In this blog post Shonil Bhagwhat, a professor at The Open University, discusses their highlights of the Research Article they recently handled as Associate Editor.

Flooded forest with fish, LuLu Victoria-Lacy 2023, oil on canvas

What is the importance of Indigenous knowledge?

Victoria-Lacy and colleagues (2025) in their article ‘Amazonian fish migration as a social-cultural-ecological process’ provide a convincing answer to this question. They listen to and make sense of the Indigenous peoples’ stories about why, how, and when fishes in the Amazon migrate. The paper gives some fascinating insights into how the worlds of Indigenous peoples and of the fishes, who they cohabit the Amazon basin with, are entangled.

Ecological explanations of fish movements

The science of ecology tells us that the freshwater fishes migrate for feeding, breeding, growing, or hiding (from predators) and that the fishes respond to environmental cues such as temperature and day length (seasonal cycles) and water currents and water chemistry (aquatic environments). Ecology also tells us that there are different types of migration: from the sea to freshwater (to spawn), between freshwater and saltwater (to feed), and migration up and down freshwater bodies for spawning and feeding (Brönmark et al. 2014).

These biological needs of fishes to feed, breed, grow, and hide often come into conflict with human-made structures such as dams, weirs, and other barriers that block the movement of fishes, disrupting their migration routes. These human-made structures are often constructed without any consideration of fish movement patterns. This has been the main cause for the decline in fish populations. The migratory freshwater fish populations have declined by 81% between 1970 and 2020 according to WWF’s Living Planet Index.

Indigenous peoples’ stories about fish movements

Indigenous people’s stories portray a complex picture of the freshwater fishes. Many Indigenous peoples believe that fishes have human-like characteristics. In fact, some stories of human origins suggest that humans have evolved from the original fish-people, some of whom remained in the water as fishes. These fish-people are the guardians of specific water bodies, coinciding with the feeding, breeding, growing or hiding grounds of certain fish species. If humans mistreat aquatic ecosystems, these ancestral spirits are believed to cause direct harms to fishers for disrespecting fishing norms.

Both the fear of harm by these spirits, and the sense of responsibility towards the aquatic worlds of ancestral spirits, leads to a more respectful relationship with the river. The fish migrations are also believed to be ceremonies of the fishes, who travel to meet their kin. These human-like characteristics of fish movements are compelling and an Indigenous person out fishing will think twice before causing any harm to their own kin. Victoria-Lacy and colleagues’ (2025) paper serves a treat in making the Amazonian people’s relationship with the fishes come alive through the stories they tell.

The importance of Indigenous knowledge for conservation ecologists

The science of conservation would probably dismiss these stories as fanciful, and not terribly helpful, in the conservation of fish species. These mythological narratives would be treated as a curiosity, as opposed to having any meaningful role in the protection of fishes. But here is why these stories are vital for conservation ecologists:

1. These stories are based on intimate and inter-generational knowledge of fish ecology: An ecologist parashooting to research the fishes of the Amazon will probably miss the intricate detail in Indigenous peoples’ stories and the observations of fish behaviour over generations codified in mythological narratives of the river’s ecology.

2. These stories show a relationship of care between people and the fishes: Fishes are not just seen as a resource to be harvested, but as relatives to be looked after and cared for. Modern-day conservation needs to bring back this relationship of care for the natural world if we are to make any meaningful progress in the conservation of biodiversity.

3. These stories are powerful and effective in communicating the science of fish ecology: People relate much more easily to stories and narratives than to data and statistics. If conservation ecologists are able to communicate the scientific advances in fish conservation in ways that ‘speak’ to people’s hearts, they will receive more enthusiastic public support.

Beyond migratory freshwater fish ecology, the depth, the care and the effectiveness of Indigenous knowledge is important in conservation of biodiversity today. At a time when the human connection with the natural world is being increasingly fractured, these relationships of care are the beacon of hope that can energise and inspire efforts to protect the natural world.