David Gilroy examines a Taimen found choked to death trying to eat another Taimen. Photo: National Geographic News

Its a fish eat fish world:

Scientists working in the Eg and Uur rivers in northern Mongolia in 2006 found this 5-foot-long (1.5-meter-long) taimen that had choked to death on a 3-foot-long (0.9-meter-long) taimen. The taimen, a voracious and cannibalistic predator, has earned the nickname “river wolf” because it hunts in packs.

Link

Taimen's last refuge is Mongolia. Photo: National Geographic News

National Geographic article on Taimen Conservation featuring Zeb Hogan. We had the pleasure of fishing with Zeb and Brant last fall on the Upper Uur while filming for Zeb’s mega-fish series on Nat Geo TV. Excerpt:

The gigantic fish is the world’s largest salmonid the family of fish that includes salmon and trout. The species can live for more than 50 years, but they grow slowly, not reaching maturity until seven to nine years of age, experts say.   Taimen migrate to their spawning habitat and can travel as much as 60 miles (97 kilometers) up- and downstream.  But scientists using radio and acoustic tagging have shown that the fish generally stay in one place.  “That makes them vulnerable to harvest because people will know where to go to hunt for big fish,” said Zeb Hogan, a fisheries biologist at the University of Nevada in Reno

More info on taimen conservation on the Taimen Science Team Website

Who’s AMAG?

Established in 2004, AMAG is an association of quality guide and outfitting businesses concerned with the future of angling and Taimen in Mongolia.

Fame, greed and poverty threaten Mongolia’s Taimen fishery

The free-flowing, pristine waters of northern Mongolia form one of the world’s last great fisheries. These waters are globally celebrated for the mysterious Taimen they hold. Unfortunately, fame and greed now threaten Mongolia’s Taimen as every year more anglers from Mongolia and around the world descend upon this fragile fishery. Compounded with a relatively new commercial fishing sector to feed domestic and foreign markets and expanding human activity such as unsustainable mining, forestry and grazing, the unethical methods of some anglers, guides, and outfitters are having deadly results.

Communities left out in the cold

In most of the world, sustainable angling depends upon a combination of private, government and community support for enforcement and management. None of these elements truly exist in most of Mongolia, leaving the fishery exposed to unsustainable activity. It makes sense. Mongolia is one of the world’s poorest countries and most citizens; even in communities with sport fishing operations – benefit very little from sport fishing. Although communities living proximate to the streams may want to protect their fisheries, they have very little financial or technical capacity to act on their desires. AMAG members believe (and prove) that we have a responsibility to help fill the gap, assisting communities to build incentives and capacity to protect their fisheries. This includes little things like making certain all clients have fishing licenses to bigger impacts like supporting community wide enforcement and development projects through reasonable concession fees.

The members of AMAG believe that angling tourism should contribute to the conservation of Mongolia’s Taimen fishery
Unlike many places, fishing in Mongolia is still an optimistic story and the members of AMAG believe that responsible angling is directly related to the outcome. The baseline is adherence to AMAG’s shared principles for responsible guide services. We are each dedicated to promoting ethical angling that supports community benefit, habitat and species conservation. This is the only way to maintain and secure Mongolia’s international reputation as a true fishing destination.

AMAG exists to help anglers

AMAG exists to help those interested in fishing in Mongolia to locate and support ethical fishing outfitters and guides. To make sure every client has the adventure of a life-time (the good kind!), we encourage you to book your trip to Mongolia though our member outfitters who have demonstrated a commitment to conserving Mongolia’s fisheries and providing quality tourism experiences.

If you book travel to Mongolia with an AMAG member, you know that you are getting the best Mongolia has to offer and that you are supporting the long-term conservation of Mongolia’s remarkable fishery

Let us know what you think.

AMAG invites comments from guests and other stakeholders regarding the efforts made by members and potential members to meet AMAG’s shared principles.

