page_title: Jullien's golden carp
section_title: Threats
hierarchical_section_title: Jullien's golden carp / Threats
caption_attribution_description: This is a map of the Mekong River watershed. I, Pfly, made it, based on USGS data.
context_page_description: The Jullien's golden carp is a species of endangered freshwater ray-finned fish in the family Cyprinidae found in Southeast Asian river basins. Its existence is being threatened by various economic activities, such as large-scale agriculture and the building of dams for hydropower.
context_section_description: Aquaculture
  Increasingly, these fish are being breed artificially for aquaculture. This is a common practice in Lao PDR and Thailand. In order to capture wild fish, aquaculture sites set up large-mesh gill netting at spawning sites. Not only does this capture many wild Jullien's golden carp, but it also stops them from spawning, further diminishing their numbers.
  The Fisheries Department in Batu Berendam, Malacca in Malaysia are developing and applying spawning techniques through its Fresh Water Fisheries Research Centre. The economic component of this project is paramount, with the goal of the project to increase the aquaculture production target to 200,000 tons of fish by 2010. As of 2012, this number has been greatly surpassed and there are now approximately 2.5 million metric tons of fish, including the Jullien's golden carp, being harvested per year. The value of this harvest is estimated at US$3.6 to 6.5 billion. The goal of this project is to boost production of freshwater fish, creating more of a commodity that is valued by consumers. This means that little effort is being made to preserve the endangered species of fish they are breeding, such as the Jullien's golden carp.
  As food
  This fish is a popular delicacy in Southeast Asia, but because they are so rare they are very expensive. They are usually sold for RM1,000. Due to its cost, the Jullien's golden carp is only commercially served in a select few restaurants in Southeast Asia, specifically in Malaysia and Myanmar. This contributes to the illegal fishing of these fish in prohibited, conservation areas. The problem is that, although these fish can be bought more cheaply and readily from aqua fisheries, wild caught ones are more in demand. Recently, the opening up of countries like Myanmar and the subsequent increase in tourism has led to an increased “exotic food enthusiast” market in Southeast Asia. This market encourages local fisherman to go into the red zone, an area of wildlife conservation where the public is only allowed to engage in small-scale fishing. However, the Burmese government stated in March, 2014 that the Jullien's golden carp's special protection program makes fishing for them from February to April illegal. However, other times of the year the regulations surrounding the fishing, capturing, and selling of fish such as the Jullien's golden carp are much more relaxed. This has made the overfishing of the Jullien's golden carp both easy and common. 	
  Hydropower development
  In 1994, the Mekong River Commission (MRC) identified 12 sites for dams in the major rivers of Lao PDR, Thailand, and Cambodia. This has since expanded to include Myanmar.	
  Since the Irrawaddy River Basin is one of the last areas of refuge for the Jullien's golden carp, the recent creation of the Myitsone Dam in Myanmar is further threatening its existence. However, as of 2011, the usage of this dam is suspended due to international, regional, and national conservation efforts.
  The Xayaburi Dam in Lao PDR is another hydropower threat. Since the Jullien's golden carp has a relatively large population in the Mekong River, the consequences of this dam could be disastrous. The Mekong River Commission estimates that this dam could disastrously impact the movements of migratory fish and reduce the amount of fish caught by 270,000 to 600,000 metric tons.  What makes these numbers problematic is the fact that they would mainly affect the local people. What happens with dams is that migratory fish are unable to move upstream and thus are caught in artificial lakes created by the dams. This would create a new fish supply for the state, while decreasing the fish supply for the local people.
  
  By threatening the existence of fish such as the Jullien's golden carp, these dams are also threatening the existence of fisheries in the long-term. Thus, although in the short-term these dams will provide lots of economic stimulus, Lao PDR is estimated to obtain $2.5 billion a year in revenue. Although these dams and the hydropower they create aid in placating the energy demand in Southeast Asia
caption: This is a map of the Mekong River watershed.
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