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One of the World’s ‘Most Wanted’ Lost Fish Is Rediscovered – Yale Environment
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August 25th 2026
SHOAL in the News
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Author: Michael Edmondstone
Michael is Shoal's communications & engagement lead.
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Local knowledge guides rediscovery of spinach pipefish, not seen in four decades – Mongabay
Post Overview
August 25th 2026
SHOAL in the News
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FOUND: ‘Lost Fish’ Spinach Pipefish rediscovered after more than four decades
The Spinach Pipefish is one of SHOAL’s Top 10 Most Wanted Lost Fishes
After more than four decades missing from scientific records, one of the world’s most wanted lost freshwater fishes has been rediscovered in Papua New Guinea’s Sepik River.
The Spinach Pipefish (Microphis spinachioides) is a small, slender relative of seahorses, known only from the Sepik River system. It had not been scientifically recorded since surveys in the 1980s, and so little was known about it that it was impossible to know if it still existed without searching its range in one of the great river systems of the Asia-Pacific.
The Sepik runs for more than 1,100 kilometres through northern Papua New Guinea, feeding a vast landscape of tributaries, floodplain lakes, forests and wetlands. Much of it remains free-flowing and intact, and it supports an extraordinary freshwater biodiversity, along with the communities whose lives are intertwined with the river.
In June, researchers Jerrica Agebigo and Roger Maikei of the New Guinea Binatang Research Centre set out across the Lower Sepik in search of the missing fish. Over two weeks, the team travelled by motorised canoe between communities along the Sepik and some of its tributaries, the Porapora, Keram and Yuat rivers. They spoke with local communities, surveyed the river, and visited markets to examine fish catches.
Fishers, village elders, market vendors and other community members were shown images of pipefishes and asked what they knew about them: where they had seen them, how frequently, what habitats they associated them with, and the words they called them by.
“Working in the Sepik River is both challenging and unforgettable,” Agebigo told SHOAL. “The river is immense, surrounded by vast floodplains, forests and wetlands that support extraordinary biodiversity. Travel is almost entirely by motorised boat or canoe, often taking many hours between villages. Every community welcomed us warmly and shared remarkable knowledge about their river. It is a place where scientific research depends heavily on collaboration with local people.”
Through the researchers’ community engagement, a picture emerged of communities recognising the fish and having their own names for it, including Karuweng, Inap, Karuwena and Sako. Community members reported the fish occurring in parts of the Lower Sepik, particularly around vegetated river margins and tributary junctions.
The breakthrough came at Imbando Village, where the team met Helen Asu. Asu fishes for freshwater prawns in the Sepik’s densely vegetated margins, using an umben, a traditional handheld net used to scoop prawns and other small aquatic animals from the river.
She recognised the species from the images shown her, and agreed to look out for it when she was next in the river.
The following morning, Asu called the researchers. Among her catch were two long, slender pipefishes that looked a lot like the species she had been shown.
Detailed photos were shared with Gerald Allen, an Australian ichthyologist who, along with David Coates, surveyed the Sepik and confirmed the Spinach Pipefish’s continued existence there in the 1980s. Allen verified that the fish Asu caught were the species the researchers had travelled to find.
Asu’s input was key to the rediscovery. Agebigo said of her, “Without her knowledge, initiative, and willingness to assist, the rediscovery may not have been possible”.
For SHOAL, the rediscovery marks another major milestone for the Search for the Lost Fishes.
When SHOAL and Re:wild launched the Search for Lost Fishes initiative in 2021, the Spinach Pipefish was named among the original Top 10 Most Wanted Lost Fishes (a ‘lost’ species, is one that hasn’t been formally recorded to science in over a decade, but which hasn’t been declared Extinct). It has now become the third of that list to have been rediscovered, following the rediscoveries of the Batman River Loach in 2021, and the Leopard Barbel in 2024.
“The rediscovery of the Spinach Pipefish is exactly why SHOAL launched the Lost Fishes initiative,” says Mike Baltzer, Executive Director of SHOAL, “to shine a spotlight on remarkable freshwater species that have slipped from scientific view before it’s too late.”
