Welcome to the new look Taimen.mn website. This web site began as a concept for the Association of Mongolia Angling Guides which was to be an alliance of fly fishing outfitters. Some how the concept never took root as an organization, but there are a handful of responsible fly fishing outfitters, such as Fish Mongolia, and Mongolia River Outfitters applying these principles to their fly fishing eco-tourism businesses. Here’s what we wrote back in 2005. Leave a comment with some feedback.
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
