| Abstract: |
Mahseers are a group of iconic, freshwater fishes native to South, East, and South-East Asia, with varied significant ecological, socio-cultural, and livelihood values. The complex socio-ecological contexts in which their conservation unfolds demand an approach that integrates stakeholders’ behavioural dimensions and the socio-cultural values associated with these fishes into conservation planning and implementation for effective outcomes. This study examined different facets of mahseer conservation across three environmentally, geographically, and socio-culturally distinct Indian states—Karnataka, Assam, and Uttarakhand—using a framework integrating a conservation planning framework (CPF) with the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and social values (SV). Across all the focal states, the following three key themes were developed ‘consensus between stakeholders,’ ‘communication and collaboration,’ and ‘values and moral responsibility.’ Our analyses revealed that while shared ecological concerns created opportunities for collective conservation actions, a series of barriers was also apparent, namely, inter-stakeholder conflicts, communication gaps, hesitation to collaborate, top-down governance, and restricted decision-making autonomy for tribal and local communities. Stakeholders from all three states demonstrated strong pro-conservation attitudes, moral responsibility, perceived capability to implement the conservation plans, and culturally embedded value for mahseer, rooted in religious beliefs, tribal and local identities and recreational traditions. However, the on-ground analysis revealed low ‘actual behavioural control’ amongst many stakeholders, limiting the translation of the positive elements present in their attitudes and values into tangible conservation outcomes. Our results emphasise formalising community-based co-management, strengthening inter-departmental coordination, building conservation capacity, adopting socio-culturally grounded communication strategies, and repositioning community fishing events as socio-ecological heritage to ensure stakeholder compliance of the existing mahseer conservation plans and improve their success. Furthermore, aligning conservation planning with behavioural drivers and social values could offer critical insights for formulating inclusive strategies and policies to safeguard mahseer and manage their habitats. |
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