“Every rediscovery reminds us that there is still hope, but it also highlights how much we still don’t know about the world’s freshwater biodiversity and how urgently these ecosystems need greater protection. This success shows what can be achieved when local knowledge, scientific expertise and conservation organisations work together towards a common goal.”
Researchers now need to understand how widely the species survives across the Sepik, how large its populations are, and what it needs to thrive. Communities interviewed during the expedition reported declines in native fishes and growing pressures from sedimentation, logging, mining, habitat disturbance and introduced species. Protecting the Spinach Pipefish means understanding how those changes are affecting the river habitats on which the species depend.
For now, though, a fish absent from scientific records for more than 40 years is ‘lost’ to science no longer. And its rediscovery came because of the communities who know the Sepik best were central to the research team’s strategy.
The survey was carried out by the New Guinea Binatang Research Centre with support from SHOAL and funding from The Rufford Foundation.
Post Overview
August 24th 2026
Deep Dives, Lost Fishes
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Save Denise’s Friends update
Denison's Barb habitat, Western Ghats © SHOAL
Save Denise’s Friends update:
What your support has helped achieve for the Denison’s Barb
When people support SHOAL, they’re helping local conservationists build the relationships and knowledge needed to protect entire freshwater ecosystems.
In India’s Western Ghats, that’s exactly what has been happening through our partnership with Zoo Outreach Organisation (Zooreach), where work to conserve the Denison’s Barb, listed by IUCN as Endangered and known affectionately as “Denise”, has continued to gather momentum.
Found only in a handful of rivers in Kerala and Karnataka, the Denison’s Barb has become one of India’s best-known freshwater fishes thanks to its popularity in the aquarium trade. Yet habitat degradation, pollution, destructive fishing practices and unsustainable collection from the wild have all contributed to its decline.
Over the past year, Zooreach has been working with local communities to understand where Denise still survives, and whether there is support for protecting the rivers she depends on.
The team visited 59 locations across 56 villages, speaking with 152 community members living alongside four river systems. Conversations explored people’s relationships with their rivers, the changes they had witnessed, and whether they would be willing to become involved in conservation.
The findings were encouraging. Around two-thirds of those surveyed recognised Denison’s Barb, with half having seen one themselves. During fieldwork, the team discovered a healthy shoal of around 40-50 Denison’s Barbs in one tributary – one of the largest groups encountered during the surveys. Many local residents were unaware the fish were there, underlining both how easily these populations can go unnoticed and why careful surveys are so important for guiding future conservation.
The surveys highlighted where future conservation efforts are most likely to succeed. Several communities expressed keenness to work together to protect their rivers, and two promising locations have now been identified as potential community-led conservation sites.
The team also encountered encouraging examples of local stewardship already underway, including communities helping to protect the nesting sites of the Critically Endangered Asian Giant Softshell Turtle. Building on that existing commitment gives hope that community-led conservation for Denise and her freshwater neighbours can flourish too.
The conversations revealed the value of local ecological knowledge. Residents described the subtleties in how Denise swims through different parts of the rivers at different times of year and recalled how river conditions have changed throughout their lifetimes. People spoke of deep pools in the rivers disappearing, river flows changing, fish diversity declining, and habitats being altered by dams, floods and sand deposition. Communities consistently identified flooding, overfishing, landslides, dams and destructive fishing methods as major threats to their rivers. Many also reported that wild collection for the aquarium trade continued until at least 2024.
These observations are helping Zooreach identify where conservation action is most urgently needed.
Sanjay Molur, Executive Director of Zooreach, said, “The community connection with the rivers varies throughout Denise’s range, with support for conservation fluctuating. However, increasing trends in positive attitude shift is perceptible, laying the foundations for the conservation effort. Our studies indicate that the time is right in pursuing a community led conservation action for Denise and her friends in at least two river stretches, and the need for financial support is now critical to build on the trust and positive attitudes of those communities.”
Alongside this research, Zooreach has been helping a new generation discover the remarkable wildlife living beneath the surface of their local rivers.
At the heart of this work is the Denise and Friends education programme. Rather than focusing solely on Denison’s Barb, the programme introduces children to an entire freshwater community. A five-foot illustrated river becomes the classroom, gradually populated with otters, kingfishers, dragonflies, freshwater fishes and many other species through games, storytelling, stickers and activities. As the river comes to life, students also explore the threats facing these ecosystems and the practical actions they can take to help protect them.
