Killifish: Surviving in an Elephant’s Footprint

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Killifish: Surviving in an Elephant’s Footprint

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Clown Killifish Epiplatys annulatus (c) Carnat Joel

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by Andy Patel

Killifish are a group of unusually small and colourful fish that have evolved particularly robust egg casings. These casings prevent the embryos from drying out and some species survive for months, even years in dry mud. This has allowed killifish to colonise and survive in the smallest temporary pools, even in an elephant’s footprint. The sudden appearance of fish in fresh puddles has given rise to the phrase ‘It rains fishes’.

Because the pools may only be wet for a short time, some species can grow and mature extremely rapidly. The turquoise killifish (Nothobranchius furzeri) is capable of completing its lifecycle within 14 days of hatching. This remarkable factor has led to the species being used in research on ageing.

From a conservation point of view, it is easy to see that temporary water bodies can be particularly vulnerable to human disturbance and many species are under threat. Aquarists have collected and kept killifish for many years and pay particular attention to keeping records of where they were originally collected. By doing this and exchanging eggs between themselves they help ensure their survival in case of habitat destruction. The British Killifish Association (https://killis.org.uk/wp/) is one such group of aquarists who are hoping to co-ordinate their conservation efforts within Shoal.

Some may well ask how it is possible to keep wild fish and support conservation. It’s a fair question and one that deserves an answer. Many of the currently described killifish species are only known to science because of aquarists, who have travelled out to remote locations to collect them. Without knowing that a species exists it is not possible to conserve it and aquarists have contributed extensively to the scientific knowledge about these beautiful fish. They often return to those same areas in subsequent years to monitor how the habitats are coping. Aquarists also support many individual conservation projects in particular areas.

As we now know the effectiveness of such small projects can be limited, but collectively we can still make a difference. So, we are looking to increase awareness of conservation within the fishkeeping hobby to make it more sustainable and help ensure the survival of many of the over 1,000 killifish species in existence. Conservation and restoration of habitats is crucial, but where this isn’t immediately possible Killifish Associations hope that they can at least preserve captive populations so that future re-stocking is at least possible. Co-ordinating that effort with scientists, conservation organisations and public aquaria can help raise the profile of these small fish species.

Killifish are little gems found across much of Africa, The Americas and even southern Europe and Asia. They are deserving of our protection, as much as land animals.

To get an idea of how colourful they are, why not visit these two excellent sites:

https://www.itrainsfishes.net/content and https://www.itrainsfishes.net/content/. Run by people who collect, document and even describe new species. It’s a fascinating world, and another astonishing part of the Shoal.

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In 1993 enthusiasts from the British and American Killifish Associations ventured into a muddy pool in Tanzania to see whether any new species may be lurking under the thick grass. They found an undescribed Nothobranchius species’.

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‘Twenty one years after entering the hobby the beautiful fish is finally named, after study by ‘citizen scientists’, as Nothobranchius sagittae. Finally recognised by the scientific world as a species it is evaluated by the IUCN in 2016 as endangered.

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shoalstaging

November 7th 2019

Aquarists, Conservation, Feature, Fish, Guest Author, Newsletter

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The Search for Spawning Sturgeon

Sturgeon (c) Biodiversity Heritage Library

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Searching for Spawning Sturgeon

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(c) Biodiversity Heritage Library

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by Matthew Spencer

In 2017 I was fortunate enough to intern on a project that focused on protecting six critically endangered sturgeon species that have their last refuge in the Rioni River in Georgia, which unlike the Danube and Garonne rivers, had no sturgeon conservation programme.

Following drastic habitat loss, recent surveys show that the Rioni supports the world’s only population of Colchic sturgeon (Acipenser [persicus] colchicus), and some of the last populations of five other species. All species are Endangered or Critically Endangered, and populations are rapidly decreasing (>50% per generation) due to fishing, illegal trade and reduced spawning habitat with just 16% of the historic spawning area remaining!

The internship opportunity, and hosting in Georgia, was kindly supported by Fauna and Flora International (FFI) a leading environmental organisation that focuses on protecting biodiversity across the globe whilst supporting local, sustainable livelihoods. Through working with the government, WWF Caucasus and a range of local stakeholders including local fishers, the project aimed to reduce the poaching and illegal trade in sturgeon products on local markets and to address the further loss of spawning habitat.

