1st August – 20th October Baikal omul (Coregonus migratorius) 1st December – 15th September Coregonus peled 1st August – 15th November Osmans (Oreoleuciscus spp) 15th April – 1st August Any fish occurring in Buir Lake 15th May – 1st June The Mongolian Law on Fauna lists four spe- unique for its watershed-based approach, although cies as ‘Very Rare’ (Table 5). The Law on Hunting in 2004 the Mongolian Parliament legislated in the prohibits the harvesting of these species for per- Mongolian Law on Water to encourage the use of sonal or commercial purposes. Taimen is listed as watershed-wide management plans (Batsuren, pers. “Rare”, though sport-fishing is permitted pursuant comm.). Using a combination of education and to licenses granted by the Ministry of Nature and community initiatives, and recommendations based Environment (Wingard & Odgerel, 2001). While on the most recent scientific data from their scien- these are mainly catch-and-release licenses, it is tific team, TCF provide initiatives and management also possible to purchase a catch-and-kill license important to the conservation of the taimen. These from the Ministry (Parkinson, pers. comm.). Table 5. Species listed as ‘Very Rare’ or ‘Rare’ in the Mongolian Law on Fauna Very Rare Rare Siberian sturgeon (A baeri) Taimen (Hucho taimen) Amur sturgeon (A schrenkii) Silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) Tench (Tinca tinca) Grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) Amur sculpin (Mesocottus haitej)

http://dx.doi.org/10.22353/mjbs.2005.03.10 36 Ocock et al. Conservation status of Mongolian fishes types of initiatives were recommended as a conser- O. Chimedtseren. We are especially grateful to vation measure as it was believed Mongolia’s fishes Dr. Maurice Kottelat for his work on would benefit from increased public awareness of and nomenclature of Mongolian fishes, and critical them and their threatened status. reviews. We would also like to thank Kevin Smith, The changes in 2004 to the Mongolian Law on from the IUCN Freshwater Biodiversity Assess- Water provide a framework for whole watershed ment Programme for his specialist help and guid- management (Batsuren, pers. comm.). Article 19 ance through the Red Listing process. The authors addresses watershed management committees. This would like to thank those who have reviewed this encourages provinces to work together to create a article at various stages, Ben Collen, Renata Kowa- watershed management plan that crosses territorial lik, Chris Sandbrook and Ken Ocock. J. Munkbat boundaries. This will provide a platform for bet- and Sh. Oyunchimeg provided invaluable assistance ter cooperation between provinces on the issue of throughout the researching of this paper. freshwater protection and management. Participants believed management would be further enhanced References by collaboration with research groups and angling Anon. 2005. Inside Mongolia. Metal Bulletin tourist companies. It would encourage better cross- Monthly. 416: 11. organisation communication not only between Darwall, W., Smith, K., Lowe, T., & Vie, J-C. the local governments, but also between research 2005. The Status and Distribution of Freshwater groups and protected-area managers. Mongolia’s Biodiversity in Eastern Africa. IUCN Species fishes would therefore benefit from the interested Survival Commission, Cambridge. and involved parties communicating more with Farringdon, J.D. 2005. The Impact of Mining each other, which will in turn prevent information Activities on Mongolia’s Protected Areas: a from becoming isolated. Status Report with Policy Recommendations. Above all, more research is required. The high Integrated Environmental Assessment and percentage of species assessed as DD by the work- Management. 1(3): 282–289. ing group session shows a dearth of knowledge IUCN. 2003. Guidelines for Application of IUCN about the species known to be in Mongolia – their Red List Criteria at Regional Levels: Version population numbers and trends, and what threaten- 3.0. IUCN Species Survival Commission, ing processes they face. It may also be concealing IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, a number of threatened species. A further issue, UK. beyond the scope of the working group session is IUCN World Conservation Union. 2004. IUCN the number of species unknown to science. Precious Red List of threatened species. Available at little research has been done in the Central Asian http://www.iucnredlist.org/. Accessed 7th Janu- Inland Basin, which includes the Gobi desert. Study ary 2006. in this endorehic drainage basin is likely to reveal a IUCN Freshwater Biodiversity Assessment number of rare, endemic species. Research in these Programme. 2004. Red List Assessment of areas is a priority to fully understand the status of Madagascar’s Freshwater Fish. IUCN Species Mongolian fishes. Survival Commission, Cambridge, UK. A baseline has been established for the native Pui-Kwn Tse,. 2004. The Mineral Industry of fishes of Mongolia, of their conservation status and Mongolia. US Geological Survey Minerals on the level of knowledge pertaining to them. The Yearbook. http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/ goal for the future is to build upon this baseline, pubs/country/2004/mgmyb04.pdf . Accessed and ensure the best conservation for Mongolia’s 12th December 2005. unique mixture of freshwater fishes. Wingard, J.R., & Odgerel, P. 2001. Compendium of Environmental Law and Practice in Mongolia. Acknowledgements GTZ Nature Conservation and Buffer Zone We are grateful to the World Bank for providing Development Project and GTZ Commercial the resources for this project. The authors would Civil Law Reform Project. Published report. like to thank the Mongolian members of the ex- (in English and Mongolian). pert working group for their time and dedication during the workshop and the follow up work: B. Mendsaikhan, M. Erdenebat, G. Baasanjav and http://dx.doi.org/10.22353/mjbs.2005.03.10