The materials have been produced in both English and Malayalam, making them accessible to schools across the region.
One of the biggest milestones this year was the first Train the Trainers workshop in Kasaragod. Twenty-five teachers and community leaders from 12 schools learned how to deliver the Denise and Friends programme themselves, before returning home with classroom kits containing manuals, a DIY tunnel book, activity packs and posters. The workshop also brought on-ground researchers and the community engaging with one another. By equipping local educators rather than relying on one-off events, the project can continue reaching many more young people long after the workshop has ended.
Payal Molur, a wildlife education specialist who works with Zooreach, said, “The best part of the training the trainers workshops is watching the teachers have their eureka moment. This was evident when they assembled Denise’s living river map, see it come to life and then watch all their hard work get covered by threats and then were able to relate this to what was happening on the ground.”
There is still plenty to do. Building community-led conservation areas takes time, trust and local leadership. But thanks to the generosity of SHOAL supporters, the foundations are now firmly in place. Communities have been engaged, promising conservation sites have been identified, teachers have been equipped with creative educational resources, and hundreds more children are now beginning to see their rivers not simply as waterways, but as homes for extraordinary wildlife worth protecting.
Every conversation, classroom session and community meeting brings Denise, and the many freshwater species that share her rivers, one step closer to a more secure future.
Train the Trainers workshop attendee feedback:
“The camp helped us to improve our knowledge about fishes especially Miss Kerala [Denise] and realise how important it is for each of us to protect our rivers and fish. The group members felt like family and the experience was truly special. We will do our best to create awareness among our students and engage them in related activities and share feedback as well.”
“It was a wonderful experience for me to attend this three-day camp. Before attending, I had never heard of this fish or realised its importance. The entire programme helped me truly understand nature and its significance. The activities and methodology were comprehensive, making it very easy to understand the message you wanted to impart. I am incredibly thankful to the entire Zoo Outreach team for organising the ‘Denise and Friends’ workshop.”
Post Overview
July 29th 2026
Save Denise's Friends, Stories
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More than 300 freshwater species described in 2025 – Mongabay
Rainbow Killi (Nothobranchius iridescens
Post Overview
March 16th 2026
SHOAL in the News
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“Like an ‘aircraft’ hovering in the middle of the water.” – BBC Wildlife
Yangs Plataeu Loach
Post Overview
March 16th 2026
SHOAL in the News
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Joint Statement on Managing Invasive Alien Species in Freshwater
Participants at the Managing Invasive Alien Species in Freshwater Ecosystems session at World Conservation Congress 2025 © Anastasia Rodopoulou
Joint Statement on Managing Invasive Alien Species in Freshwater Ecosystems
Joint Statement on Managing Invasive Alien Species in Freshwaters
(Issued by Freshwater Life, International Rivers, the IUCN Species Survival Commission Invasive Species Specialist Group, the Office Français de la Biodiversité, SHOAL, and TARSIUS).
Abu Dhabi, October 2025
At the 2025 IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi, representatives from six leading organisations – Freshwater Life, International Rivers, the IUCN Species Survival Commission Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG), the Office Français de la Biodiversité (OFB), SHOAL, and TARSIUS – convened for a session titled “Achieving conservation and socio-economic benefits from managing Invasive Alien Species (IAS) in freshwater ecosystems.”
The session brought together experts and practitioners from around the world to share their experiences addressing one of the fastest-growing threats to freshwater biodiversity. Speakers Muhammad Iqram (TARSIUS), Gregg Howald (Freshwater Life), Victoria Lichtschein (IUCN Argentine Committee), Joshua Klemm (International Rivers), and Guillaume Gigot (OFB), with an introduction from Piero Genovesi (ISSG and ISPRA) and moderation by Kevin Smith and Ana Nunes from the IUCN Secretariat, presented case studies and lessons learned from Invasive Alien Species (IAS) prevention and management efforts.
Freshwater ecosystems are among the most threatened on the planet, and IAS are a key driver of biodiversity loss, contributing to 55% of all freshwater species extinctions. The IUCN’s recent report “IUCN World Heritage Outlook 4” highlights how IAS continue to largely imperil natural World Heritage Sites. The recent IPBES thematic assessment report on IAS and their control also showed their impacts on freshwater’s contributions to people, in particular to fisheries and water quality.