This project was one of personal interest, as someone who grew up the coast and had a small fish tank as a child, I have always wanted to work in conservation with fish; in particular working out effective ways, at a local level to help protect species and their habitats. With relatively limited exposure to the UK, Georgia is a country that is as mysterious as it is stunning, with the opportunity to work abroad and learn a new culture making it such an attractive opportunity.

Prior to heading out to Georgia, I spent several weeks spent in FFI’s Cambridge office working out river access points. As maps and information on the Rioni River were sparse, it was important to work out a lot of the detail prior to departure so as to best utilise my time in the field. The nature of Georgia’s turbulent recent past meant that information was either hard to come by or extremely disjointed. One of the key aims of this internship was to fill in some of the knowledge gaps and help develop the foundations to further monitoring activities.

Upon touching down we headed west to the mouth of the Rioni River, at a city called Poti on the eastern shore of the Black Sea and next to the Kolkheti National Park. Over the next few weeks we visited sites along the river and interviewed local fishermen where possible. In keeping with findings from across the world’s river basins, local fishermen had noticed a dramatic decline in the abundance and size of large fish species. What was also notable was that the older the fishermen that was interviewed the greater the loss appeared, particularly the plight of local sturgeon populations. Few of the fishermen below 50 had even seen a sturgeon being caught from the river and sadly many of the fishermen stated that poaching was still a serious problem.

The time spent in Georgia helped to develop a working knowledge and local network base for the area which has contributed to the conservation of sturgeon, in particular in combatting poaching and illegal trade. Most importantly, the work that I was fortunate enough to be a part of led to the first baseline study for sturgeon being conducted. Until recently, very little was known about the status of this particular sturgeon population compared to those in the Danube and Garonne rivers, with there was uncertainty about whether these fish were even still reproducing in the Rioni at all.

I can excitedly tell you that the results from all the hard work FFI is doing is showing that juvenile sturgeon have been found, indicating that sturgeon are still spawning in the Rioni. This is fantastic news and highlights the resilience of ecosystems under extreme pressure but also serves as a warning. Sturgeon, one of the largest fish species on the planet, an animal that has existed for millions of years is surviving…. but barely.

I would urge anyone who reads this to support Shoal, FFI, and WWF with their freshwater conservation projects. Iconic and lesser known species are in decline across the globe and every effort must be made to ensure that these majestic fish can continue to spawn and in turn inspire the next generation.

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The Rioni River, Georgia (c) Matt Spencer

The FFI team conducting surveys on the Rioni River, one of the last locations in Europe where sturgeon continue to spawn. (c) Matt Spencer

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Post Overview

shoalstaging

November 7th 2019

Conservation, Feature, Fish, Guest Author, Newsletter

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Starting Shoal in Germany

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Starting Shoal in Germany

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(c) Michel Roggo

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by Mike Baltzer

In October, I was invited to be a keynote speaker at the WWF European Freshwater Practice meeting in Berlin. While I was there, I also had a number of meetings aimed to help take Shoal forward in Germany. We are keen to establish a base in Germany to be able to work with companies and hobbyists in Germany and the rest of the European Union.

At the WWF meeting, I had four key messages for the WWF participants. I made the case that successful freshwater conservation must include:

Species first – a systems approach and policy led actions must be anchored on targeted impact at the species level
Support local action – hundreds of thousands of local actions is the best way to mobilise change and sustain impact
Form partnerships – Success lies in effective, powerful collaborations.
Raise awareness – despite being the number one priority for global conservation, freshwater biodiversity is the least well known.

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Presenting at the WWF European Freshwater Practice Meeting in Berlin

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Meeting with the team at ZZF in Weisbaden

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While I only attended the first day of their four-day planning meeting, I learnt of their excellent programmes for free-flowing rivers, sturgeons and a new exciting global initiative for river dolphins.

Two other meetings of note started with Volker Homes, the Director of VdZ the German (Association of Zoo Gardens). He explained the importance of his organisation as a coordination and support to zoos that want to support conservation in the field or even by expert amateurs. Unfortunately, the Director of the Berlin Zoo, Dr Andreas Kneiriem, was away that week but we caught up by phone a week later and discussed a potential future partnership.