We want to learn from you and invite your comments about Mongolian fishing, guides and outfitters (good and bad) so we can all improve our services and better protect Mongolia’s fishery.

Shared Principles

AMAG members agree to the following shared principles:

1. AMAG members recognize that each angling guide and outfitter benefits from sustainable fishing practices and Mongolia’s enhanced reputation as an angling destination.

2. AMAG members maintain a strict catch and release policy for all Taimen, including the use of single barb-less hooks.

3. AMAG members abide by the rule of law, including all license, location, catch and season restrictions.

4. AMAG members actively support and invest directly in ecosystem conservation, including assistance to improve local fisheries management and protection of important habitats.

5. AMAG members offer only tourism products that are culturally and environmentally benign, including ‘low impact’ waste disposal, transportation, and infrastructure development.

6. AMAG members work cooperatively, including deference for fishing access rights, support for destination marketing, and use of AMAG for dispute resolution.

7. AMAG members respect communities and cultures, including working in partnership with local stakeholders and providing tangible benefits to local communities.

8. AMAG members supply professional outfitting and guiding services, including well-trained staff, reliable equipment and delivery of all services as advertised.

Mongolia – A World Class Destination

The global angling community has quickly distinguished Mongolia as an extraordinary fishing destination that offers ‘wild’ fishing in a fascinating cultural and natural setting.

The Taimen are the prime species of interest. Taimen prey aggressively on smaller fish, rodents, and even birds… allowing for very creative dry fly patterns!

Mongolian Taimen typically measure between thirty and forty inches. Rare trophy fish may be forty years old and over fifty inches long, making this ancient fish the world’s largest salmonid – far bigger than it’s famous cousin the ‘King’ salmon.

Reliable Taimen fisheries are not abundant and those that exist are quite fragile. Relatively low population densities, limited migratory habits, large size and slow growth rates leave Taimen susceptible to over-exploitation and adverse ecological changes. AMAG members work hard to make sure these treasured fisheries are conserved for future generations of international and Mongolian anglers.

Mongolia fishing is not just about Taimen. With thousands of miles of rivers in two major watersheds; the Selenge and Amur – Mongolia’s waters provide habitat for many types of outstanding and unique game fish. This includes two species of Lenok (a beautiful trout typically measuring over twenty inches), four species of Grayling, and two species of Pike, including the rare leopard-spotted Amur Pike.

Mongolia is a dream-trip for most anglers. It’s a unique privilege to offer fishing journeys to such productive waters

Lifeonterra.com is now showing this awesome film illustrating the link between Taimen Conservation and Buddhism, and the work of The Tributary Fund in the Eg Uur region of northern Mongolia. In linking conservation and culture, The Tributary Fund is encouraging local community members to protect their natural heritage, and is reinforcing their traditional deeply held respect for nature. As you will see their flagship project was the restoration of the Dayan Derkh Monastery, and is part of a wider conservation project involving The Taimen Conservation Fund and Sweetwater Travel.

Photo: Hay cutting at Dayan Derkh Monastery

I must admit to initially being a sceptic about the link between Buddhism and conservation, but from talking with Betsy Gaines Quammen of The Tributary Fund, and with locals from the Eg Uur area I can attest to the value of this project and the contribution it has made to conservation and environmental awareness among the local community. When I traveled to the area in 2006 I saw how proud the locals were of their Buddhist heritage, and of the fact that the monastery was being restored. They told me that once there were 1000 monks in this valley.

Re-built and re-opened Dayan Derkh Monastery 2007. Photo: Dan Bailey.

If further evidence of this successful outreach project were needed, as I walked down the main street in nearby the village this year, I was accosted by a tough looking local. He asked me if I’d been fishing for Taimen, I said yes, and explained that we were fly fishing, that we had all the correct permits, and that we always carefully released our catch. Satisfied with my answer he explained that he loves the Taimen, and if I said I’d killed one he was going to punch me out. I said thanks!

Photo: The Uur River at Dayan Derkh