At this rate, there will soon be no more fish in rivers and lakes: mass extinction is underway, the report

At this rate, there will soon be no more fish in rivers and lakes: mass extinction is underway, the report

A real mass extinction is affecting freshwater fish. The alarm is raised by a new report released by the WWF

He is about to end up run over, his mother saves him

A real mass extinction is hitting freshwater fish. The alarm is raised by a disturbing new report released today by WWF and 15 other organizations worldwide. The title is evocative: The World's Forgotten Fishes and confirm that a third of the species are at risk of extinction.





Freshwater fish are critical to the health, food security and livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people, but they are increasingly threatened. According to what emerged from the World's Forgotten Fishes, there is an extraordinary variety with the latest discoveries that have brought the total to 18.075 units.

Probably many of us are unaware that there are more freshwater species than saltwater in the world. This is more than half of all fish species in the world and a quarter of all vertebrate species on Earth. Of these, around 11.000 migrate at some point in their life. But there is still a lot to know about these creatures.

However, two things appear certain: populations of freshwater fish are healthy of fundamental importance to people and nature but they are facing one unprecedented crisis.

An important heritage of biodiversity, essential for the health of the world's rivers, lakes and wetlands. Unfortunately, freshwater fish continue to be underestimated and neglected and thousands of species are facing extinction. According to the analysis, freshwater biodiversity is decreasing at twice the rate of oceans and forests. The numbers speak for themselves: over 80 species of freshwater fish have already been declared extinct by the IUCN, of which 16 in 2020 alone.

As if that weren't enough, migratory populations have experienced a drastic 76% decline since 1970 and larger species have dropped by as much as 94% compared to 50 years ago.

The causes of the decline

According to the report, unfortunately the causes there are many and this combination is devastating for freshwater ecosystems and consequently for fish. It goes from habitat destruction due to the construction of hydroelectric dams on free-flowing rivers, from abstraction of water for irrigation to domestic, agricultural and industrial pollution.



Additionally, freshwater fish are at hip risk due to overfishing and destructive fishing practices, the introduction of invasive non-native species, and the impacts of climate change. Illegal fishing also completes the picture. For example, that linked to caviar is one of the main reasons why sturgeons are one of the most endangered animal families in the world, while European eels, at risk of extinction, are the busiest animal.

"Nowhere is the crisis of nature in the world more acute than in our rivers, lakes and wetlands, and the clearest indicator of the damage we are doing is the rapid decline in freshwater fish populations," he said. Stuart Orr, WWF Global Head of Freshwater. "Despite their importance to local communities and indigenous peoples around the world, freshwater fish are invariably forgotten and not taken into account in development decisions about hydroelectric dams or water use or construction. of floodplains. They are important for the health of people and the ecosystems on which all people and all life on earth depend. It's time we remember it. "

The survival of some populations is at risk

Freshwater fishing is the main source of protein for 200 million people living in Asia, Africa and South America. It is also a source of income and guarantees the livelihoods of 60 million people.

In addition to the threats, the dossier also identified a number of solutions to safeguard fish, starting with an ambitious and actionable global biodiversity agreement at the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) conference in Kunming, China.


“The good news is that we know what needs to be done to safeguard freshwater fish. Securing a New Deal for the world's freshwater ecosystems will bring life back to our dying rivers, lakes and wetlands. It will also bring freshwater fish species back from the brink, ensuring food and jobs for hundreds of millions of people, safeguarding cultural icons, increasing biodiversity and improving the health of the freshwater ecosystems that underpin our well-being and prosperity “, concluded Orr. "What we need now is to recognize the value of freshwater fish and fisheries, and for governments to commit to new goals and solutions, as well as prioritizing freshwater ecosystems in need of protection and restoration. ".


But we need to act quickly before this precious ecosystem is completely destroyed.

To read the report click here

Sources of reference: WWF, WWF

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