After Berlin, I travelled west to Weisbaden and the offices of ZZF. ZZF is the German Pet and Trade Association and the leading association for the aquarium trade. Dr. Stefan Hetz, a leading aquarist at ZZF invited six others from ZZF, BNA and Aquaria Glaser to discuss the next steps and needs for establishing Shoal in Germany. By the end of the week, it was clear that there is a great deal of enthusiasm, support and opportunities for Shoal in Germany and the next stage is to secure the funding to hire a person to represent Shoal in Germany.

I would like to thank everyone that took the time to meet with me and helped with the meetings and discussions.

VdZ Verband der Zoologischen Gärten https://www.vdz-zoos.org/

ZZF is Zentralverband Zoologischer Fachbetriebe Deustchlands https://www.zzf.de/

BNA is the Bundesverband für fachgerechten Natur-, Tier- und Artenschutz bna-ev.de

Aquarium Glaser is a leading and widely respected fish supply company aquariumglaser.de

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Post Overview

shoalstaging

November 5th 2019

Angling, Aquarists, Conservation, Fish, Stories

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Unearthing Gollum: A New Species of Snakehead

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Unearthing Gollum: A New Species of Snakehead

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by Ralf Britz, The Natural History Museum London and Eleanor Adamson, The Natural History Museum London and the Fishmongers’ Company

In Europe and the Americas, if people have heard of snakehead fishes, it is usually because of their star status as the villain of tabloid headlines (Fishzilla), or horror B-movies (Snakehead Terror, Frankenfish). This “terror campaign”, stemming from the discovery of feral populations in the USA, is a good example of how the spotlight can be focused on freshwater invasive species and the damage they might cause outside their natural range.

Inside their native range, a recent scientific discovery reveals there is still much to learn about the snakehead fishes – an unusual group, where some species are important food fishes, some are famed in angling circles, and some are collected to become interesting features in home aquariums.

Snakeheads occur naturally in Africa (three species) and in Asia (about 47 species), where they live in rivers, lakes and wetlands. They are very successful predators, using their excellent eye sight to track down prey, and this has earned the reputation of some of the larger snakehead species as being worthy opponents as game fishes, especially the bullseye snakehead in Thailand and the giant snakehead in Cambodia, Vietnam and peninsular Malaysia.

A few fish hobbyists keep snakeheads as interesting, often colourful predators, including the Near Threatened rainbow snakehead, that comes from a small area in the Brahmaputra River Basin. The group have fascinating reproductive behaviour which can be observed in captivity if conditions are right; they either build and defend floating nests in which they lay their eggs, or they are mouthbrooders, with the male carrying eggs around for several weeks.

Snakeheads have a few other uncommon traits too – they are adapted to oxygen poor waters and can survive there thanks to an accessory breathing organ above their gill cavity – a special organ that enables them to breathe air. In fact, snakeheads must breathe atmospheric air regularly, as their gills are not sufficient to supply all their oxygen needs. This air breathing capability means snakeheads can survive out of water for some time, and some species use this to their advantage, “walking” overland from one water body to another by wriggling movements of their body.

Northern Snakehead (c) Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Programme

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Bullseye Snakehead (c) Florida Fish and Wildlife

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Forest Snakehead (c) Marcus Karlsson

Successful freshwater predators, fish that can breathe air and walk overland…… perhaps the last place anybody would expect to find a snakehead is underground.

But this is exactly where the most recent snakehead species to be discovered comes from – the enigmatic Gollum snakehead, Aenigmachanna gollum.

Only a few weeks after devastating floods in Kerala in August 2018, a young Indian saw two fish that seemed unusual to him while he was at work in his rice paddies. Where had they appeared from? Most likely, from an unseen, unexplored, underground habitat, washed out by the heavy rainfall and floods. His curiosity triggered, he caught the two strange fish and photographed them, and then via his online social network, tried to find out what they were.

