This paper deals with the participatory fisheries management program, aimed at and successful in livelihood improvement of fisher community known as ‘Pode’ or ‘Jalari’ living near Phewa Lake, Pokhara, Nepal. The community, traditionally depending on fishing activities for their livelihood, led a nomadic life along the rivers and lakes, carrying cast nets to feed their families. In the early 1960s, when the fish catch declined due to over fishing, the Pode’s only source of livelihood was threatened. Meanwhile, the Fisheries Development Center, now Agriculture Research Station (Fisheries), was established in Pokhara in 1962 with the objective of assisting the poorest fishing communities through cage fish culture and open water fisheries. To begin with, each family was enabled to buy a single 50 m3 cage in order to start farming fish; the loans were underwritten by the local Agriculture Development Bank. The total fish production from Phewa Lake in 2001 was estimated at 98 mt (224 kgha-1: 52 mt from cage culture and 46 mt from open water recapture fisheries). The income from fish production is shared among local fisher families; it has brought substantial changes in the livelihood of the fisher community. A few years ago, it was difficult to find a literate member of the Pode community, but these days many children attend school and some even college. The community has realized the importance of lake resources and devised a code of conduct for sustainable fishery. The improvement on livelihood of fisher community is attributable to the combination of participatory fisheries management with their traditional skill on fish handling as well as their easy access. Apart from supporting in livelihood of poor communities, participatory fisheries management also contributes in maintaining ecological balance of aquatic ecosystems. Key words: ‘Pode’, sustainable fishery, Phewa, cage culture, livelihood Himalayan Journal of Sciences 3(5) 2005 p.47-52

The seasonal patterns of phytoplankton primary production, chlorophyll-a concentration, cell number and several other limnological variables in Lake Phewa, located in the active monsoon zone in Central Himalaya, Nepal, were studied for a year beginning in April 2001. During the study period, the gross primary production and chlorophyll-a concentrations were relatively low during the monsoon season. The phytoplankton cell number, represented by 24 genera, also fluctuated seasonally, but tended to increase in the pre-and post-monsoon period. These results suggest that the monsoon plays a crucial role in the primary production and phytoplankton dynamics for Lake Phewa. Among the phytoplankton species, Microcystis aeruginosa, a representative species for eutrophic lakes, was the dominant phytoplankton. At the same time, however, it is clear that the lake is not yet heavily eutrophic. The present study suggests that the exchange of lake water during the monsoon season contributes to maintaining the health of the lake against further degradation. Nevertheless, the silt carried in the monsoon rain run-off from the lake's catchment area suggests increasingly serious degradation problems for this small mountainous lake.

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A study was conducted to assess the role of cooperatives in improving fish farming through a comparison of fish farmers engaged and not engaged in cooperatives. Altogether, 140 fish farmers were selected from Chitwan and Nawalparasi Susta East district, 70 from each district. Annual income from fish production and annual total income was found significantly higher (p<0.05) in non-cooperative fish farmers than cooperative fish farmers in Nawalparasi Susta East. The latter district has more fish farmers that have large-scale commercial operations. Fish farmers in cooperatives are mostly small-holders, whose production is consumed domestically. Non-cooperative fish farmers faced more (P>0.05) challenges than cooperative farmers especially in terms of seed quality and quantity.  Cooperatives were attractive for their support in saving and micro-finance schemes. The study advocates for increased support to establishment of cooperatives as they have great potential to develop fish farming sustainably and to empower their members socially and economically.

Sahar (Tor putitora) formed a substantial natural fi shery in the major riverine and lacustrine ecosystem of Nepal. Biological diversity of this species is being threatened by various anthropogenic activities. In view of the conservational value and the aquaculture potential of T. putitora, signifi cant development in artifi cial propagation of this species has been achieved. The successful hatchery production of T. putitora brought to the forefront problematic questions regarding genetic variation of the hatchery stocks. A study was, therefore, conducted to determine the genetic variability within and between hatchery stocks and their wild counterparts of T. putitora using allozyme markers.Analyses of seven enzyme systems resuled in 11 loci being resolved from lake population and two consecutive generations of hatchery populations of T. putitora. Based on fi ve polymorphic loci, all populations had percentage polymorphic loci 45.45. Signifi cant reduction (P<0.01) in number of alleles per locus was evident in hatchery populations (1.45 ±0.181) compared to lake population (1.72 ±0.90). Loss of rear alleles, EST-2*74, IDH*70 and GDH*33 occurred in both of the hatchery populations which were present in wild counterparts-the lake population. All populations under study conform to the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium at the 1% level. Although not signifi cant (P>0.05), observed heterozygosity increased in fi rst generation of hatchery population (H o = 0.181 ±0.233) compared to natural population (H o =0.179±0.221). The H o of second generation of hatchery population was lowest (0.119 ±0.143) among the populations studied. Loss of rare alleles from the two generations of hatchery population, while these alleles were present in corresponding natural populations suggested the founders (20-30 individuals) of the hatchery populations probably represented bottlenecks to very small effective population size (N e ).

Sahar, Tor putitora (Hamilton-Buchanan) is a high valued indigenous riverine species of Nepal. This is declining in its natural habitat. Tor putitora and Tor tor (Hamilton-Buchanan) have been recommended as vulnerable and endangered species. Limited seed production using natural propagation has restricted its expansion in culture as well as rehabilitation in natural waters. The artificial propagation of sahar using synthetic hormone was conducted in Pokhara, AFU, Chitwan and CARP), Kathar during February to April 2017. Sixty five male (0.5-1.8 kg) and forty five female (1.1-2.1 kg) brood fish were reared in 200 m2 earthen ponds at 1000 kg/ha. Fish were fed with 32% crude protein feed at 3% body weight per day. Maturity was observed regularly for softness of the abdomen. Female brood fish with a soft and extended abdomen were injected with synthetic hormone (Ovaprim) at 0.5 ml/kg body weight. Males were not injected hormone. The fertilized eggs were incubated in Atkin hatching trays. A total of 16 females were induced to spawn, and they produced 1630.80±184.30 (mean±SE) eggs per kg body weight. Mean hatching and larval survival rates were 78.4±1.9 and 74.7±1.1%, respectively.