THE WORLD’S FORGOTTEN FISHES CONTENTS

FOREWORD 4

1. INTRODUCTION 6 2. DAZZLING DIVERSITY 10 3. HEALTHY FRESHWATER FISHERIES = 16 HEALTHY RIVERS, LAKES & WETLANDS 4. WILD FRESHWATER FISHERIES ARE PRICELESS 18 5. FISHING FOR FUN… IS BIG BUSINESS 26 6. THE WORLD’S MOST POPULAR PETS 30 7. HUMANITY’S FRESHWATER HERITAGE 34 8. FRESHWATER FISH IN FREEFALL 36 9. 80 SPECIES EXTINCT 40 10. A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR FRESHWATER FISHES 42 WWF wish to thank collaborators Ian Harrison, Will Darwall, Richard Lee, Dean Muruven, Carmen Revenga, Julie Claussen, Abby Lynch, Adrian Pinder, Robin Abell, Paula Martinelli, Mike Baltzer, Michele Thieme, Sonja Jähnig, Jeff Opperman, Herman Wanningen, Jeremy Monroe and Harmony Patricio for their support in writing this report. Furthermore, we wish to thank experts Richard van der Laan, Tim Lyons, Paul Van Damme, Mark Owen, Hannah Rudd, Joao Campos-Silva, Leandro Castello, Vidyadhar Atkore, Thadoe Wai, Simon Funge-Smith, John Jorgensen, Mark Owen, Naren Sreenivisan, Mark Lloyd, Arlin Rickard and Matt Gollock for their support with individual case studies.

About this report and its collaborators

Promoting thriving populations of freshwater fishes and the ecosystems within which they thrive is a priority for WWF and the 15 organisations Publishing office: WWF International and alliances that Cover photography © Karine Aigner / WWF-US produced this report. Design by Lou Clements © 1986 Panda symbol WWF – World Wide Fund For Nature (Formerly World Wildlife Fund) ® “WWF” is a WWF Registered Trademark. WWF International, Rue Mauverney 28, 1196 Gland, Switzerland. Tel +41 22 364 9111. Fax +41 22 364 0332.

For contact details and further information, please visit our international website at www.panda.org The World’s Forgotten Fishes page 3 © Shane Kalyn Shane © FOREWORD World ignores freshwater fish at their peril – and ours

We’re entering a critical time During the same period, populations of for the future of the planet, and larger species – the so-called ‘megafish’ – the nations of the world finally have crashed by a staggering 94 per cent. seem to be getting the message. Nearly a third of all freshwater fish species are Governments are working to threatened by extinction – and for 80 extinct ramp up their climate change species it’s already too late. commitments under the Paris There’s no mystery about why freshwater Agreement and will be meeting in 2021 to fish numbers are falling so precipitously: agree new targets to protect and restore nature habitat degradation, poorly planned under the Convention on Biological Diversity. hydropower, pollution, over-abstraction There’s consensus on the urgent need to stop of water, unsustainable sand mining, the deforestation, wetland degradation, ocean introduction of invasive non-native species, pollution and the decline in species populations, wildlife crime and, of course, climate and a growing wave of support for conserving change are among the factors pushing fish 30 per cent of our planet by 2030. Meanwhile, populations to the brink. environmental issues like the impact of our food systems, unsustainable production and Clearly this can’t continue: we must act, and consumption, and microplastics are becoming we must do it urgently because if we leave it mainstream concerns. much longer it’ll be too late. That’s why WWF and the 15 NGOs and alliances signed up to In short, there’s never been more awareness this report are championing an Emergency of – or efforts made to solve – the pressing Recovery Plan for freshwater biodiversity and environmental challenges we face. But there’s taking action to reverse decades of decline. one glaring exception that seems to have slipped under the decision-making radar: our The six-pillared plan is based on sound overlooked and undervalued freshwater fishes. science and real experience: we know the Not many people realize how important these measures it contains can work. By protecting species are and even fewer realize quite how and restoring natural flows, water quality seriously they’re threatened. and critical habitats while working to undo the harm caused by overfishing, sand Let’s take their importance first. Did you know mining and invasive species, we can make a there are more fish species living in fresh decisive difference. water than in all our seas and oceans? Or that hundreds of millions of people around the world We can and we must act now. Freshwater rely on them for their food and livelihoods, fishes, in all their dazzling diversity, have particularly in vulnerable communities and been forgotten for too long. I hope that among indigenous peoples? Freshwater fishes when you read this report you’ll agree, are also critical for the health of all kinds of and that together we can pull them back ecosystems, and support food webs that extend from the brink. from birds to bears, and from mountains to mangroves. Beyond that they drive multibillion- dollar industries for anglers and aquarium- lovers alike, while historically they’ve been entwined in cultures on every continent.

Nevertheless, our freshwater fishes are in Dr Jon Hutton, terrible trouble. Migratory populations have WWF Executive Director fallen by three-quarters in the last 50 years. Global Conservation Impact

The World’s Forgotten Fishes page 4 The World’s Forgotten Fishes page 5 © Camilo Díaz / WWF Colombia CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION This report is a celebration of freshwater fishes – and it’s a call to action too.

Rivers, lakes and wetlands are among the most biodiverse places on earth. They cover less than 1 per cent of the planet’s total surface, yet they’re home to almost a quarter of all vertebrate species – including over half of all the world’s fish species. It’s an extraordinary fact: of 35,768 known species of fish, 18,075 – or 51 per cent – live in freshwater1. And more are being discovered all the time.

But few people have any idea of the unimaginable diversity that swims below the surface of the world’s freshwater ecosystems or how critical these undervalued and overlooked freshwater fishes are to the health of people and nature around the world.

The World’s Forgotten Fishes page 7 © M.Roggo / Roggo.ch INTRODUCTION

1% 51% OF AQUATIC OF KNOWN FISH HABITAT IS SPECIES ARE FOUND FRESHWATER IN FRESHWATER

Figure 1: Approximately 1% of the earth’s of the canary in the coalmine for the surface area is freshwater and 71% is marine, world’s rivers, lakes and wetlands. If our yet over half of known fish species are freshwater ecosystems deteriorate to the found in freshwater. point where they can’t support a healthy population of fish, we can be sure they Freshwater fishes are amazing for so won’t be fit for humans either. many reasons. From the spectacular Yet, in many senses, these are the ornamental species like the angelfish* world’s forgotten fishes. Today, nearly that are amongst the world’s most a third of freshwater fish species are popular pets to the beluga sturgeon that threatened with extinction due to a historically grew as large as a great white devastating combination of threats from shark2, and the gilded catfish that migrate damming rivers to draining wetlands, over 10,000km3, freshwater fishes have abstracting too much water for irrigation adapted to life in a dizzying variety of to releasing too much untreated waste, ways. They have evolved to fill every from unsustainable and damaging fishing available niche in almost every freshwater practises to introductions of invasive ecosystem from clear alpine streams © Martin Harvey / WWF non-native species – and, of course, the to sediment rich tropical rivers, from escalating impacts of climate change. shallow ponds to the world’s great lakes, Since the 1970s, migratory freshwater from flooded forests to waters flowing This can’t continue. Humanity can’t 5. Prevent and control invasions by fish populations have declined by an through underground caves. And many afford to lose any more of the world’s non-native species; and Figure 2 - Emergency Recovery Plan for estimated 76 per cent on average4, while migrate between ecosystems – and even forgotten fishes or the freshwater 6. Protect free-flowing rivers and remove freshwater biodiversity. Implementing populations of freshwater mega-fishes thousands of kilometres out to sea. ecosystems they inhabit. Rivers, lakes obsolete dams. the six pillars detailed in the text will (fish heavier than 30kg) have declined by bend the curve of biodiversity loss. and wetlands are our life support systems They have swum through our societies an even more catastrophic 94 per cent5. Only by implementing this plan, which and the extraordinary diversity of fishes since the beginning of human history. But very few people have any inkling of is echoed in the Convention on Biological within them are essential to their health They have fed us for millennia and are the speed at which freshwater fishes are Diversity 5th Global Biodiversity Outlook, and ours. To secure our own future, we critical for the food and nutrition security, being lost – or what the consequences can we hope to restore the world’s must act now. livelihoods and cultures of hundreds will be if we don’t reverse this disastrous freshwater ecosystems and reverse of millions of people across the globe. trend. The good news is that we know what decades of decline in freshwater fish Meanwhile, the challenge of catching needs to be done: the world must populations. By committing to this plan, Despite their importance and the iconic or even common species – from implement an Emergency Recovery Plan countries can enhance the health of their Global freshwater biodiversity

magnitude of the threats they face, biodiversity freshwater Global salmon to mahseer, tigerfish to carp – for freshwater biodiversity6. Developed rivers, lakes and wetlands – and secure freshwater fishes, and freshwater inspires millions of anglers to spend by scientists and freshwater experts from the future of their fish and fisheries. biodiversity in general, remain an billions of dollars each year on the vast across the world, this practical, science- afterthought for policymakers and the There are indications that some recreational fishing industry. And when based plan incorporates six pillars – public at large. Rivers continue to be are finally starting to take the fate it comes to both angling and keeping each of which has been implemented in 1970 2021 valued primarily as water pipes for cities, of freshwater fishes into account. aquariums, just being around fishes is different parts of the world: industry, agriculture and power, ignoring Cambodia’s widely praised decision good for our health by reducing stress and their many ‘hidden’ benefits, such as the 1. Let rivers flow more naturally; to impose a 10-year moratorium on river’s hugely productive fisheries – We’ll look at the Emergency Recovery lowering our blood pressure. freshwater fisheries they sustain. Very 2. Improve water quality in freshwater hydropower dams on the mainstem of fisheries that feed millions of people in Plan in more detail in the concluding Freshwater fishes play important rarely, for example, are the full values ecosystems; the Mekong river seems to have been Cambodia and Vietnam. But factoring section on solutions, but first let’s find out roles within our ecosystems and serve of freshwater fisheries factored into 3. Protect and restore critical habitats; partly based on the devastating impact freshwater fishes into development more about the amazing diversity of the as indicators of the health of those decisions about hydropower dams or 4. End overfishing and unsustainable that the proposed Sambor and Stung decisions is still very much the world’s forgotten fishes… ecosystems. They are an aquatic version dredging for navigation or sand mining. sand mining in rivers and lakes; Treng dams would have had on the exception: it needs to be the rule.