The photos caught the eye of Indian ichthyologist Dr Rajeev Raghavan, a conservation researcher and fish taxonomist at the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies in Kochi. Rajeev immediately recognized the significance of this discovery, and got in touch to initiate a scientific investigation. With the help of PhD student Anoop V.K., fish molecular systematists Neelesh Dahanukar (Indian Institute of Science and Education), and myself (Ralf Britz, NHM London), the team set out to study this intriguing find in more detail.

Our results showed that not only was this surprising fish a new snakehead species, but it was also a new kind of snakehead, so different from all the other known species, African and Asian alike, that it deserved to be placed in its own, new genus. We came up with the genus name Aenigmachanna (“enigmatic Channa”) to reflect the enigmatic nature of this fascinating new branch of snakehead diversity. And the species name? As this newly discovered fish had risen from a subterranean world, we thought a fitting name would be Gollum, after JRR Tolkien’s famous fictional character who dwelt underground.

We are still in the process of studying the unique, enigmatic Gollum snakehead, trying to uncover more of its secrets from the two specimens that were discovered last year. The team also hope to find more living specimens, so we can observe it alive and learn more about its life habits, its general biology and its reproductive behaviour, as well as its evolution and phylogenetic relationships.

The area of Kerala from where the Gollum snakehead was discovered is becoming known for its unique subterranean fauna that so far includes eight fish species, all very strange looking, often blind, pigmentless, and with unknown biology and unclear evolutionary relationships. Not much is known about these weird species or the underground world they inhabit, but they probably spend their whole lives in freshwater aquifers, and most of them were discovered in the deep man-made wells that cut down to reach these natural subterranean water supplies. Such wells are typical for this part of India; and almost all rural households have one. We are about to start an exciting new project aimed at getting a better idea which organisms live underground in Kerala. And for this we need the help of as many local villagers as possible, as they are the ones who encounter the animals of this peculiar habitat when they drain their wells to clean them.

Gollum snakehead (c) Anoop VK

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Post Overview

shoalstaging

September 18th 2019

Conservation, Feature, Fish

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Expedition Mahseer

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Expedition Mahseer

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On May 8, I travelled to southern India with a team of fish experts to scope out a joint project to save the hump-backed mahseer. The trip comes at the tail of a long story of conservation detective work of one of the world’s most charismatic fishes that has led us to take action, in the eleventh hour, to save a critically-endangered fish before it disappears forever. Mike Baltzer, Executive Director of Shoal, reports from a project scoping trip to southern India.

There are some creatures that have inspired and awed people through the ages. Some real animals like lions, tigers and elephants and some legendary like dragons or the unicorn. The mahseer (Tor spp.), a genus of very large, often beautiful and powerful fishes found in South and south-east Asia, fall right between the two. Mahseer are a real animal that has reached legendary status.

Often referred to as the “tiger of the river”, mahseers have been revered by the Indus Valley civilisation for more than 3000 years, worshipped by Buddhists and Hindus and treasured by local communities throughout the region. More recently, their fame has been maintained by featuring as one of the great icons of wild river angling – and it was this angling that has helped propel a species into conservation limelight.

For many years, anglers have yearned to fish for mahseer. Many stories and books have been written on the wonders of fishing for mahseer and the ultimate target, the holy grail of mahseer fishing, is the largest of the mahseers, the hump-backed mahseer.

The story of the hump-back has its own twist in its tail. Hump-backs are only found in the Cauvery River system in southern India and were first popularised in the late 19th century by British officers who considered mahseer angling to present a superior sporting challenge to shooting big game. Following Indian independence in 1946, many believed the mahseer had gone extinct, until a new era of conservation minded catch-and-release anglers (including Jeremy Wade of River Monsters fame) proved the fish was still extant and reignited a global interest in mahseer fishing in the late 1970’s. This drove the establishment of a recreational fishery, where the income from international anglers was used to employ local villagers as angling guides, drivers, bait makers and cooks. This quickly led to the realisation that local livelihoods now relied on the mahseer and that a live mahseer had a renewable value over a dead fish. Accordingly, whole communities started protecting this river from the poachers who often used highly destructive fishing methods (such as dynamite!).