In light of these challenges, our organisations commit to strengthening cooperation and applying science-based, locally-grounded solutions that protect and restore freshwater ecosystems impacted by IAS, and the communities that care for and depend on them. We recognise that effective responses require integrated management, long-term monitoring, and active participation of the communities who depend on these waters for their livelihoods and cultural identity. Through our individual and collective efforts, we aim to directly support the implementation of Target 6 on IAS of the Global Biodiversity Framework, and contribute to achieving the ambitions of the global Freshwater Challenge, restoring 300,000 km of degraded rivers and 350 million hectares of wetlands by 2030.
Our Joint Commitments
- Prevention First:
Preventing the introduction of IAS is the most effective and cost-efficient form of management. We commit to advocating for stronger biosecurity measures, risk assessments, and public awareness initiatives to stop IAS before they enter freshwater systems. - Restoration Where Possible:
In systems already affected by IAS, effective and science-based management can yield major social-ecological benefits. This was shown at the IUCN Congress event by evidence from two Whitley Award winning successful interventions. In Argentina, the Fundación Somuncura and Freshwater Life completely removed invasive fish from a section of the Valcheta Stream, increasing the populations of the Critically Endangered Naked Characin, El Rincon Stream Frog, and two species of snail by 15% and growing. This demonstrates that targeted removal and ecosystem restoration are achievable in freshwater systems when carefully designed and supported. In Cameroon, the African Marine Conservation organisation (AMCO) has restored lake Ossa from the invasive Salvinia molesta using biological control by a natural predator, the Salvinia Weevil that feeds specifically on the salvinia plant.The drastic reduction of salvinia in the lake led to the restoration of the fishing activities and the return of the manatee population. - Community-Led Action:
Sustainable impact depends on local leadership. Our organisations jointly commit to ensuring Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities are at the forefront of IAS prevention, management, and restoration projects, from design to delivery, ensuring that conservation success aligns with community wellbeing, traditional knowledge, and long-term stewardship.
Quotes from Participants
- Piero Genovesi, IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group: “The new IUCN programme commits IUCN as a Union to scale up its work on Invasive Alien Species, and the Invasive Species Specialist Group that I chair is ready to provide scientific support for this aim. The presentations and discussions held at the IUCN Congress demonstrate how action in freshwater systems is essential but also feasible.”
- Graden Froese, Freshwater Life: “Too often, freshwater invasive species can feel like an overwhelming problem. But invasive species can be dealt with, and even permanently removed, from many rivers and lakes. The results, for people and nature, are spectacular. This gathering, the first of its kind at the IUCN’s World Conservation Congress, reminded and energised us around the importance of action.”
- Victoria Lichtschein, IUCN Argentine Committee: “For me the session at the World Conservation Congress was very significant and provided hope that the problem can be dealt with successfully.”
- Guillaume Gigot, OFB: “This session was an excellent demonstration of a collective and reasoned approach, where everyone is heard and each situation is considered carefully. This is typical of IUCN’s expertise, which is essential for addressing the challenges of IAS in freshwater environments: consolidating networks and building shared strategies to influence public policy.”
- Michael Edmondstone, SHOAL: “Invasive Alien Species are accelerating the decline of already vulnerable freshwater species and ecosystems, yet this session showed that when local leadership and global expertise come together, real recovery is possible. At SHOAL, we’re committed to working alongside our partners to scale the prevention and restoration efforts needed to protect rivers and wetlands, and the communities that depend on them.”
- Arely Ramírez García, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, México: “The reintroduction of fish species once lost from the wild, such as Zoogoneticus tequila and Skiffia francesae, demonstrates that ecological restoration is achievable when scientific resolve, community engagement, and collective action come together.”
- Tania Romero Bautista, Florida International University (FIU), Tropical Rivers Lab: “I was delighted to participate in this session at IUCN and to learn about community-led projects on how freshwater ecosystems and different species can be sustained through citizen science as well as integrative conservation and policy mechanisms in local and within transboundary areas. As I reflect on my work in freshwater ecosystems in the Peruvian Amazon, this was an opportunity to reimagine new possibilities for such efforts in the Amazon basin.”
