The story of fish and river is one of constant change and adaptation of nature.
Sometimes I remember when I was a child I used to go fishing with my friend. As an adult, when I see rivers, the childhood memory of fishing sparks a journey to find fishing communities by the rivers in Nepal. The aquatic life is threatened by pollution, fishing with modern nets, electric rods, and water depth endangering the fish population in rivers. Empty nets and empty bellies are becoming more common. Although it’s extremely difficult, some families have left the river, seeking work in the city. Some families still hold onto hope and their livelihood tied to the river’s uncertain future and hardship.
The Bagmati River is one of the country’s principal rivers and runs through Kathmandu. However, I was unable to locate any fishing settlements here, so I ended up in Sarlahi. An area in the southeast of the country. Here I discovered a village where people fished.
Local fisherman like Bachan Lal Sahni has been fishing in the river for more than 35 years and his whole family is dependent on this job. Like him, there are many families who are dependent only on fishing. They go to the river, catch fish and sell them on the local market. That’s the only income source for many families.