In 2010 Adrian Pinder, a fisheries scientist from Bournemouth University and Director of the Mahseer Trust, took a curious and thankfully scientific look at the detailed records of the daily catch. In the records, together with the photos taken by the proud anglers, he noticed that there were two types of fish recorded, one with blue fins and the other with orange fins. He also noticed that overtime the larger orange-finned fish was declining while the blue-finned version was increasing. Could it be that these two were separate species and that one was beginning to push the other out? Pinder set off to find out and in 2018 he presented the results of his detective work which afforded the hump-back mahseer its first valid scientific name allowing the species formal recognition and qualification for conservation status assessment. In November 2018 the hump-backed mahseer was assessed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Without action, Pinder and his colleagues concluded, the hump-backed would be lost in our generation

Images top to bottom, left hand coloumn to right hand column: 1) The Bhavani river, once home to the hump-backed mahseer and a potential relocation site; 2) Rapid flowing section of the Moyar River 3) The Moyar River, last stronghold of the hump-backed mahseer; 4) A dam on the Moyar River 5) Mike Baltzer with the jeep lent to the expedition by the Wildlife Institute of India; 6) The team searching for radio-telemetry sites over the Moyar Gorge; 7) Adrian Pinder (Mahseer Trust), Dr Anthony Johnson (WII) and Vidya Atkore (WWF) interviewing local experts on the hump-backed mahseer; 8) Meeting at WWF India to discuss the future of a regional programme for all mahseer species; 9) Outside WWF Coimbatore Office

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What Pinder and his colleagues including southern India’s most respected fish taxonomist Dr Rajeev Raghavan discovered, was that the “blue-finned” mahseer had originated from a single hatchery and had been released into the Cauvery river basin in an attempt to conserve this species. Now the dominant mahseer species throughout much of South India, including the Cauvery, the fish had not only established, but become highly invasive – outcompeting the hump-backed mahseer for resources and pushing it towards extinction. It was only a dam (so often the scourge of fish populations) that had stopped the blue-fins from spreadinginto the final refuge of the hump-backed mahseer. There was therefore a chance to save it before it was too late. In late 2018, Pinder approached me and Shoal to suggest that we help the Mahseer Trust and others establish a project to save the hump-backed mahseer.

The last refuge of the hump-backed mahseer is found in the Moyar River one of the tributaries of the Cauvery and is confined to the stretch upstream of the Bhavanisagar dam. The Moyar River is set in the stunningly beautiful location of the Nilgiri mountains. It is famous for its outstanding gorge and the wealth of its wildlife. The area is home to one of the largest remaining populations of Asian elephant and falls between three highly important tiger reserves. The Moyar Valley itself has witnessed a remarkable recovery of its tiger population in the last ten years.

The trip this May was to establish the location and the research strategy for the project. The first stage of the project is to gather, as fast as possible, information on the status, distribution, ecology and most important, the breeding cycle of the hump-backed mahseer. While for many fish species this would be a straight forward exercise, our project scoping trip has shown that it certainly will not be easy for this fish. The project will require access to some of the most inaccessible areas in Asia and once there, the field teams will need to deal with the daily threat from tigers, elephants, leopards, sloth bears and crocodiles.

The initial work will require tracking the movements of the mahseer using bio- telemetry. This will involve inserting transmitting tags into individual fish and placing receiver stations at strategic locations along the river, extending into the unexplored and mysterious Moyar Gorge. This work will be led by the Mahseer Trust, Bournemouth University (UK), the Wildlife Institute of India and Kochi University Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS). In addition to the ecological research, the status of the environmental conditions such as water flow and pollution levels will be monitored. The project will also need to make the first steps towards preparing local community support, potentially involving WWF and Lively Waters. Once the team has better knowledge about the fish and the opportunities and threats to its conservation, a recovery plan, potentially centred on assisted breeding and reintroduction will be put in place.

Shoal’s role in the project is to help secure the funds to undertake this vital project. We will begin fundraising immediately and aim to start the project in November.

If you would like to support the project contact: mike@shoalconservation.org

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Post Overview

shoalstaging

June 18th 2019

Angling, Conservation, Feature, Fish, Mahseer

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Aquarists and Conservation

Tropical freshwater fish Denison’s Barbs (Puntius denisonii) in planted tropical aquarium

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Aquarists and Conservation

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by Andy Patel

As hobbyists it can be hard to see what we can do to help freshwater fish conservation. A number of Associations and Societies already do help to fund Conservation Projects, undertake work with Public Aquaria and even participate in actual Field Projects. But how effective are these efforts and can we improve things? Shoal aims to help us do just that.