The World’s Forgotten Fishes page 8 * Scientific names for all species in the text are on page 47 The World’s Forgotten Fishes page 9 , insets p47 CHAPTER TWO Main © Freshwaters IllustratedMain ©

DAZZLING DIVERSITY Freshwater habitats are extremely diverse – and so are the fishes that live in them

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Wonders of the wild: Snorkelling near Cape SHARKS PATROL THESE (FRESH)WATERS! Town, South Africa © Jeremy Shelton Jeremy © “We have very little idea of the geographic distribution of these sharks, much less their general biology. They show up like ghosts, HR & credit needed few and far between, in a handful of scattered localities. Finding one is cause for celebration.”

Leonard Compagno, IUCN shark expert

Of all the freshwater fishes that we know next to nothing about, the five river © WWF / Will White CSIRO Marine & Atmospheric Research sharks of the Glyphis genus are among the most mysterious. IUCN estimates that only 2,500 speartooth sharks remain in the mangrove-lined rivers of Australia and New Guinea. Even less is known about the other species. Our knowledge of the Irrawaddy river shark goes back to a single 19th century specimen from Myanmar, and we don’t have much more to go on when it comes to the Borneo river shark. The New Guinea river shark and India’s Ganges river shark make up the vanishingly rare quintet; all those assessed by IUCN are categorised as Endangered or Critically Endangered.

New species of river shark, Glyphis garricki, discovered in 2008 in Port Romilly, Gulf District, Papua New Guinea

Buffalo fish migrating in Tennessee, USA There are millions of rivers, lakes Did you know that freshwater for around a year – one third of their America, which protect their and wetlands across the world, fishes include some of the smallest lives8. While archerfish treat water eggs and fry in their mouths. and they boast their own distinct vertebrates on earth, such as a minnow as a hunting tool, spitting it like a Meanwhile, some daffodil cichlids and dynamic conditions. Many are that lives in peat swamps in Indonesia projectile to knock unsuspecting prey forgo the opportunity to breed also completely isolated from each and is just 8mm long and weighs in at into the water. Africa’s elephantfishes and choose instead to help parent other. Isolation and the complex web 0.004g? Or that the mammoth fish of use weak electrical pulses to the offspring of relatives9. Less of ecological niches in freshwater the Mekong – the giant catfish, giant communicate with others about admirable behaviour is seen in ecosystems has led to the evolution freshwater stingray, giant barb, and the sex, size, predators and prey. South another Lake Tanganyika species – of a disproportionate number of wonderfully named dog-eating catfish American leaffishes – as their name the cuckoo catfish. Like its famous fish species relative to the total – can all grow over 3m and tip the suggests – mimic dead and decaying avian namesake this fish tricks area they inhabit7. scales at more than 300kg? leaves to catch their prey unawares. another species into caring for its This all adds up to perhaps the most And while many are simply silver, And Siamese fighting fish build a offspring. It does this by creating staggering – but little known – others have made breathtaking use nest of bubbles for their eggs. chaos at spawning time, and confusing fact about freshwater fishes: there of the world’s colour palette. Like the unsuspecting female cichlids into are more freshwater species than While we’re on the subject of parental bright red and blue of the cardinal scooping up the spawn of the cuckoo saltwater ones. As surprising as it care: the female spraying characin tetra or the vivid red stripe along the catfish, which they subsequently may seem, freshwater fishes account in the Amazon lays her eggs on side of the denison barb or the red brood in their mouths. for more than half of all known fish overhanging leaves and the male spot of Australia’s crimson spotted species – around 51 per cent. The is then tasked with keeping them And we haven’t even delved into rainbowfish. current total is 18,075, which also moist until they hatch by constantly the 11,000 species that migrate at amounts to around a quarter of all Speaking of the crimson spotted squirting them with water. Equally some point in their lives (see boxes the world’s vertebrate species. rainbowfish: science has shown that fascinating are the mouthbrooding on gilded catfish, European eels

© Freshwaters Illustrated© And they are extraordinary. they can actually remember things cichlids found in Africa and South and sturgeon).

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European eels Freshwaters are also home to living lineages of truly ancient animals, © Tim Watts

such as lampreys, which along with © Camilo Diaz / WWF Colombia hagfishes, are the only surviving species of jawless fishes – the very first type of fish to appear on Earth around 530 million years ago. Around 400 million years ago, fish gave rise to tetrapods, a group of related four-limbed animals that includes today’s amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. Today the birchir is the only living relative of this ancient type of fish. Lungfishes are another THE EUROPEAN EEL: ancient group that evolved around MYSTERIOUS MIGRATORY 380 million years ago. Contemporary MARVELS to the dinosaurs are the gar, sturgeon, paddlefish and bowfin, which all There’s a lot that we still don’t know evolved around 120-130 million years about European eels, Anguilla anguilla ago. Meanwhile, in 2020, a ‘new’ (and its 15 anguillid sister-species species of freshwater fish belonging to around the world, for that matter). a new family – the dragon snakeheads Nobody really understands how or – was discovered10 in India with why after 10 years or more of quiet Gonwanan lineage dating back 120 freshwater living, European eels million years.

suddenly swim as far as 8,000km to Salmonids This extraordinary diversity spawn in the north Atlantic’s remote Arowana & churns out a myriad of weird and Sargasso Sea - and their early life wonderful names. So along with the history is equally mysterious. But we Bettas & gouramis leaffishes and lungfishes, there are do know that eel larvae drift towards Europe in enormous numbers and ricefishes, rainbowfishes, sunfishes, Gobies the tiny ‘glass eels’, which eventually mosquitofishes, toadfishes, half- beaks, galaxiids, noodlefishes and arrive to make their homes in our Figure 3: Almost 90% of freshwater fish species know exactly how many there are: mooneyes. And many more. coasts, estuaries, rivers and lakes, are found in eight orders: carps, minnows and astonishingly, there are still hundreds, have historically thrived across the The greatest diversity of freshwater loaches (Cypriniformes), catfishes (Siluriformes), possibly thousands, of freshwater th characins and tetras (Characiformes), cichlids continent. In the 19 century, eels fishes is found in the tropics, with fishes to discover. In South America made up about a third of the total (Cichliformes), toothcarps and killifishes the Amazon leading the way with (Cyprinodontiformes), gobies (Gobiiformes), alone, more than 104 new species of © Ad Konigs / Cichlid Press European freshwater catch by value. 11 over 2400 known species . But perch-like fishes (Perciformes), and bettas and freshwater fish have been identified Today, though, they’re listed as there is a long way to go until we gouramis (Anabantiformes). every year for the past decade – an 12 Critically Endangered by IUCN. In average of two new species a week . 1980, their numbers began to fall by Even where species are described, Gobies 954 about 15 per cent each year, until by data deficiency remains a huge barrier: at the time of writing 2,164 2010 glass eels were arriving in Europe 270 Bettas & Gouramis in just 1 per cent of their historical freshwater fishes assessed by IUCN numbers. While overfishing played are classed as Data Deficient. a part in the decline of European Perch-like fishes 574 Since many freshwater fishes are THE AMAZING RADIATIONS OF CICHLIDS eels, they face a range of threats endemic with small geographical today, including river barriers that ranges, such knowledge gaps can Cichlids (Cichlidae) are one of the most diverse families of freshwater fish on earth, 4701 Carps, block their migration, hydropower prove particularly problematic with almost 2000 known species. Most are found within South America and Africa. Minnows & Loaches dams whose turbines slice and dice for conservation. Toothcarps & Killfishes 1417 There are at least 1600 species of cichlids in Africa’s Great Lakes, including Victoria, them, poaching for the illegal wildlife There’s so much we still don’t know Tanganyika and Malawi, with hundreds of species yet to be described13. Within these trade (eels constitutes the largest about these incredibly diverse lakes, cichlids have adapted to occupy almost every niche and position in the food chain, illegal wildlife trade out of Europe), freshwater creatures. Two things we including carnivore, herbivore and detritivore. Some are generalists, others specialists, pollution, diseases and parasites, and definitely do know, though, are that and they have developed an array of morphological and behavioural adaptations to Cichlids 1731 climate change, which may already be healthy freshwater fish populations their particular niche. The diversity of Africa’s Great Lake cichlids is one of the most impacting their journey to and from are critically important for people and spectacular examples of speciation in the world and provides scientists with a their spawning grounds. 3822 Catfishes unique opportunity to better understand the drivers of species evolution. Characins &Tetras 2290 nature, and that freshwater fishes are facing an unprecedented crisis.

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Healthy freshwater ecosystems are essential to sustain thriving populations of freshwater fishes. But widespread ignorance of the wealth of freshwater fishes has blinded us to just how critical they are to the health of the world’s rivers, lakes and wetlands. Main © A.Cambone, R.Isotti / Homo ambiens, insets p47 Fishes are the dominant organisms in most freshwater ecosystems in terms of biomass and feeding ecology14. With their vital role as scavengers, predators and prey, they play a regulatory and foundational function within an ecosystem and are central to the natural balance. Take for example, the importance of Alaska’s salmon runs in fattening up bears ahead of hibernation and transporting essential nutrients from the sea to nourish riparian woodlands. Or the HEALTHY major role fishes play in dispersing the seeds of tropical floodplain trees in the Amazon15. Or migratory fishes of the Mekong whose seasonal journeys provide an impetus for movements of the river’s top predator – FRESHWATER the Irrawaddy river dolphin.