For further information, please contact:
Guillaume Gigot (OFB), guillaume.gigot@ofb.gouv.fr
Graden Froese (Freshwater Life), froese@fwlife.org
Michael Edmondstone (SHOAL), m.edmondstone@shoal.org
Piero Genovesi (ISSG and ISPRA), piero.genovesi@isprambiente.it
Victoria Lichtschein (IUCN Argentine Committee), victoria.lich@gmail.com
Muhammad Iqram (TARSIUS), iqrambio2011@gmail.com
Joshua Klemm (International Rivers), jklemm@internationalrivers.org
Arely Ramírez García (UMSNH), arelyr@umich.mx
Andrew Cox (4nature), andrew@4nature.org
Tania Romero Bautista (Florida International University, Tropical Rivers Lab), trome013@fiu.edu
Aristide Takoukam Kamla (AMCO), akamla@ammco.org
Pubudini Anuradhi (Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology), pubu.anu@gmail.com
Post Overview
December 22nd 2025
Stories, Story
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Tiny Fishes: the miniature marvels that slip through the net
They’re so small, they’d fit on your fingertip. 
And yet tiny fishes are big players in ensuring freshwater ecosystems are healthy: they recycle nutrients and act as essential bioindicators.
They are incredibly diverse, frequently restricted to ranges that match their tiny size, and often sit right at the heart of the ecosystems they inhabit. What makes them so essential is their place in the food web. Small fishes convert algae, plankton, detritus and small invertebrates into energy that supports everything above them. Take them away and you remove the foundation that larger fishes, birds, reptiles, amphibians and mammals rely on.
Yet they are doubly neglected; firstly, by being in a species group that has historically received very little attention, and secondly by being often overlooked even within that overlooked and underfunded group.
SHOAL’s new report Tiny Fishes: the miniature marvels that slip through the net celebrates these fintastic little fishes. It shines a light on species that have been sidelined, even within a conservation sector already fighting for attention, and celebrates them in their small, surprisingly complex glory. It’s about showing their conservation is desperately needed. And that conservation action would be highly effective if it received the resources it needs. As well as a celebration, Tiny Fishes is a plea for targeted conservation action for some of the world’s most threatened species, that also happen to be among the most cost effective to save. 
This report will place tiny fishes firmly in the conservation conversation. By documenting their ecological roles, threats, adaptations and cultural connections, it aims to ensure these species are not lost simply because they are small. Tiny fishes aren’t likely to dominate the headlines. But they matter. Paying attention to them isn’t a niche concern: it’s essential if we’re serious about reversing the decline of freshwater biodiversity.
Dive into the world of Tiny Fishes here!
A call to action
Tiny fishes have swam under the radar, and not just because they compete for attention with larger, more familiar or more charismatic species. A two-centimetre fish can quite literally slip through the net, and as such, our conservation attention.
There are 295 fishes under 40 mm on SHOAL’s Priority Fishes list. Of those:
- 94 are Critically Endangered
- 142 are Endangered
- 2 are Extinct in the Wild
- 57 are Vulnerable
Most of them do not have any conservation action in place.
To accompany our Tiny Fishes Report, SHOAL is calling for action for tiny fishes across the globe. If you’re working on, or would like to work on a tiny fish, we would love to hear from you.
Fortunately, one of the tiny fishes featured in our report, the Critically Endangered Coral Red Pencilfish (Nannostomus mortenthaleri), is already the focus of a conservation project led by Amazon Research Center for Ornamental Fishes (ARCOF). This initiative integrates science-based conservation, national policy engagement, and community-driven livelihood solutions. However, the project urgently needs support. The details of the project can be found here.
images: top – Indonesian Superdwarf Fish, Paedocyprus progenetica © Lukas Rüber // bottom – Trichonis Dwarf Goby, Economidichthys trichonis © Jörg Freyhof
Post Overview
December 18th 2025
Report, SHOAL, Stories
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The Mystery of the Vanished Catfish – Nautilus
Post Overview
November 13th 2025
SHOAL in the News
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SHOAL at the IUCN World Conservation Congress
SHOAL’s Grace Brady and Georgie Bull at the SHOAL booth. © SHOAL
1000 Fishes gathers support in Abu Dhabi.
The 2025 IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi, 9-15 October, brought together thousands of people working to protect the planet’s biodiversity. For SHOAL, the Congress was an opportunity not only to reconnect with partners and friends from across the world and help shape global conservation policy, but also to gather fresh support for how the 1000 Fishes initiative can help turn back the clock on freshwater extinctions.
