REGIONAL WORKSHOP ON FISHERIES AND MARINE GENETIC RESOURCES AND THEIR AMELIORATION COUNTRY STATUS REPORT: BHUTAN by Gopal Prasad Khanal Presented during the Regional Workshop on Underutilized Fish and Marine Genetic Resources and their Amelioration, 10-12 July 2019, Location: Colombo, Sri Lanka

1. COUNTRY STATUS REPORT: BHUTAN
REGIONAL WORKSHOP ON FISHERIES AND MARINE GENETIC
RESOURCES AND THEIR AMELIORATION
National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency, Colombo, Sri Lanka
July 10-12, 2019
Gopal Prasad Khanal
National Research and Development Centre for Riverine and Lake Fisheries (NRDCR&LF)
Department of Livestock (DoL), Ministry of Agriculture and Forests (MoAF)
Fisheries Conservation Foundation
DoL-MoAF

2. PRESENTATION OUTLINE
 Introduction .
 Importance of Fish and Marine Genetic Resources.
 Status of Fish and Marine Genetic Resources.
 Processing, Value Addition and Development.
 Challenges and Opportunities.
 Marketing, Commercialization and Trade.
 Strategies Adopted to Harness Potential of Underutilized FMGR.
 Infrastructure, Capacity Building and Financial Investment.
 Future Thrust

3. 1. Introduction
 Bhutan is small, landlock and mountainous country.
 Total area 38,394 sq.km (375 km along east-west and 175 km north-
south axis)
 Within such small area, great altitudinal variation exists ranging from
97 m in south to 7570 m in extreme north.
 Constitutes 7.60% of Eastern Himalaya Region of Himalayan Hotspots.
Xu J. et al. (2019)
Thoni & Gurung (2014) Thoni & Gurung (2018)
 Concurrently, our freshwater ecosystem is home to diverse flora and fauna.
 Fisheries Resources: 130 species of fishes.
 118 indigenous species (8 endemic) and 12 exotics.

4. 1. Carp Farm in Bhutan 2. Trout Farm in Bhutan
3. Community Based Fishery
Management Program in Bhutan
 Department of Forests and Park Services
(DoFPS) regulates fishing in Bhutan (FNCRR,
2017).
 Communities with customary rights
 Proper management plans (Community
Based Fisheries Management Program-
CBCFMP).

5. 2. Importance of Fish and Marine Genetic Resources
1.83
3.01
4.45
10.11
10.988.76
6.50
5.46
2.73 2.85
0.00
2.00
4.00
6.00
8.00
10.00
12.00
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Self Sufficiency Rate (%) Per Capita Consumption (kg/person/year)
Fig. 2 Domestic Fish Production and ImportFig. 1 SSR & Per Capita Consumption (kg/person/year)
 Average per capita fish consumption: (2014-2018) = 5.29 kg/person/year.
 Per capita fish consumption in Bhutan (based oh household consumption survey,
2009): 5.58 kg/person/year (Needham & Funge-Smith, 2014).
 Fish accounted 3.18 percent of all protein consumed.
 Import value: Nu. 179.31 million to Nu. 402.27 million (average: Nu. 281.14
million).
119.09 149.11 187.63 222.52 228.40
6405.25
4804.71
4026.08
1978.07 1851.55
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
FISH(MT)
YEAR
Domestic Production Import

6. 3(a) Unique Underutilized Fish & Marine Genetic Resources
 Aquaculture candidate = Exotic Fishes species
in Bhutan. No research on utilization of
indigenous fish for culture.
 Potential of fisheries: Not evaluated yet.
 Most abundant fishes are legalized for
sustainable harvest under CBFMP in certain
catchment area of rivers.
 The CBFMP is facilitated by The National Research and Development Centre for
Riverine and Lake Fisheries (NRDCR&LF) in collaboration with DoFPS and other
stakeholders.
 These species contributed 5.46 % (6.5 MT) of domestic fish production in
2014 and 9.42 % (21 MT) in 2017.

7. 3(b) Germplasm Collection, Characterization, Evaluation, Conservation and Development
 In field of fisheries, proper collection, characterization, evaluation, conservation
and development of germplasm is yet to be initiated in Bhutan.
 Ex-situ conservation of prioritized species
has been initiated.
 Lately, fish specimens in form of fin clips are being tissue
banked for genomic studies.
 Captive breeding of golden mahseer was
success at NRDCA in 2013 and the
rudimentary technique is further being
researched for improvement.
Collection of germplasm like sperm, ova and embryos for preservation of
genetic resources to secure biological diversity for population
reconstitution needs attention, and can be realized only with similar
support from regional and international organizations.

