Inferring Recent Changes in Fish Fauna in the Middle Reaches of the Kampar River: Survey Results from the Fishing Village of Rantau Baru

Abstract

AbstractDegradation of peatlands is an issue of global concern, yet ample knowledge of local conditions is lacking when it comes to determining (1) the impacts of river and floodplain development and (2) how best to conserve peat swamp ecosystems. This chapter documents the relationships between scientific and local names of fishes and recent changes in fish biodiversity in the mid-Kampar River Basin of Sumatra. A questionnaire was administered to 164 householders in the village of Rantau Baru and information on 96 species was triangulated with previous English- and Indonesian-language research. Results indicate the local extinction (defined as caught in the past but not observed during the last five years) of large predatory fishes and the invasion of several exotic species, potentially pointing to the early stage of degradation of the freshwater ecosystems. The potentiality of establishing effective freshwater protected areas in the mid-Kampar Basin is assessed by a narrative review of studies and methods from other developing countries. Local-scale ecosystem conservation that incorporates local perspectives and scientific investigation is of the highest priority to address development pressures on rivers, floodplains, and surrounding communities.