When we tip the scales by drastically reducing freshwater fish populations and speeding a third of species towards FISHERIES extinction, we undermine the functioning of many of the world’s freshwater ecosystems – our very life support systems. Two billion people currently source their drinking water = HEALTHY directly from rivers, which also irrigate 190 million hectares, accounting for about a quarter of total global food production16. Healthy freshwater ecosystems are also critical to the fight against climate change. RIVERS, Peatlands, for example, store twice as much carbon as the world’s forests, while functioning floodplains reduce the impact of extreme floods. LAKES & But the diverse benefits of healthy freshwater ecosystems continue to be undervalued and overlooked – until they are gone. Unfortunately, they’re disappearing at a shocking rate. We’ve lost 35 per cent of the WETLANDS world’s remaining wetlands in the past 50 years17. Only a third of rivers over 1000km Critical indicators of still flow freely from source to sea18. Just the resilience of our life 40 per cent of Europe’s waters are classified as in good ecological health19. support systems The decline in freshwater fish populations is the clearest indicator of the damage we have done – and are still doing – to our rivers, lakes and wetlands. And that collapse only exacerbates the crisis. Freshwater fishes need healthy freshwater ecosystems. And so do people. But we’re losing them both far too fast.

The World’s Forgotten Fishes page 16 The World’s Forgotten Fishes page 17 CHAPTER FOUR WILD

Main © James Suter / Black Bean Productions / WWF-US, insets p47 FRESHWATER FISHERIES ARE PRICELESS Under-reported, undervalued and under pressure

TheThe World’s World’s Forgotten Forgotten Fishes Fishes page page 18 18 The World’s Forgotten Fishes page 19 4. WILD FRESHWATER FISHES ARE PRICELESS

Read almost anything about the global them. Freshwater fisheries provide the While overall catch size is lower, it’s worth AT LEAST 85% OF fish catch and you’ll be left with the primary source of animal protein as noting that at 2.56kg, Africa’s annual Baka villager with distinct impression that people only well as essential nutrients, like lysine catch per capita is significantly higher the day’s catch from

their local stream. Nelson Daniël © TANZANIA’S FISH catch fish in the ocean – that the only and calcium22, for at least 200 million than Asia’s 1.99kg. This underlines the Freshwater fishes fish species that matter for societies and particular importance of wild freshwater PRODUCTION COMES people globally, particularly in vulnerable are critical for many economies are the ones that inhabit our communities in Asia and Africa. In fisheries in Africa, especially in land- indigenous people. FROM FRESHWATER coastal waters or deep seas. Yet, wild- developing countries, small-scale locked and low-income countries. The 23 caught freshwater fisheries provide food fisheries produce more than half the African Great Lakes fisheries (which FISHERIES ; 65% IN security and livelihoods for hundreds of fish catch, and around 90 per cent of understandably have more reporting millions of people across the world. this is consumed locally in rural settings than the thousands of smaller freshwater BANGLADESH AND 44% fisheries in rivers, streams, ponds and Invariably overlooked, wild capture where poverty rates are high and good- 24 rice-paddies) alone produce more than a IN MYANMAR freshwater fish officially make up quality nutrition is sorely needed. million tonnes of fish each year, roughly around 13 per cent of the world’s Wild freshwater fisheries capture double the size of the next largest fishery annual catch, totalling 12 million tonnes is more concentrated than marine on the continent’s west coast. each year20. This is, without a doubt, a AT LEAST 43% OF capture and in 2018 just 16 countries massive underestimate because global Freshwater fisheries also provide jobs produced 80 per cent of the world’s statistics only show country level for around 60 million people across WILD FRESHWATER reported wild freshwater catch. Asia documented catches, but freshwater the world – more than half of whom accounted for 2/3rd of the global FISH HARVEST COMES fish are hauled in by artisanal and are women. In total, jobs in freshwater catch with China, India, Bangladesh, subsistence fishers in Asia, Africa fisheries account for between 2.5-6 per Myanmar, Cambodia and Indonesia FROM 50 LOW-INCOME and Latin America and are rarely cent of the global agricultural workforce. reporting the largest hauls. Africa documented. In fact, recent research What’s more: rivers, lakes and floodplains FOOD DEFICIENT accounted for 25 per cent with in local markets suggests the actual support even more fishers, processors 25 Uganda, Nigeria, Tanzania, Egypt, freshwater catch is likely to be around and traders than marine sectors. COUNTRIES DR Congo and Malawi leading the 65 per cent higher than reported21. way. Meanwhile, a team from Hull But these statistics do not tell the whole Including these unaccounted for ‘hidden International Fisheries Institute story because freshwater fisheries are harvests’, freshwater fisheries are and FAO found that 50 per cent of extremely difficult to replace. Or rather, estimated to be worth over US$38 billion global freshwater fish catch can be being forced to replace wild fisheries per year. However, they are worth far attributed to just 7 river basins – the that have been destroyed or depleted more than this to the local communities Mekong, Nile, Irrawaddy, Yangtze, by short-sighted decisions will result in and indigenous people who rely on Brahmaputra, Amazon and Ganges26. considerable long-term costs – such as increased deforestation to free up more land for crops or livestock, which are needed to replace lost sources of protein and micronutrients. Losing freshwater fisheries will also wreak havoc on communities whose cultures have always been deeply intertwined with them. Need access to Google docs Just take Cambodia as an example. Cambodians currently get around 16 per cent of their animal protein and 28 per cent of their lysine from freshwater fish, particularly from the astonishingly abundant, but increasingly threatened, fishery of the Mekong river basin – one of the world’s most productive freshwater fisheries. If Cambodia’s freshwater fishery failed (and dams and droughts have led to historically low levels on the Mekong in recent years), one study found the nation would need to increase its pasture lands by as much as 155 per cent and its crop lands by 59 per cent to continue to meet its nutritional needs28. Figure 4. Concentration of inland fish catch by major basins Change on such a monumental scale – and countries, expressed as percentage of total global catch in 2015. if it were possible at all – would Taken from Ainsworth, Cowx & Funge-Smith, 202127. have massive social, economic and environmental impacts.

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ecosystems. Pollution, excessive Unsustainable fishing pressures 90% OF GLOBAL water abstraction, dams and other – High intensity fishing, destructive Fish market in DOES RESTOCKING WITH infrastructure, sand mining, and land fishing practices (e.g., mosquito nets Kachin state, FRESHWATER FISH use change (e.g., loss of floodplains) are and dynamite fishing), targeting Myanmar HATCHERY FISH HELP OR HARM CATCH COMES FROM undermining the ecological viability threatened species, and the stocking DECLINING WILD FISHERIES

of critical fishery habitats. Take India’s of invasive non-native species threaten © Hkun Lat / WWF-Myanmar RIVER BASINS WITH Ganges river basin where over half the the future of many freshwater When wild freshwater fisheries human population is below the poverty fisheries. And overfishing can have decline, fisheries managers often ABOVE-AVERAGE line and where many people rely on devastatingly swift consequences. aim to enhance populations through 31 freshwater fish as their primary source of After a bumper harvest of 64,000 the stocking of hatchery-reared fish. STRESS LEVELS protein. Multiple environmental threats tonnes of salmon in Russia’s Amur Stocking is a widely used fisheries have contributed to a huge decline in the river in 2016, excessively high quotas management tool within freshwater Ganges fishery over the last 70 years. led to a catastrophic drop in the ecosystems, especially in Asia and Perhaps the biggest decline has been country’s largest salmon run. Africa. While no global evaluations But the reality is that like the freshwater observed in the hilsa fishery, which made In the autumn of 2018, WWF have been conducted on whether ecosystems on which they depend, the up the majority of catch in the Lower researchers counted an average of stocking has increased or maintained world’s wild freshwater fisheries are Ganges. For example, the hilsa fishery 1 chum salmon per 10,000 square any fisheries, there is scientific evidence under increasing pressure from two upstream of Farakka crashed from 19 feet of river at their spawning grounds, that releasing live fishes into the wild main threats. tonnes per year to just 1 tonne per year compared to the norm of around can have significant negative impacts Environmental factors – The after the construction of the Farakka 500 fish. In the summer of 2019, on wild fish populations by reducing the primary drivers of freshwater fisheries barrage in the 1970s, strongly indicating the average was 0. This collapse genetic health of wild fishes that breed health are environmental: sustainable that the barrage had prevented the fish will have far reaching impacts on with hatchery-produced fish. Stocking fisheries need resilient and healthy from reaching their spawning grounds29. local communities and the ecosystem also risks ecological health as it may as a whole. introduce competition, predation and disease to native fishes, as well as result For many of the world, though, in the establishment of invasive non- freshwater fisheries’ relative native fishes. To overcome the impacts invisibility means they have been on wild fish populations, countries easy to ignore. It’s hard to believe, should develop responsible stocking and but they aren’t mentioned specifically hatchery guidelines and policies as well in any of the 169 indicators of the as review their current programmes to UN Sustainable Development Goals safeguard against unintentional harm (SDGs) despite the essential role they to freshwater biodiversity. play in alleviating hunger and poverty for some of the world’s poorest people32. Theoretically, freshwater fisheries are included in marine fisheries under SDG 14 (Life under Water) but when it comes to reporting and assessing them, they fall off the map. There is a growing realisation of the essential contribution freshwater fisheries make towards both nutritional and economic security for hundreds of millions of people, but it is far too limited and far too

slow. Recognising these gaps, six Threat score 10

Lake River Basin Basin High threat High global organisations formed the 9

FRESHWATER AQUACULTURE RELIES ON HEALTHY WILD POPULATIONS High 10 Threat Inland Fisheries Alliance in 2021 to Threat 9 Score8

Low threat 1

OF FRESHWATER FISHES 8 7

raise the profile of freshwater fisheries Score 2 7 6 and catalyse efforts to improve their Low threat 1 3

6 Aquaculture constitutes 46 per cent of world fish production – 63 per cent (51 million 2 5 4

33 34 health and management. 5 5 tonnes) of which is freshwater aquaculture . With the global population expected 3 4

4 6 to reach 9.8 billion by 2050, humanity’s reliance on aquaculture for food security is 4 3 7

The question now is will decision 3

5 2 8

expected to grow. But aquaculture is not a substitute for wild fisheries. Sustainable fish 2 9 1 makers finally start factoring threat Low High6 threat Basin

production from aquaculture relies on healthy and genetically varied brood stock, Low 1 10 Basin RiverRiver LakeLake freshwater fisheries – and the hundreds 7 Score

35 which is collected from the wild . Furthermore, millions of people rely on wild of millions of human mouths they 8 Threat populations for subsistence fishing, while for poor families, aquaculture fish are less feed – into their equations? And if so, 9 affordable than wild caught. High threat Figure10 5. ThreatBasin scoresRiver for riverLake basins that support (indicative) freshwater fisheries. Out of the 87 basins assessed, will they do it fast enough to stave 15 are considered at ‘high’ threat, and 33 at ‘moderate’ threat due to pressures from pollution, water use (abstraction), 30 © Michel Gunther / WWF off disaster? climate variability, land use, loss of riverine connectivity and population density. Taken from FAO, 2020 .