This year, SHOAL took part in six sessions across the Congress programme, each addressing critical gaps in freshwater conservation. Three were Forum sessions, which featured in depth discussions, and three were Exhibition sessions, where SHOAL and partners discussed their projects and programmes in various pavilions in the Exhibition Hall.
Forum sessions:
- Achieving Conservation and Socio-economic Benefits from Managing Invasive Alien Species (IAS) in Freshwater Ecosystems
- Global Mechanisms for the Conservation of Overlooked Species
- Overlooked Yet Essential: Advancing the Recognition and Conservation of Springs for Biodiversity and Society
Exhibition sessions:
- Innovative Actions for Effective and Resilient Freshwater Connectivity and Conservation
- Saving ASAP Fishes: A Radically Collaborative Approach
- Transforming Biodiversity Conservation Beyond Protected Areas – OECMs in Asia to Advance KM-GBF Target 3
While each session offered valuable insights, the Forum sessions presented the best opportunity for audience collaboration and rich level of detail. Each of the three provided valuable insights for freshwater biodiversity conservation, and highlighted the growing partnerships and momentum behind SHOAL’s 1000 Fishes initiative.
Achieving Conservation and Socio-economic Benefits from Managing Invasive Alien Species (IAS) in Freshwater Ecosystems
In collaboration with Freshwater Life, International Rivers, the IUCN Species Survival Commission, Office Français de la Biodiversité (OFB), and TARSIUS, SHOAL co-hosted this session, which culminated in a joint statement committing all six organisations to stronger cooperation on invasive species management.
The speakers, including Muhammad Iqram (TARSIUS), Gregg Howald (Freshwater Life), Victoria Lichtshein (IUCN SSC), Joshua Klemm (International Rivers), and Guillaume Gigot (OFB), presented evidence that prevention is the most effective and cost-efficient approach. But they also shared success stories showing that, where invasives have already taken hold, targeted, science-based management can bring ecosystems back to life.
Fundación Somuncura and Freshwater Life’s restoration in Patagonia, which completely removed invasive fish from a section of the Valcheta Stream, causing the dramatic recovery of the Naked Characin (Gymnocharacinus bergii) and Valcheta Stream Frog (Atelognathus rivularis), was highlighted as a leading example. 
Graden Froese, CEO of Freshwater Life, said, “Too often, freshwater invasive species can feel like an overwhelming problem. But invasive species can be dealt with, and even permanently removed, from many rivers and lakes. The results, for people and nature, are spectacular. This gathering, the first of its kind at the IUCN’s world conservation congress, reminded and energized us around the importance of action.”
Dileri Berdeja, conservation consultant from Berde Environmental Consulting, who was instrumental in pulling this session together, said, “This session went beyond ecological concerns, emphasising how invasive species intersect with the socio-cultural and economic dimensions of local communities. Managing these species is essential not only for protecting biodiversity but also for safeguarding the livelihoods that depend on healthy freshwater systems. Witnessing collaboration among leading organisations and experts was both inspiring and a much-needed step toward stronger, coordinated global action.”
Global Mechanisms for the Conservation of Overlooked Species
Hosted by Synchronicity Earth and partners including Amphibian Survival Alliance, IUCN Asian Species Action Partnership (ASAP), Mandai Nature, and SHOAL, this session explored how new global frameworks can raise the profile of species often left behind by mainstream conservation, from freshwater fishes to invertebrates and plants. It set the tone for a broader movement recognising that small, data-deficient, and non-charismatic species are every bit as vital to ecosystems as their larger counterparts.
SHOAL highlighted how the 1,000 Fishes Blueprint and its network of Priority Fishes already provide a practical model for identifying and investing in overlooked freshwater species. Participants agreed that better funding mechanisms, stronger coordination, and policy recognition are essential to scaling up this work.