Why conserve freshwater fish species?

We rely on the availability of freshwater fish species to maintain and develop our interest in our aquariums. Many of us seek out new and interesting species so that we can take on a new challenge, further our knowledge and gain a better understanding about a particular type or group of fish. But even those of us who are happy to just keep the readily available farmed species need to support conservation of wild stocks. Captive-bred fish can and do steadily decline in vigour through inbreeding, poor culturing practices and the inevitable changes in behaviour due to limited environmental enrichment. Without rejuvenating breeding stock and maintaining genetic diversity captive bred fish become more susceptible to disease and parasites. Farmers know the benefits of maintaining rare breeds and seed banks so that the ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions is not lost. Wild fish are our equivalent and making sure that as many species are conserved as practicable is in our own long-term interest

What are threats to freshwater fish?

There are a number of issues that can affect the survival of fish species. Habitat destruction/disruption can remove vital areas such as spawning grounds, migratory routes and feeding areas. Projects that seek to minimise disruption such as building refuge areas, fishways, even temporary relocation or captive maintenance can help. Pollution from agricultural runoff, untreated waste water and dumping can release toxins that kill species directly, or indirectly. Campaigns to persuade governments to regulate human activities and raise awareness amongst local people can help sustainability both of freshwater habitats and the fi sh that rely on them. Climate change can be of particular significance to fish with restricted habitats, often small species that hobbyists value. Killifish and Anabantoids are just two of many such groups. Lack of knowledge is also a threat. How do we conserve species if we do not know they exist? Hundreds of species are still being discovered, many by hobbyists and the trade that supplies us. Often, they are undescribed by science for a considerable period of time. Invasive species deliberately introduced or escaping from captive environments can outcompete native species. Non-native cichlids and livebearers can be found in almost all tropical and sub-tropical countries. Their reproductive rate often puts them at a competitive advantage over other species. It can seem that the task of conserving fish is too challenging and acting in isolation it possibly is.

How can Shoal help us?

Shoal is bringing together a large number of interested parties to form a partnership, a coalition of all those who are interested in conserving fish. As hobbyists we can work in co-operation with scientists, conservation groups, trade bodies, public aquaria, anglers, non-governmental organisations, local people and more. Together we can achieve more by targeting the projects with the most beneficial outcomes. Small projects and large all have a place, but co-ordination is vital if we are to be effective. By drawing on all sectors to work in partnership Shoal will have the knowledge, understanding and expertise to raise awareness of the serious plight of many freshwater species. Furthermore, it can campaign, raise funds and directly support projects that include the interests of hobbyists.

How can we help Shoal?

Quite simple really, start thinking about freshwater fish conservation in all its forms. Where do my fish come from? Are they ethically and sustainably sourced and do I contribute to better conservation of freshwater fish? Do I think about the local fish populations near my home and how they are affected? Could I do more and how? That is where Shoal can help. As an umbrella organisation it can channel individual concerns and contributions to where they can help most. Freshwater fish share the same bodies of water that humans rely on for irrigation, food source, transportation, leisure and drinking. It makes sense that by contributing to freshwater fish conservation we help not only the fish we love but ourselves as well.

Post Overview

shoalstaging

April 18th 2019

Aquarists, Conservation, Feature, Fish, Guest Author

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An Interview with Jeremy Wade

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An Interview with Jeremy Wade

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Jeremy Wade is a TV presenter, angler and author, best known for the series River Monsters and, more recently, Mighty Rivers. With a background as a biologist, Jeremy has visited many of the world’s most iconic rivers and lakes, seen and fished for some of their most extraordinary species and witnessed the changes happening to the planet’s greatest freshwater ecosystems. Jeremy shared some stories and thoughts at the recent launch of Shoal, a new initiative for freshwater conservation hosted by Synchronicity Earth. I spoke to him afterwards about some of the challenges for freshwater conservation and how he thinks Shoal can contribute.