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COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT BENEFITS FISH AND PEOPLE: CASE STUDIES FROM ASIA, AFRICA AND THE AMAZON

Evidence of the positive impact from community conservation exists across the world. In Laos, Community Fisheries Conservation Zones boosted the diversity of fishes caught in 32 villages. One of the keys to their success was that the approach was decided through consensus building with local communities and fishers. This approach was echoed in the Salween River basin in Thailand, where a network of fish African Fish Eagle sanctuaries across 23 communities resulted in increased fish diversity, density and Haliaeetus vocifer Swooping biomass. Community conservation has also resulted in positive impacts in Tanzania, in to catch fish Okavango Delta, Botswana Sub-saharan where the dagaa fishery in Lake Tanganyika is critically important to the Tongwe/ Africa Bende people. Working with The Nature Conservancy, the local community set up nine community Beach Management Units to protect fish breeding and nursery zones, and prevent the use of destructive beach seine nets and other nets with under-sized meshes. “In my heart, I feel hopeful because I have already seen changes,” said Richard Nkayamba, Buhingu Beach Management Unit leader. “In this zone, beach seines are almost completely gone and the high dagaa catch we have seen this season is probably due to the reduced use of beach seines.” SMALL FISH PLAY A GIANT ROLE Main © Brent Stirton / Reportage for Getty Images / WWF, inset © Roshni Lodhia / Nature Conservancy Meanwhile, community management along Brazil’s Juruá River has transformed IN THE HEALTH OF COMMUNITIES the arapaima fishery. As an obligate air-breather, the Amazon’s giant arapaima IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA must return to the surface every 20 minutes or so – making them easy to catch. Known as the ‘cod of the Amazon’ overfishing contributed to a severe decline in Small pelagic (open water) their numbers, posing a risk to the species and the people who rely upon them. freshwater fishes play a major To address this, Juruá River communities embarked on a resource management role in food security and nutrition plan, which resulted in an increase in both the arapaima population and the across sub-Saharan Africa. Yet, annual catch – boosting household incomes by US$1,000 per year and village these small silver fishes – such incomes by a whopping US$10,000, and proving how critical it is to involve local as dagaa, kapenta, salanga and communities in sustainable fisheries management36. Seeing the impact, the usipa – receive much less attention number of communities pursuing this approach has increased from 4 in 1999 than larger and more economically to over 2000 now across Brazil, Peru and Guyana. valuable species. Sometimes called ‘poor man’s fish’ or ‘vitamin fish’,

Fishers in a community conservancy in Laos these species are hugely important to many communities. Due to the high reproductive turnover rate of small pelagic fishes, they may be able to reproduce their own biomass five times or more a year37. As species lower on the food chain, daaga might present an example of a ‘balanced harvest’. This is where each level within the food chain is fished proportional to its abundance rather than focusing on large fishes. Alternatively, an unbalanced harvest leads to fishing down the food chain and results in fish catches that gradually consist of smaller and smaller species. Support for what is known as a ‘balanced harvest’ is growing and may be a more sustainable option for humanity.

Fishing on Lake Edward, Democratic Republic of Congo © WWF-Laos

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Whether the motivation is adventure, challenge or simply rest and relaxation, recreational fishing is often the closest connection many people around the FISHING world have with their environment and wild freshwater fishes. Indeed, hundreds of millions of people (including around 90 million anglers in China, 39 million in USA and almost 26 million in Europe) do it every year, casting bait and FOR FUN… flies into rivers and lakes in an attempt to lure unsuspecting fish onto their hooks. And they spend vast amounts of money in the process.

Globally, recreational fishing generates IS BIG 38 over US$100 billion each year pumping much-needed cash into local and national economies, and boosting employment. In Europe, recreational fishing supports BUSINESS hundreds of thousands of jobs39, including 37,000 in England and Wales, providing Angling is one of the world’s over US$1.3 billion to the economy40, and 4300 jobs in Scotland, where salmon favourite pastimes anglers spend around US$6,400 per person on average every year41. In the USA, 13 per cent of the population identify as inland recreational anglers42, and together they generate around US$83 billion in economic activity each year and support over 500,000 jobs43.

Some of the world’s freshwater fishes hold almost mythical status among anglers – such as the African tigerfish or legendary hump-backed mahseer. Some anglers are prepared to travel far and wide to catch these prize fishes contributing to local economies as they do so. For example, the African tigerfish – its mouth bristling with razor-sharp teeth – is the number one target for anglers on the Zambezi River system. In northeast Namibia, it is estimated that up to 70 per cent of tourist lodge revenue comes from anglers hoping to hook a ‘tiger’ – revenue that is a major source of income for local communities44. Maintaining healthy freshwater ecosystems and healthy tigerfish populations directly Main © Ola Jennersten / WWF-Sweden, insets p47 benefits communities, who rely on this fearsome fish not only for funds but also for food security.

Meanwhile, the hump-backed mahseer – the largest of the iconic mahseer species – has been luring anglers to India’s River Cauvery since the 1970s. The income generated from international anglers has supported the transformation of former poachers into angling guides and

The World’s Forgotten Fishes page 26 The World’s Forgotten Fishes page 27 5. FISHING FOR FUN… IS BIG BUSINESS

“EARLIER OUR GOAL WAS TO KILL THE FISH. BUT AFTER WORKING IN THE ANGLING CAMPS, WE REALISE IT IS BETTER FOR THE COMMUNITY TO KEEP THEM ALIVE. WE SAW THE THE BENEFIT.” CHEMBA, ANGLING GUIDE ON INDIA’S CAUVERY RIVER

Bull trout in Roaring River, USA rare to find one longer than 2m – but that’s still huge enough to make it an irresistible draw for freshwater anglers. And their fees help to sustain communities, protect their heritage, and strengthen the governance, management and conservation of their traditional territories. It is certainly a more sustainable alternative than mercury-laced gold mining or commercial logging47.

The angling industry relies on healthy freshwater ecosystems to support thriving populations of fish, from South Africa’s yellowfish to Australia’s Murray cod and Europe’s barbel. Healthy freshwater environments also offer a greater and more diverse fishing challenge – and a relaxing place to fish. ©Freshwaters Illustrated Indeed, a less appreciated benefit of angling river guardians, incentivised to protect Or take Japan’s highly prized miyabe is the impact it has on human wellbeing. the mahseer and their lucrative new charr, a subspecies endemic to Lake Just being out in nature, listening to the income stream. But the role of anglers in Shikaribetsu. Back in the 1970s, too many soothing sounds of water and watching conserving the hump-backed mahseer anglers and too little management led to your fishing line bob up and down has goes beyond economics. In 2015, a team a collapse in numbers. Fortunately, this been found to alleviate stress. In the AS ANGLERS KNOW, FISHING IS BOTH EXHILARATING AND RELAXING, AND IS GREAT FOR of international scientists analysed the spurred concerted action and numbers of USA, angling is used as a rehabilitation detailed catch-log books kept by angling miyabe charr are now healthy again, with therapy by psychologists, counsellors, and THE MIND AND SOUL. ANGLING ALSO BRINGS RESPONSIBILITY AS ANGLERS ARE THE EYES AND camps, which revealed that the endemic anglers flooding in from all over Japan to physical therapists. The US Veterans Health EARS OF THE RIVER, AND THE VOICES OF FISHES THEMSELVES. ANGLERS CAN PLAY A FUNDAMENTAL mahseer population was in perilous decline fish the lake, boosting the local economy Administration has adopted fly fishing as ROLE IN THE CONSERVATION OF FISHES BY IMPLEMENTING BEST PRACTICE: NOT LEAVING GHOST – evidence that supported the formal and providing a long-term lifeline for the a recreational therapy for injured military 46 GEAR OR NETS; ENSURING FISH WELFARE IS PRIMARY; USING NON-DESTRUCTIVE BAITS; PRACTISING recognition of the hump-backed mahseer species . veterans because it is a calming, repetitive and low-impact way to help them regain as a separate species and its subsequent Meanwhile, some communities, like CATCH AND RELEASE IN THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY; NOT ANGLING FOR CERTAIN SPECIES DURING strength. In England, angling has been used classification as Critically Endangered the Rewa community in the Amazon in CLOSED SEASONS; AND NOT CAUSING HARM TO OTHER WILDLIFE. AND BY SUPPORTING FISH as an ‘added value’ social, environmental on the IUCN Red List. If it had not been Guyana, have been capitalising on the and therapeutic activity to help to overcome CONSERVATION PROJECTS ACROSS THE WORLD. for anglers, this freshwater mega-fish presence of the arapaima, the world’s social problems and aid development of may have gone extinct without ever being largest scaled freshwater fish, to attract MARINA GIBSON – ANGLING AMBASSADOR disadvantaged young people. recognised as a valid species. Thankfully, tourist dollars by investing in recreational there is now an international multi- fishing operations. While the jungle This is not to say that the practice stakeholder effort to bring the species back giant can grow up to 3m, overfishing and of recreational fishing is all smooth from the brink of extinction45. habitat destruction mean that it’s now sailing: there are potential risks as well as benefits. In some places, such as the hooks and lines that are a threat to all Trout Unlimited, are powerful voices for UK, catch is usually released, whereas wildlife. By following best practices, the conservation. However, anglers as a whole elsewhere, like Eastern Europe, Central angling community can reduce these risks still punch way below their collective “From the point of view of a biologist and angler, seeing large predatory fish is a sign that Asia or China, recreational catch is usually and contribute to freshwater conservation. weight when it comes to advocating for the this lake, this river, is healthy. If they’re not there, the water is in trouble, and if the water’s in taken to consume. Problems arise when a Indeed, anglers are often the first to future of freshwater fish. Imagine if all the trouble, well, I tell you that we are also in big trouble. I’ve been fishing for over 50 years now… recreational fishery is poorly managed and notice problems in their local rivers and world’s anglers – tens of millions of them and what has shocked me really is that even in remote places it’s very hard to find those fish. can include the introduction of invasive lakes – and are among the most proactive – cast their voices in support of efforts The decline of big fish is happening right in front of us, and this is often because of non-native fishes and hatchery fish, poor when it comes to doing something about to reverse the collapse in freshwater fish. uncontrolled removal of fish, which has a very rapid effect on a healthy river. fish handling and damaging hooks, and it. Many anglers, such as musician Fergal They would certainly hook the attention of Jeremy Wade, Angler, biologist and TV presenter litter, in particular discarded fishing nets, Sharkey, and angling groups, such as some key decision makers.

