Community-based fish sanctuaries: untapped potential for freshwater fish conservation

Abstract Riverine systems and associated fish populations worldwide are threatened by human impacts, especially in tropical countries with emerging economies. In India, community-based sanctuaries a key mechanism for the conservation of freshwater populations, but there few peer-reviewed studies on this subject. Here we integrate over 35 combined years field experience literature synthesis to define classify sanctuaries. We present novel, critical analysis as social–ecological functional characterization based natural capital, ecosystem services, well-being, policy governance. find that such shaped complex processes, including coevolution religious practices ecological change, feedback processes created retaliatory conflicts between river users, diverse dynamic governance strategies. These hold great potential rare species subject myriad threats at local, regional global scales. Given complexity these systems, outline their highlight directions future research.