Encouraged by a long history of excellent collaboration, the Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management Society (AEHMS), G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, ICAR- Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (ICAR-CIFRI), Professional Fisheries Graduate Forum (PFGF), and Inland Fisheries Society of India (IFSI), have embarked on the convening of the AEHMS 12th international conference. The AEHMS series of conferences have been held biennially at diverse locations across the world. This conference, “Ecosystem Health and Fisheries of Indian Inland Waters: Multiple stressors, Management and Conservation”, is a landmark international event which will be held in Uttarakhand in February of 2020. The conference will provide an inter-disciplinary forum for interaction among experts, researchers, consultants, students, NGOs and other stakeholders to exchange ideas, share information, build common platforms, and formulate a consensus on how best to preserve biodiverse Indian inland water ecosystems.
The Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management Society (AEHMS) has been active in India for more than 15 years, organizing symposia/conferences and publications (AEHMS, 2001, 2005). A special symposium was organized during the 2008 Indian fisheries forum, which became instrumental in publishing a compendium of papers on the ecosystem health of the majestic River Ganges (AEHMS, 2010). A great opportunity emerged during the centenary celebrations of the 100th Indian Science Congress in Kolkata in January, 2013. As part of the celebrations, a two-day symposium entitled “Health and fisheries of major river ecosystems of India with emphasis on River Ganga” was convened, with over 40 presentations delivered. Papers from this historical symposium resulted in the publication of a special issue of Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management devoted to the Ganges, entitled “Ecology of the Mighty Ganges: Health, Fisheries and Management” (AEHMS, 2013). This was followed by the publication of a double special issue entitled “Ecology and health of major rivers of India: Biota, fisheries and management” (AEHMS, 2017)
This conference on the inland freshwaters of India is the twelfth in a series of conferences by the AEHMS, and first of its kind: an all-India environmental event covering the entire subcontinent with its range of climates and environments. It aims to focus on ecosystem health of a wide variety of habitats such as rivers, reservoirs, lakes, streams and monsoon ponds and puddles. It deals with important ecosystem health topics such as climate change, invasive species, connectivity, wetlands, biodiversity and all aspects of aquatic pollution, restoration and management in India. The conference on Inland Waters will certainly enhance the knowledge of Indian students, researchers and managers working hard for the future conservation and protection of aquatic resources of India for the next 25 years.
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