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THE WORLD’S MOST POPULAR PETS Not dogs or cats but freshwater fishes

It’s the same picture from the United States to the United Kingdom and beyond: freshwater fish consistently top the polls when it comes to pet numbers. Keeping a home aquarium is a truly global hobby – and one that is also good for our health. Having a fish tank (or visiting an aquarium) has been found to reduce stress, anxiety and blood pressure, and even help us to sleep48. Another study found that reduced heart rate and increased feelings of wellbeing correlated with greater fish diversity in aquaria49. It’s certainly not a coincidence that many doctors’ and dentists’ waiting rooms have an aquarium! Main © Meridith Kohut / WWF-US, insets p47

The World’s Forgotten Fishes page 30 The World’s Forgotten Fishes page 31 6. THE WORLD’S MOST POPULAR PETS

Needless to say, a major industry has grown up on the back of our passion for pet fish. Today, some 5,300 species of ornamental fish – 90 per cent of which are tropical freshwater species – are traded every year in 125 countries, at © Meridith Kohu t/ WWF-US a retail value of US$15-30 billion50. Around 30 species dominate the market, the most common are the guppy, neon tetra and molly. Around 90 per cent of traded fish now originate from ones bred in captivity but certain species continue to be harvested from the wild, while captive stocks must be bolstered by wild stocks from time to time to maintain genetic health. Like inland fisheries and angling, this Pic on right, large as before, from is an industry that needs thriving populations of freshwater fishes in of surviving in the wild. The species is the cardinal tetra trade on the Rio Negro Richard healthy freshwater ecosystems. now bred in large quantities in high has become a model of sustainability tech facilities in Asia, but the remaining with the local communities catching However, there are concerns about wild populations are still threatened the fish from the shaded rainforest the impacts of the industry, which can by poaching and plans to build pools where they gather during the dry be a pathway for the introduction of hydropower dams in the Amazon53. season, and spending the rest of the year invasive non-native species (through Without urgent action, the only living acting as forest stewards, conserving the poorly managed breeding facilities and specimens of this catfish will be the ecosystem that sustains the tetras – pet keepers releasing fish that grow too ones born and raised in aquaria. and their communities and culture. large for their tanks). The guppy, for example, a diminutive fish originally On the other hand, while data are hard Another aquarium favourite lives native to the Lesser Antilles, is now to come by, sustainably managed wild on the other side of the world – the established in at least 69 countries on fisheries supplying the aquarium trade liquorice gouramis. These tiny jewels every continent except Antarctica51. can provide much-needed incomes in of South East Asia’s peatswamp forests Problems also arise from over- poor communities and an incentive are only beginning to be discovered harvesting and destructive harvest to conserve specific species and their and understood by science. But their techniques in the wild, and high levels freshwater habitats. Take cardinal habitat has already shrunk dramatically, of mortality can occur from poor tetras. The vivid reds and blues of these primarily due to forest clearance for oil handling and long quarantines52. gloriously beautiful fish flash through palm expansion, and all of them are now Take Brazil’s strikingly attractive, many a home aquarium. Native to the threatened. Thankfully, a collection of black-and-white striped zebra catfish. upper Orinoco and Rio Negro in South aquarists has banded together to launch Endemic to a small portion of the America, these tiny fish account for the Parosphromenus Project, which aims Xingu river, it was caught and sold at an impressive 70 per cent of Brazil’s to conserve the genus by maintaining a such an unsustainable rate that it was ornamental fish exports – supporting strong ex-situ population of each species. added to Brazil’s list of threatened 10,000 jobs and 80 per cent of the Similar aquarist initiatives are run by species in 2004 and the government economy around the city of Barcelos. the American Killifish Association and banned its export to give it a chance Through the Project Piaba initiative54, the CARES Preservation Program. Sadly, some freshwater fishes now can only be found in captivity. The Mexican Fish Ark THE UNITED STATES OF AQUARIA in the Hause des Meeres in Vienna, for example, houses the only living examples The US National Pet Owners Survey puts freshwater fish far out in front: of Mexico’s Extinct in the Wild fishes.

In 2019, a new global initiative, Shoal, 142 88.3 74.8 16 13.4 was launched to address the freshwater MILLION MILLION MILLION MILLION MILLION species crisis and halt the extinction of FRESHWATER CATS DOGS BIRDS REPTILES freshwater fishes. As part of its efforts, FISH Shoal provides a platform for millions of freshwater fish enthusiasts to direct their passion towards helping to conserve the wild freshwater origins of their pets. The sooner they all join in, the better. © Alan64 / iStock

The World’s Forgotten Fishes page 32 The World’s Forgotten Fishes page 33 CHAPTER SEVEN HUMANITY’S FRESHWATER HERITAGE

The history of humanity is tied to tradition, they are the most important waterways – and freshwater fish. In freshwater fish of all. Still a customary what is now France, Paleolithic people food source for Maori people55, the eels carved a spectacular relief sculpture also make up a commercially significant of a salmon on a cave wall – 25,000 freshwater fishery in New Zealand, with years ago! Long after that, our annual landings of around 700 tonnes56. civilisations developed beside rivers Meanwhile, a large mythical eel called and lakes; our cities, towns and villages Abaia is said to protect the other creatures relying on them for water, food, power, in freshwater lakes across Polynesia. In navigation and sanitation. People’s Cambodia, the national Water Festival lives have long been shaped by the life marks the annual reversal of the flow cycles of fishes and the pulsing flows of of the Tonle sap river and the flooding the rivers they live in, from traditional of Tonle Sap lake, which transports fishers on Lake Oguemoué in Gabon to essential nutrients to the lake and fuels those on the Tonlé Sap in Cambodia, the productivity of its fishery. Dating whose lives, livelihoods and cultures back to the 12th century, the festival is are adapted to the seasonality of intimately bound up with the year’s fish of the North Pacific winter, providing vital freshwater fish abundance. and rice harvests. sustenance to keep indigenous peoples in IN WHAT IS NOW FRANCE, that part of Canada and USA from starvation. An indelible part of our collective But freshwater fishes permeate our It also had an additional use: the fish was so PALEOLITHIC PEOPLE CARVED A inheritance, freshwaters and the fishes societies far deeper than festivals, foods oily that it could literally be used as a candle. SPECTACULAR RELIEF SCULPTURE OF that live in them still remain culturally or place names. In some cultures, they Its oil was also traded – creating the ‘grease rd important to this day. Like mohinga, are sacred. As long ago as the 3 century, trails’ of British Columbia and southeast A SALMON ON A CAVE WALL –- the fish and noodle soup that is eaten the Indian Emperor Ashoka decreed that Alaska57. Nowadays, the salvation fish is widely across Myanmar. Or carp which fishes, including freshwater sharks and threatened by habitat degradation, over- 25,000 YEARS AGO! are eaten for Christmas in eastern eels, should be protected. The first temple exploitation and pollution – and Europe. Or the long list of beers that sanctuary for fish in India was established are in need of salvation themselves. are named after freshwater fishes, such nearly 1,200 years ago. Today, the as Steelhead Extra Pale Ale, Mahseer Endangered Himalayan golden mahseer In addition to food and candles, some IPA and Sturgeon beer! Or place names, is still revered by local communities in communities use freshwater fishes as such as Hilsa (India), Ely (England), India and Bhutan and protected around medicine. This includes freshwater rays and Pikesville and Bullhead (United States) temples along several stretches of the various cichlids in the Amazon basin, where 58 and the Nga Phe Monastery (Myanmar). Ganges, where devotees come to feed the fat of the trahira is used to treat earaches . the fish with puffed rice. Fishing is not In some parts of the world entire There is no way to do justice to the full allowed in these locations, and pilgrims, festivals are held in honour of cultural importance of freshwater fish in this temple authorities and local communities freshwater fishes. Take England’s Ely report. We’ve showcased just a handful of the protect these fishes. In 2008, the Mahseer Eel Festival, which commemorates the countless stories that could be told. Sadly, we Trust was established to raise awareness town’s historic relationship with the are continuing to degrade our rivers, lakes and of the mahseers as flagships for river European eel from days when eel fishing wetlands and allow both iconic and humble conservation throughout South and was the town’s main industry. On the freshwater fishes to slip silently away. Southeast Asia. Despite these efforts other side of the world anguillid eels Their loss is a loss for all humanity, all mahseer species are highly are also celebrated. In New Zealand, which will have far reaching threatened by human impacts. they were long a source of food and consequences for communities income – and also reverence – for Maori Some freshwater fish even brought and cultures. communities. They’re represented in salvation – the other common name for gatherings, funerals, proverbs, songs, the candlefish. This little migratory fish artwork and mythology: by tribal returned to rivers to spawn at the end

