Lake Hövsgöl Mongolia Gillnet Survey Data

Lake Hövsgöl Mongolia Gillnet Survey Data from 2006 to 2022 Mongolia is home to several endangered salmonids, including taimen (Hucho taimen) and Hovsgol grayling (Thymallus nigrescens). Taimen are the world’s largest trout, reaching a record size of 210 cm (83 in) and 105 kg (231 lb), though individuals larger than 30 kg are rare. Hovsgol grayling are an endemic species of grayling found only in Lake Hovsgol. Two factors have made Mongolia a de facto refuge for many fish species: (1) there is little tradition of fish-eating, and (2) there is low human population density and low land-use intensity (little agriculture or urban development). Both of these are changing. Commercial harvest of fish increased during the years of Soviet occupation. Today there are several poorly regulated commercial fisheries in lakes and rivers as well as widespread poaching. Mining and increased grazing intensity threaten water quality. Our research in Mongolia is focused on the ecology and conservation of taimen and Hovsgol grayling as well as the aquatic ecosystems on which they depend. (from: https://jensen.limnology.wisc.edu/research/)