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Many inland artisanal fisheries have not been surveyed by scientists. In this study we used some participatory research methods to characterise a data-poor fishery in a tributary of the Mekong River. Sixteen local villagers from four villages were trained to record harvest data along a 25-km reach of the lower Nam Kading River. Catch records included 65 fish genera representing at least 93 species, with 11 species of concern on the IUCN Red List. During 894 individual fisher landing surveys, a total of 1433.8 kg of fish catch was reported. The majority of fishers (87%) used nets, and the catch per unit effort with gill-nets averaged 66 g net–1 h–1. Analysis revealed differences in catch rates and the genus assemblage among villages. High levels of diversity, and the presence of species assessed as endangered by the IUCN Red List, highlight the need for further studies and conservation interventions in the area. The National Fisheries Law in Lao PDR provides a unique opportunity for co-management, because shared management between civil society and government is written into the law and implemented extensively. Participatory research activities can serve as a bridge for communities to engage with government to inform fisheries management. In this study, villagers living near the Nam Kading River in central Lao PDR were trained to record fisheries harvest data at fisher landing sites in four villages. At least 93 fish species from 65 genera were documented in the river fishery, with differences in the fish assemblage observed among villages, representing the first scientific characterisation of this highly diverse fishery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Global pressures on freshwater ecosystems are high and rising. Viewed primarily as a resource for humans, current practices of water use have led to catastrophic declines in freshwater species and the degradation of freshwater ecosystems, including their genetic and functional diversity. Approximately three‐quarters of the world's inland wetlands have been lost, one‐third of the 28 000 freshwater species assessed for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List are threatened with extinction, and freshwater vertebrate populations are undergoing declines that are more rapid than those of terrestrial and marine species. This global loss continues unchecked, despite the importance of freshwater ecosystems as a source of clean water, food, livelihoods, recreation, and inspiration. The causes of these declines include hydrological alterations, habitat degradation and loss, overexploitation, invasive species, pollution, and the multiple impacts of climate change. Although there are policy initiatives that aim to protect freshwater life, these are rarely implemented with sufficient conviction and enforcement. Policies that focus on the development and management of fresh waters as a resource for people almost universally neglect the biodiversity that they contain. Here we introduce the Alliance for Freshwater Life, a global initiative, uniting specialists in research, data synthesis, conservation, education and outreach, and policymaking. This expert network aims to provide the critical mass required for the effective representation of freshwater biodiversity at policy meetings, to develop solutions balancing the needs of development and conservation, and to better convey the important role freshwater ecosystems play in human well‐being. Through this united effort we hope to reverse this tide of loss and decline in freshwater biodiversity. We introduce several short‐ and medium‐term actions as examples for making positive change, and invite individuals, organizations, authorities, and governments to join the Alliance for Freshwater Life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]