Freshwater fishes have swum through our cultures for centuries

The World’s Forgotten Fishes page 34 TheThe World’s World’s Forgotten Forgotten Fishes Fishes page page 35 35 Images © Dao Van Hoang CHAPTER EIGHT

NOWHERE IS THE WORLD’S BIODIVERSITY CRISIS MORE ACUTE THAN IN FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS. AROUND A THIRD OF FRESHWATER FISH SPECIES ARE THREATENED WITH EXTINCTION. FRESHWATER FISH IN FREEFALL The sharp end of the biodiversity crisis , insets p47

TheThe World’s World’s Forgotten Forgotten Fishes Fishes page page 36 36 The World’s Forgotten Fishes page 37 Main WWF / Images © Global Warming 8. FRESHWATER FISH IN FREEFALL

Figure 6: Of the 10,336 (56%) freshwater fishes whose conservation status has been assessed by IUCN, 30% are considered at risk of extinction.

Nowhere is the world’s biodiversity declining by a catastrophic 94 per cent • Flood of pollutants: From • Wildlife crime: While most ARE crisis more acute than in freshwater since 197061. untreated sewage to agricultural people believe wildlife crime is all ecosystems. Around a third of run-off, industrial wastewater and about elephant ivory, tiger bones and CONSIDERED The reasons for such precipitous falls AT RISK OF freshwater fish species are threatened mercury from gold mining, pollutants rhino horns, poaching and the illegal are not hard to identify when we look at EXTINCTION. with extinction59, and 80 species are pouring into rivers, lakes and wildlife trade are grave threats to what’s happening to the world’s rivers,

have already been declared Extinct. wetlands, poisoning fishes and many freshwater fishes, including © Faunagua / Paul van Damme lakes and wetlands: Populations of migratory fishes – the fuelling toxic algae blooms. 300- sturgeons for illegal wild caviar, travellers of the freshwater world, • Treating freshwater ecosystems 400 million tonnes of pollution are European eels, the giants of the including sturgeon, salmon, hilsa and as wasted space: Undervaluing dumped into freshwater ecosystems Mekong, stingrays and some gilded catfish – have fallen by 76 per the diverse benefits of healthy every year65, and over 80 per cent of endangered ornamental species. cent since 197060. And populations freshwater ecosystems and their all wastewater is flushed untreated • Species invasions: The intentional of large iconic fish, the titans of the riparian habitats paves the way for back into nature66. and accidental spread of invasive freshwater world, like the beluga them to be dammed, drained, dredged, • Sucking rivers dry: Poor non-native species and diseases are sturgeon and the Mekong giant catfish, damaged and converted into farmland management has resulted in far too have been hit particularly hard, or paved over – wrecking the habitat becoming more common, unbalancing much water being abstracted from of freshwater fishes in the process. freshwater ecosystems and directly river systems, primarily for irrigation. For example, floodplains, continue threatening native species. Agriculture uses around 70 per cent to be disconnected from their rivers of all water abstracted globally67 – • Our warming world: Climate and built upon, not only destroying and this is likely to increase since the change is already making its presence essential fish spawning habitat but also GILDED CATFISH: RECORD- world’s demand for food is projected felt, melting glaciers that feed rivers increasing the risk of flooding. Around to grow by 50 per cent by 205068. and altering peak river flow events BREAKER AT RISK 35 per cent of wetlands have been in high mountain regions, changing 62 lost in the past 50 years and the rate • Dredging up too many fish and weather patterns and increasing water These silver-gold South American shows no signs of abating. too much sand: Critical natural temperatures. Freshwater fishes are catfish can grow to 2m, but not resources in freshwater ecosystems until they’ve survived the longest • Unnatural river flows: Decisions particularly vulnerable to climate are being unsustainably plundered 69 freshwater migration of all fishes, about water flows related to change . Many are like polar bears: in many areas. Overfishing is which starts when they spawn high hydropower, dams and abstraction they have nowhere to go when their threatening many species populations, in the foothills of the Andes at the are still driven by human needs rather part of the world changes. especially when combined with headwaters of the Amazon. The than environmental ones, impacting destructive fishing methods, which To compound these issues, freshwater young fish drift and swim 5,800km fishes that have evolved their lifecycles also threaten the health of the fishes are contending with other down to the mouth of the river, in relation to the seasonal changes environment. Meanwhile, unregulated threats to biodiversity that we’re only where they live for two or three in the timing and quantity of flows, and illegal sand mining alters just beginning to understand, such as years before tackling the mammoth including natural flood pulses. the structure of rivers and deltas, noise, light and microplastics pollution return leg. Rising waters after the • Chopped up rivers: Millions destroying critical habitat, including to name a few70. There is no silver rainy season are the signal for them STURGEON: WORLD’S MOST THREATENED FAMILY OF FRESHWATER FISHES of existing barriers from mega-dams fish spawning habitat, putting the bullet for these myriad threats, but to head back upstream: one year to small dams, weirs and culverts survival of freshwater – and coastal – there are tried and tested solutions. later they’re back in the mountains, These gentle giants have been around since the age of the dinosaurs, but 23 of the 27 fragment rivers across the world, fishes at risk. It’s time to scale them up. ready to breed. But the gilded species are now threatened with extinction due to hydropower dams blocking their blocking fish migration and disrupting catfish’s astonishing migration migration routes along the Yangtze, Danube, Rhine and other rivers, overfishing, the flow of water, sediments and can only take place when there poaching for the illegal wild caviar trade, pollution and habitat loss. Indeed, the Chinese nutrients. In Europe alone, there are are healthy, free-flowing rivers to paddlefish was declared extinct in 2020. Ongoing developments, including navigation IUCN RED LIST STATUS Number of species an estimated 1 million river barriers – support it. Hydropower dams are projects, dredging activities and hydropower dams, are increasing the pressure on at least 100,000 of which are Extinct 80 increasingly blocking their way, sturgeon populations in Europe, many of which already depend on reintroduction obsolete63. And more are yet to come. Extinct in the Wild 10 while deforestation and mining programmes as a last glimmer of hope. Thousands of new hydropower dams Threatened are threatening crucial spawning areas from Colombia to Bolivia. As For hundreds of years, sturgeon have played a major role in local economies, providing are on the drawing board across Critically Endangered (presumed extinct) 583 (115) food and livelihoods for many – chronicles from the 11th century mention that beluga the world from the Amazon to the well as being an important source Endangered 870 sturgeon were used to feed hungry troops marching along the Upper Danube. A beluga Zambezi, including hundreds in of food for indigenous people and Vulnerable 966 sturgeon measuring 7.2m was once caught in the Volga river, but few giants are spotted protected areas. Only 1/3rd of long local communities along the river, Near Threatened 511 these days. Indeed, few sturgeon of any size are seen in the wild these days. WWF has rivers are still free flowing64 and this so-called ‘goliath catfish’ is an Least Concern 5332 set up a new global initiative to safeguard these ancient creatures. Hopefully, it will many of these are threatened by indicator of freshwater ecosystem Data Deficient ensure that no sturgeon species follow the Chinese paddlefish to extinction. Because if proposed hydropower projects, as are 264 health – and its future survival is in we can save sturgeons, we will save so much more – helping to revive the rivers they live many of the shorter wild rivers Total assessed 10516 doubt. It’s an alarming sign for the in for the benefit of people and nature. in regions like the Balkans and whole river system. the Himalayas. © Freshwaters Illustrated© Fig 7. Summary of IUCN status of freshwater fishes71