9. 3(c) Processing, Value Addition and Development
 Fishes are mostly sold fresh.
 Processing, value addition and product
development -> No major interventions.
 The processed fishes mainly include the
smoked and salted fishes.
 “Nya Doesem”
 Most of snowtrout from Harachhu CBFMG
is processed into Nya Doesem.
 Hot smoked fish.

10. NYA-DOSEM Picture Courtesy: Sonam Norbu, Facebook Page.

11. 4) Challenges and Opportunities
 Food and nutrition security and food self-sufficiency
 The self-sufficiency of meat (chicken, pork, fish and chevon) is only 37.9%.
 3.05% is contributed by fish.
 Self-sufficiency of fresh fish is only about 14.5% (223 MT) of which 13.13%
(221) is represented by cultured fishes and about 1.36 % (21 MT) by capture
fisheries.
 The introduction of exotics to enhance domestic food fish production neglected
scoping same potential from our own indigenous species.
 Aquaculture sector needs further strengthening ( * species diversification **
development of climate resilient fish farming techniques).

12. 5) Marketing, Commercialization and Trade
 In Bhutan, fish farming is still at its infancy
whereas CBFMP is recent concept.
 Commercialization and trade are yet to be
developed.
 In major fish aquaculture production areas,
government facilitate marketing of fish in
refrigerated vans.
 CBFMG are provided with coolbox to
facilitate transport of freshly harvested fish
within their locality.
 Fabricated smoking chambers are also
provided in case to meet the small-scale
consumer specific demands.

13. 6) Strategies Adopted to Harness Potential of Underutilized FMGR
 Assessment of fisheries resources of Bhutan.
 Associated with hydropower sector in accessing their impacts.
 Fish conservation centers and other conservation measures are proposed as
mitigation measures.
NRDCA, Gelegphu NRDCR&LF, Haa Golden Mahseer Conservation Centre, Harachhu
NRDCR&LF aims be competent authority for the provision of technical advice
for sustainable utilization, conservation and management of fisheries
resources in Bhutan.

14.  Both the aquaculture and fisheries center are engaged in ex-situ rearing of
important fishes.
Sonam D. Jamtsho
 Promotion of CBFMP
 Engagement of locals as
in validating the
potential of fishery
resources for CBFMP.

15. 7) Major Focused Area for Underutilized FMGR
 Permissible fishing
ground.
 Permissible fish species.
 Permissible fish size.
 Permissible fishing gear.
 Permissible fishing
season.
 Fishing quota and fishing
effort.
Golden mahseer, a
totally protected fish in
Bhutan. Kurichhu CBFMG Fishing Ground
 Utilize fisheries resources with sustainable management
practices, and
 Develop sense of ownership to the resources among community.
 Reduce incidences of illegal, indiscriminate and destructive
fishing practices.
 Benefit the community in terms of socioeconomic
enhancement.
2. Captive Breeding of Fishes
1. Community Based Fisheries Management Program

16. 8) Infrastructure, Capacity Building and Financial Investment
 Fisheries received attention lately.
 Production and marketing infrastructures are not well
developed.
 The capacity of stakeholders engaged needs prior attention,
exposure and upgradation.
NRDCRLF NRDCA
RLDC’s
Dzongkhags
(Districts)
 Intervention in latest innovations (area such as genetics, germplasm
collection, characterization, evaluation, conservation and development) are
prerequisite.
 Institution requires strengthening in technical capacity.
 Insignificant resource allocation, need prioritization and are fragmented
within different stakeholders.

17. 7) Future Thrust
1. Molecular genomics in fish
identification, development
of gene banks and genetic
database of fish.
2. Potential fisheries resources
(enhancing food, nutrition and
economic security)- Map and
Document
3. Promote CBFMP in closed
lakes with indigenous fish
species through responsible
management practices.
4. Initiate advanced fish
breeding and rearing
researches for important
indigenous fish species.
5. Initiate more scientific fish
conservation and
management plans.

18. 6. Integrate adaptive
management practices within
CBFMP.
Fisheries Conservation Foundation
CATCH LIMIT
CBFMP
ADAPTIVE
MANAGEMENT
SURVIVAL AND
REPRODUCTION
RECRUITMENTGROWTH
MONOTORING
MONOTORING
 Change timing or
location of CBFMP.
7. Study fish migration and interactions
among biotic communities and abiotic
components of an ecosystem.
8. Study the impact of developmental activities
and exotic species on indigenous fish populations.

19.  Invest in capacity development of the stakeholders.
 Collaborate within regional and international organizations.
 Develop infrastructure and facilities for advanced studies and enhance
research programmes.
 Seek funding support from national, regional and international
organizations.
Prerequisite for Future Thrust

20. THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION!!!