Mike Baltzer, Executive Director of SHOAL, said, “This session fizzed with energy and actionable discussion for how we can together make a huge difference to overlooked freshwater biodiversity. We heard about many new mechanisms and solutions underpinned by a determination for change. This included many visionary funders and host organisations happy to take on the challenge to mobilise action to save these neglected species. Next step is to engage more funders and organisations”.
Overlooked Yet Essential: Advancing the Recognition and Conservation of Springs for Biodiversity and Society
Springs, the literal sources of many rivers, received rare attention in this session, which SHOAL co-organised with Re:wild, the International Water Management Institute, the Springs Stewardship Institute, Saint Louis Zoo, and the IUCN Species Survival Commission. It called for global recognition of springs as unique freshwater ecosystems, vital both to biodiversity and to the human communities that depend on them.
The discussion built momentum behind Motion 016 Springs under threat: Mobilising urgent action for neglected freshwater ecosystems, one of two SHOAL-proposed motions at the Congress, both of which were approved and elevated to IUCN Resolutions.
Joseph Holway, Assistant Director at the Springs Stewardship Institute (SSI), said, “At SSI, we have been actively studying and protecting springs for the past four decades, yet their significance has too often fallen on deaf ears. That is why it fills me with hope to see a room full of scientists and conservationists dedicating their time and energy to these systems, these tiny focal points in the landscape that collectively weave together the fabric of biodiversity itself. Without springs, we would have only a fraction of the perennial rivers, wetlands, and ecosystems that sustain life across the planet. It is time that springs receive the attention they deserve as the lifeblood upon which both freshwater and terrestrial biodiversity depend.”
Chouly Ou, Freshwater Fish Conservation Coordinator of SHOAL/Re:wild, addded, “This session provided a much-needed platform for spring experts to meet in person, exchange knowledge, and identify concrete steps to move from motion to action. We discussed the roadmap for protecting springs, the establishment of the IUCN Springs Task Force, and the creation of a Global Springs Alliance. These are essential steps following the adoption of the motion as an official IUCN resolution, and this session marked an important milestone in turning the resolution into coordinated global action”.
Exhibition sessions
Throughout the Exibition sessions, SHOAL and partners highlighted many of the challenges and successes they have been involved in through their work to protect freshwater biodiversity, such as the efficacy of using Other Effective Conservation Measures (OECMS) to solve many freshwater conservation needs, and case studies highlighting how being innovative can help safeguard river connectivity and protect habitats that are highly important for local communities.
Jessica Judith Grefa Huatatoca, a biologist and Indigenous Kichwa woman from Santa Clara, Ecuador, who works with Piatua Resiste to protect the Piatua River and the cultural heritage of the Kichwa people, and who was a panellist in the Innovative Actions for Effective and Resilient Freshwater Connectivity and Conservation session offered some profound words about connectivity: “In the Kichwa tradition, humans are aquatic beings; we don’t say we learn to walk, but that we learn to swim. We are one interconnected, flowing system”.
Motions and Policy Wins
SHOAL closely followed 15 motions relevant to freshwater conservation. Each was approved, meaning these issues now become formal IUCN policy. Three were debated and adopted in the Members’ Assembly:
- Motion 067: Living in harmony with rivers through the rights of nature and ecocentric law
- Motion 094: Recognising the importance of Indigenous languages, knowledge and cultural heritage in biodiversity conservation
- Motion 108: Development of IUCN guidelines to effectively control the commercial pet trade in terrestrial wildlife
Each adopted Resolution, guides IUCN’s future actions and influences global policy, funding, and awareness.
Growing the SHOAL
Beyond the sessions, SHOAL’s exhibition booth drew crowds with an interactive fishing game, where visitors could win Priority Fishes posters and learn about the species and people behind them. It proved a fantastic way to spark conversations about freshwater life and the global network working to protect it.
The Congress also marked the first time the entire six-member SHOAL team gathered in person. For a team that works across continents, this made the week especially memorable.
In Abu Dhabi, freshwater voices were loud, united, and full of momentum, showing how much hunger and ambition there is among the wider SHOAL partnership to ensure the 1000 Fishes initiative will succeed. SHOAL leaves the Congress energised and inspired to build on the productive conversations that were had and connections that were made.
Post Overview
October 23rd 2025
1000 Fishes, Stories, Story, Trips
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