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CHAPTER NINE

LAMPREYS • Bitungu, Barbodes truncatulus. • Las Vegas dace, Rhinichthys • Férit, Coregonus restrictus. • Santa Cruz pupfish, • Ukranian migratory lamprey, Philippines. deaconi. USA Switzerland Cyprinodon arcuatus. USA Eudontomyzon sp. nov. ‘migratory’. • Barbus microbarbis. Rwanda • Danube Delta gudgeon, • New Zealand grayling, • Villa Lopez pupfish, Ukraine, Russia. • Snake river sucker, Romanogobio antipain. Prototroctes oxyrhynchus. Cyprinodon ceciliae. Mexico Chasmistes muriei. USA Romania, Ukraine New Zealand • Charco azul pupfish, STURGEONS AND PADDLEFISHES • Skadar nase, Chondrostoma • Schizothorax saltans. • Lake Sidi Ali trout, Salmo Cyprinodon inmemoriam. • Chinese paddlefish, Psephurus scodrense. Montenegro Kazakstán pallaryi. Morocco Mexico gladius. China • Yilong carp, Cyprinus • Stumptooth minnow, • Silver trout, Salvelinus • Ash Meadows poolfish, ASIAN KNIFEFISHES yilongensis. China Stypodon signifier. Mexico agassizii. USA Empetrichthys merriami. USA • Giant featherback, Chitala lopis. • Mexican dace, Evarra • Ukliva dace, Telestes • Jaunet, Salvelinus • Whiteline topminnow, Indonesia tlahuacensis. Mexico ukliva. Croatia neocomensis. Switzerland Fundulus albolineatus. USA • Mexican dace, Evarra CATFISHES • Tiefseesaibling, Salvelinus • Amistad gambusia, Gambusia CARPS AND MINNOWS eigenmanni. Mexico • Scioto madtom, Noturus profundus. Austria, Germany, amistadensis. USA • Beyşehir bleak, Alburnus akili. • Mexican dace, Evarra trautmani. USA Switzerland • San Marcos gambusia, Turkey bustamantei. Mexico Gambusia georgei. USA • Siamese flat-barbelled CICHLIDS • Iznik shemaya, Alburnus • Thicktail chub, Gila • Catarina pupfish, Megupsilon catfish,Platytropius siamensis. • Ptychochromis onilahy. nicaeensis. Turkey crassicauda. USA aporus. Mexico Thailand Madagascar • Anabarilius macrolepis. China • Labeo worthingtoni. Malawi, • Pantanodon • Tristramella intermedia. • Pait, Barbodes amarus. Philippines Mozambique, Zambia SALMON, TROUT AND CHARR madagascariensis. Israel • Barbodes baoulan. Philippines • Pahranagat spinedace, • Longjaw ciscoe, Coregonus Madagascar • Barbodes clemensi. Philippines Lepidomeda altivelis. USA alpenae. Canada, USA • Tristramella magdelainae. • Barbodes disa. Philippines • Hula bream, Mirogrex hulensis. • Coregonus bezoule. France Syria PERCH-LIKE FISHES • Barbodes flavifuscus. Philippines Israel • Féra, Coregonus fera. • Long jaw tristramella, • Maryland darter, • Barbodes herrei. Philippines • Harelip sucker, Moxostoma Switzerland Tristramella sacra. Israel Etheostoma sellare. USA • Barbodes katolo. Philippines lacerum. USA • Kilch, Coregonus gutturosus. SILVERSIDES STICKLEBACKS • Barbodes lanaoensis. Philippines • Durango shiner, Notropis Austria, Germany, Switzerland • Cunning silverside, • Techirghiol stickleback, • Barbodes manalak. Philippines aulidion. Mexico • Gravenchi, Coregonus hiemalis. Atherinella callida. Mexico Gasterosteus crenobiontus. • Bitungu, Barbodes pachycheilus. • Phantom shiner, Notropis Switzerland Romania Philippines orca. Mexico, USA • Deepwater ciscoe, Coregonus TOOTH-CARPS • Bitungu, Barbodes palaemophagus. • Salado shiner, Notropis johannae. Canada, USA • Gölçük killifish, Aphanius GOBIES Philippines saladonis. Mexico • Blackfin ciscoe,Coregonus splendens. Turkey • Utah Lake sculpin, Cottus • Barbodes palata. Philippines • Clear Lake splittail, nigripinnis. Canada, USA • Aplocheilichthys sp. nov. echinatus. USA SPECIES • Bagangan sa Erungan, Barbodes ‘Naivasha’. Kenya Pogonichthys ciscoides. USA. • Houting, Coregonus oxyrinchus. resimus. Philippines • Eğirdir Minnow, Pseudophoxinus Belgium, France, Germany, • Parras characodon, • Barbodes tras. Philippines handlirschi. Turkey Netherlands, UK Characodon garmani. Mexico

STATES OF EXTINCTION 1. EXTINCT IN THE WILD Belgium Croatia CARPS AND MINNOWS • Perrito de Potosi, Kazakhstan Kenya EXTINCT • Ameca shiner, Notropis Cyprinodon alvarezi. Mexico 2. 19. USA Indonesia Austria 2020 was a bleak year for freshwater fish. It began with confirmation amecae. Mexico • La Palma pupfish, Cyprinodon Malawi Canada Morocco longidorsalis. Mexico France of the extinction of the iconic Chinese paddlefish, an endemic giant SALMON, TROUT AND CHARR Mozambique • Charco palma pupfish, . Madagascar • Kunimasu, Oncorhynchus 3 Netherlands China Romania of the Yangtze river and ended with the IUCN Red List for Cyprinodon veronicae. Mexico New Zealand kawamurae. Japan Germany Ukraine TM • Golden skiffia,Skiffia 15. Philippines Rwanda Threatened Species announcing the loss of 15 more species in the • Inconnu, Stenodus leucichthys. Israel francesae. Mexico Russia Caspian Sea 4. Turkey Philippines. Overall, 80 freshwater fishes have been declared Extinct • Monterrey platyfish, Syria Thailand by IUCN, while 10 more have been declared Extinct in the Wild TOOTH-CARPS Xiphophorus couchianus. Mexico UK • Banded allotoca, Allotoca • Marbled swordtail, Zambia and 115 are classified as ‘Critically Endangered Possibly Extinct’. goslinei. Mexico Xiphophorus meyeri. Mexico 12. Mexico 6. Switzerland

The World’s Forgotten Fishes page 40 The World’s Forgotten Fishes page 41 CHAPTER TEN A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR FRESHWATER FISHES Emergency Recovery Plan for freshwater biodiversity

In 2021, governments may have their last chance to chart a new course that could reverse the loss of nature and put the world back onto a sustainable path. Countries have to seize the opportunity and agree on an ambitious and implementable new framework to tackle the loss of habitats and species at the conference of the Convention of Biological Diversity – a framework that must, for the first time, pay just as much attention to protecting and restoring our freshwater life support systems as the world’s forests and oceans. © Freshwaters Illustrated©

The World’s Forgotten Fishes page 42 The World’s Forgotten Fishes page 43 10. A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR FRESHWATER FISHES © Nicolas Axelrod / Ruom / WWF-Greater Mekong

If we do, we will bring life back to our strategic approach that can deliver COMMIT PRIORITIZE PARTNER AND INNOVATE VALUE FRESHWATER FISHES dying rivers, lakes and wetlands. And solutions at the scale necessary to Governments must agree to ambitious However much we would like to, there While the solutions exist, real Last but not least, it’s time to pay we will bring freshwater fishes back reverse the collapse in biodiversity — targets for 2030, which will safeguard is no way to protect and restore all progress towards halting the loss of attention to the fact that there are from the brink too – securing food and set us on course to a future freshwater ecosystems and the future of the world’s rivers, lakes and wetlands: freshwater fishes and ensuring healthier 18,075 species of freshwater fishes – and jobs for hundreds of millions of where our freshwater ecosystems freshwater fishes and other species, in there will need to be trade-offs. This freshwater ecosystems will only be and how important they are to people people, safeguarding cultural icons are once again fully healthy and the new global framework on nature that will involve hard decisions, particularly achieved through collective action and nature. They have been forgotten and our favourite pets, ensuring prey teeming with freshwater fishes and will be agreed at the 2021 CBD conference in the short to medium term as involving governments, businesses, for far too long, despite swimming for threatened predators from river other wildlife. – building on the freshwater transition countries begin to implement their investors, NGOs and communities. through our cultures and feeding dolphins to fishing cats, and further outlined in the 5th Global Biodiversity economic recovery strategies from the Corporate water stewardship provides people for millennia. They might be The transition calls for rapid enhancing the health of the freshwater Outlook. But agreeing an ambitious agenda Covid-19 pandemic. We will need a an opportunity to explore partnerships out-of-sight below the surface of our measures to be implemented globally ecosystems that underpin our societies for the next decade is not enough: countries delicate balancing act to ensure that and creates a space for the private rivers, lakes and wetlands but it’s time to let rivers flow more naturally, and economies. must commit to implementing the solutions these strategies do not put us on a sector to come on board as a key to look at the critical role they play in protect and restore critical habitats that will achieve the targets they have set. path towards further loss. Countries partner to improve the health of societies, economies and ecosystems. And we don’t need to conjure up a and species, and reduce pollution We have learnt our lessons with the Paris will need to prioritize – basing their freshwater ecosystems, while financial And it’s time to factor them into all magical silver bullet or some innovative levels. It outlines the need to control Agreement, the Sustainable Development decisions on the values of their most institutions can invest in innovative development decisions about rivers, new solution. We know what works and the spread of invasive non-native Goals (SDGs) and the failure to achieve the important freshwater ecosystems, financial solutions, like bankable lakes and wetlands. what needs to be done. A blueprint has aquatic species and end overfishing, previous Aichi targets under the CBD: this including healthy freshwater fisheries, projects, that can strengthen already been developed: it’s in the 5th destructive fishing and Reversing decades of decline will be time we need more action and less talk, more and their potential contribution to resilience and generate returns. Global Biodiversity Outlook (GBO5), unsustainable sand mining. difficult, but we know what needs effort and less excuses. And remember, it is fulfilling their commitments under which was the result of a collective to be done. All the organizations And these measures really do work. possible to have global commitments that are the SDGs, CBD and the Paris effort from the conservation community, involved in this report are fully Take the example of dam removals: actually implemented; we only need to look Agreement on climate change. including parties to the Convention on ENSURING A BRIGHTER committed to ensuring a brighter since the dams on America’s Penobscot at the Montreal Protocol and how effective it Biological Diversity, other governments, But conservation organizations future for the world’s freshwater fishes river were pulled down allowing has been in protecting the ozone layer. observers and a host of global experts. also need to prioritize. To save FUTURE FOR THE because that will mean a brighter, fish to migrate up from the sea once Echoing the Emergency Recovery Implementing the new biodiversity agenda freshwater fishes, we need to rally sustainable future for people and again, river herring numbers have WORLD’S FRESHWATER Plan for freshwater biodiversity, also needs to move beyond the realm of behind the GBO’s Sustainable nature. We hope you will join us. skyrocketed from a few thousand to GBO5 outlines the pathway for a conservation. Governments must incorporate Freshwater Transition and the over 2.8 million! Or the Cambodian FISHES…WILL MEAN A sustainable freshwater transition. specific new targets into the Sustainable Emergency Recovery Plan for governments decision not to build Development Goals for freshwater fishes, freshwater biodiversity. We need BRIGHTER FUTURE This freshwater transition is a realistic mega hydropower dams on the which are almost entirely absent from the to speak with one voice so that and pragmatic one, based on measures Mekong, which will help protect vital FOR PEOPLE current 169 SDG indicators despite their governments, businesses, cities and that have already been tried and tested freshwater fisheries. Or securing obvious links to poverty (SDG1), hunger communities are clear about what in at least some rivers, lakes and international protection for Colombia’s AND NATURE. (SDG2), responsible consumption and needs to be done. And then we need to wetlands. It is a comprehensive plan entire Bita River under the Ramsar production (SDG 12), and life under water prioritize programmes and activities that moves us away from today’s ad Convention. So, what specifically (SDG14) and on land (SDG 15). This will be that help governments to achieve the hoc conservation successes towards a needs to be done? crucial if governments truly are committed new targets that they will set. to delivering the ambitious agenda. The World’s Forgotten Fishes page 44 The World’s Forgotten Fishes page 45 FOOTNOTES

1 Fricke R, Eschmeyer WN & Van der 10, Article number: 16081. hydropower, fish, and food. Regional ation). 2018. Sportfishing in America: 58 Shortland T & Tipene-Thomas J (2019) Scientific names of freshwater fishes in the report Image credits Laan R (eds). Eschmeyer’s Catalog of 11 Jézéquel C, Tedesco PA, Bigorne R et Environmental Change, Volume 17, pp an economic force for conservation. Inventory of Iwi And Hapu Eel Research. Page 8 genus Insets p10 from l to r Fishes: Genera, Species, References. al. (2020) A database of freshwater fish 2443–2453. Alexandria, VA. Fisheries New Zealand. ISBN 978-1-98- Angelfish Pterophyllum © Freshwaters Illustrated, http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/ species of the Amazon Basin. Scientific 29 Chandra R (1994). Some endangered, 46 Tweddle D, Cowx IG, Peel RA & 859449-1. Beluga sturgeon Huso huso © Michel Roggo, research/ichthyology/catalog/fishcatmain. Data, Volume 7, Issue 96. https://doi. vulnerable and rare miscellaneous fishes Weyl OLF (2015) Challenges in fisheries 59 Pochardt M, Allen JM, Hart T et al Gilded catfish Brachyplatystoma rousseauxii © Freshwaters Illustrated, asp. Electronic version accessed 3rd org/10.1038/s41597-020-0436-4. of the Ganga River System: Hilsa ilisha management in the Zambezi, one of the (2019) Environmental DNA facilitates accu- © Michel Roggo, February 2021. 12 Reis RE, Albert JS, Di Dario F, and Setipinua phasa. Barrackpore, India, great rivers of Africa. Fisheries Ecology rate, inexpensive, and multiyear population Page 13 © Jack Perks 2 The largest beluga sturgeon recorded Mincarone MM, Petry P and Rocha LA Central Inland Capture Fisheries Resource and Management, Volume 22, Issue1, estimates of millions of anadromous fish. Archerfish Toxotes Cardinal tetra Paracheirodon axelrodi was from the Volga estuary in 1827 and (2016) Fish biodiversity and conservation Institute. pp 7-11. pp99-111. Molecular Ecology Resources, Volume 20, Insets p16 from l to r Crimson spotted Melanotaenia was 7.2 m in length and weighed 1571 in South America. Journal of Fish Biolo- 30 See reference 20. 47 Pinder AC, Raghavan R & Britton Issue 2, pp 457-467. © Loraine Muse, rainbowfish duboulayi kg. From: Wood GL (1983) The Guinness gy, Volume 89, pp 12–47. 31 McIntyre PB, Reidy Liermann CA and JR (2020) From scientific obscurity to 60 Begossi A, Hanazaki N and Ramos RM © Silas Miotti / WWF-Brazil, Cuckoo catfish Synodontis multipunctatus Book of Animal Facts and Feats. Sterling 13 Nelson, JS (2006) Fishes of the World. Revenga C (2016) Linking freshwater conservation priority: Research on angler (2004) Food chain and the reason for fish Daffodil cichlid Neolamprologus pulcher © WWF-Brazil / Adriano Gambarini, Pub Co Inc. ISBN 978-0-85112-235-9. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ISBN 978-0- fishery management to global food security catch rates is the catalyst for saving the taboos among Amazonian and Atlantic For- Denison barb Sahyadria denisonii Brent Stirton / Getty Images / WWF, 3 Barthem R, Goulding M, Leite R et al. and biodiversity conservation. PNAS, hump‐backed mahseer, Tor remadevii, est fishers (Brazil). Ecological Applications, 471-25031-9. Dog-eating catfish Pangasius sanitwongsei © Wild Wonders of Europe / (2017) Goliath catfish spawning in the far 14 See reference 7 Volume 113, Issue 45, pp 12880-12885. from extinction. Aquatic Conservation: Volume 14, Issue 5, pp 1334-1343. Elephantfishes Mormyridae Laszlo Novak / WWF western Amazon confirmed by the dis- 15 Anderson JT, Saldaña Rojas JS and 32 Lynch AJ, Elliott V, Phang SC et al Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 61 The IUCN Red List of Threatened Spe- Giant catfish Pangasianodon gigas TM Insets p18 from l to r tribution of mature adults, drifting larvae Flecker AS (2009) High-quality seed dis- (2020) Inland fish and fisheries integral to Volume 30, Issue 9, pp1809-1815. cies . Version 2020-3. https://www.iucnre- Giant freshwater stingray Himanturachaophraya and migrating juveniles. Scientific Re- persal by fruit-eating fishes in Amazonian achieving the Sustainable Development 48 Yoshiyama T, Tsuboi Ji & Matsuishi dlist.org. Accessed 22nd January 2021. TM Giant barb Catlocarpio siamensis © Paul Colangelo / WWF-US, ports, Volume 7, Article number: 41784. floodplain habitats. Oecologia Volume Goals. Nature Sustainability, Volume 3, pp T (2017) Recreational fishery as a con- The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Leaffishes Polycentridae © Brent Stirton / Getty Images / https://doi.org/10.1038/srep41784 161, Issue 2, pp 279-290. 579–587. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893- servation tool for endemic Dolly Varden, is a trademark of IUCN, International Union Minnow Paedocypris progenetica WWF-UK, 4 Deinet S, Scott-Gatty K, Rotton H, 16 Opperman J, Orr S, Baleta, H, Dailey 020-0517-6. Salvelinus malma miyabei, in Lake for Conservation of Nature and Natural Siamese fighting fish Betta © Thomas Cristofoletti / WWF-UK, Twardek WM, Marconi V, McRae L, M, Garrick D, Goichot M, McCoy A, 33 47 million tonnes of which is finfish (as Shikaribetsu, Japan. Fisheries Science Resources. Spraying characin Copella arnoldi © Green Renaissance / WWF-US, Baumgartner, LJ, Brink K, Claussen © Kelsey Hartman / WWF-Greater Morgan A, Turley L and Vermeulen A opposed to crustaceans and molluscs). 83, pp171–180. https://doi.org/10.1007/ 62 Deinet, S, Scott-Gatty K, Rotton H Page 13 – Shark Box JE, Cooke SJ, Darwall W, Eriksson BK, Mekong, (2018) Valuing Rivers: How the diverse 34 See reference 20. s12562-016-1051-3. et al (2020) The Living Planet Index for Speartooth sharks Glyphis glyphis © Green Renaissance / WWF-US Garcia de Leaniz C, Hogan Z, Royte benefits of healthy rivers underpin econo- 35 FAO ( 2019) The State of the World’s 49 Lynch A, Beard D & Cox A et al migratory freshwater fish - Technical Report. Irrawaddy river shark Glyphis siamensis J, Silva LGM, Thieme ML, Tickner D, mies. WWF, Switzerland. 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Gland, Switzerland: Ramsar 36 Botorac D, Santos P, Phouvin P and Global Cross-Sectoral Conference. Eds: Global Change Biology, Volume25, Issue Birchir Polypteridae © Brady Rogers, Foundation, The Netherlands. Convention Secretariat. Guegan F (2020) Freshwater fisheries Taylor WW, Bartley DM & Goddard CI 11, pp 3883-3892. https://doi.org/10.1111/ Bowfin Amia calva © Greyson Johnson 5 He F, Zarfl C, Bremerich V, David 18 Grill G, Lehner B, Thieme M et al. conservation can increase biodiversity. et al. ISBN-13: 978-92-5-109263-7. gcb.14753. Gar Lepisosteidae JNW, Hogan Z, Kalinkat G, Tockner K, p30 from l to r (2019) Mapping the world’s free-flowing Plos One https://doi.org/10.1371/journal. 50 Clements H, Valentin S, Jenkins N, 64 See reference 17 Lampreys Petromyzontiformes Jähnig SC (2019) The global decline of rivers. Nature, Volume 569, pp 215–221. pone.0233775. Rankin J, Baker JS, Gee N, et al. (2019) 65 https://amber.international/. Lungfishes Dipnoi 1-4 © Beta Mahatvaraj, freshwater megafauna. Global Change https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1111- 37 Koning AA, Martin Perales K, The effects of interacting with fish in 66 See reference 18 Sturgeon and paddlefish Acipenseridae © Ivan Mikolji, Biology, Volume 25, Issue11, pp 3883- 9. Fluet-Chouinard E & McIntyre PB (2020) aquariums on human health and well-be- 67 IPBES (2019) Global assessment report © Max Pedley 3892. Page 22 19 European Environment Agency (2018) A network of grassroots reserves protects ing: A systematic review. PLoS ONE on biodiversity and ecosystem services Insets p36 from l to r 6 Tickner D, Opperman J, Abell R, Chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta European waters - assessment of status tropical river fish diversity. Nature, 14(7): e0220524. https://doi.org/10.1371/ of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy © Justin Jin / WWF-US, Acreman M, Arthington A, Bunn S, Hilsa Hilsa ilisha and pressures. Report No 7/2018. 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