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Q: Was there a moment you realised that a lot of rivers you were spending time on were in trouble, or was it more of a gradual realisation?

JW: A bit of both, really. It has been gradual, but there have also been moments where it’s really hit home. Right from the start, I was aware that for the kind of fish I was looking for, it wasn’t just that people weren’t going and fishing for them, it was actually that these fish were disappearing because of all the damage that has been done to rivers in recent years.

One experience that really brought it home was the last time I went to the Congo. I was in a place on the Congo River where very few outsiders go, somewhere with a very low population density. I went to one village where people have a history of fishing for catfish and the scarcity of these fish – we’re talking about the main Congo here – really struck me. It is shocking to see the impact that even a small human population can have on fish.

Q: Why do you think that freshwater is something of a ‘cinderella issue’, and doesn’t get the attention that, for example, tropical forests or coral reefs get?

JW: I think it boils down to two things. Firstly, you can’t see the animals you’re talking about – or at least most people can’t – so it’s a lack of visibility. And then, if you do get to see them, a lot of freshwater fish are not great looking!

I used to do quite a bit of diving and I always wanted to be diving in rivers, where you’re generally not going to see very far. Most divers are interested in coral reefs and other marine environments, so people used to wonder why I was so keen to see brown fish in brown water! It’s true that a lot of freshwater fish aren’t all that exciting visually, but in fact there are some incredible looking fish out there in rivers and lakes, even if we don’t often get to see them. Something like the arapaima, in the Amazon, for example, get this incredible red colouration. I’ve seen individuals in breeding season where the body goes absolutely jet black, but then they have this vivid red on the edge of the scales. They’re amazing looking things, but most people would never see that. If they do see them, it’s because a fisherman has caught one and is cutting it up.

Then there are other freshwater species that just look very odd indeed. For example, the Goonch catfish in India looks like something out of the imagination of Hieronymus Bosch, it’s like a giant slug, has tentacles hanging off all different parts of its body and huge spiky teeth. I don’t think we make enough of how unique and bizarre many of these species actually are.

Q: In a way, it’s similar to what you see with some of the deep-sea species, and all the amazing creatures that live in the ocean depths. The fascination is often precisely because of how extraordinary – and how ugly (to some) – they look.

JW: Yes, there seems to be a spectrum: you’ve got the pretty fish, then you’ve got the ordinary looking fish, which nobody is really interested in, but once you start shading into the ugly fish, the interest picks up again!

Q: It is not always easy to recognise the importance and relevance of the world’s great rivers and lakes to our health and wellbeing, wherever we live. Why should people care about freshwater systems on the other side of the planet?

JW: Absolutely, I think it’s a very abstract subject and difficult to get across. From my point of view, having a scientific background, you understand the water cycle, you know that it’s not one particular river, in isolation, but that in fact water circulates throughout the world, and passes through every one of us. Just as many of us have a strong interest in air quality, we should have the same interest in water quality. The great thing about fish is that their presence in water generally tells you that the water is OK. But to get this across in a way that is not overly scientific is difficult. I think you almost do it by stealth.

If you can get people interested in the fish, which I hope I do through the programmes I make, the idea is that people start to care more about those fish and, by extension, about the water and the habitat they live in, and they begin to understand that protecting these fish and habitats is ultimately in their own interest too.

Goonch Catfish (Bagarius Yarrelli) (c) Icon Films

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Goliath tigerfish (Hydrocynus goliath) (c) Icon Films

Q: Having visited so many of the world’s great rivers, is there one that particularly stands out?

JW: Hmm. That’s such a hard one, actually. There’s not a short answer to that. If you’d asked me a few years ago, I would have said the Essequibo river in Guyana. The fauna and flora there is very Amazonian. Even though it’s a distinct watershed, historically it was joined up, so you’ve got a lot of Amazonian fish there. To have a realistic chance of catching certain big Amazonian fish, that was theplace to go because the river had enjoyed a degree of protection, and it was possible to find some incredible fish there. Unfortunately in the last few years, that has changed quite dramatically, largely due to a surge in goldmining. The mining isn’t just affecting the goldmining areas. What’s happening now is that it is worth people’s while to get an icebox and make the long journey up the river, catch a lot of fish and go back down and sell them to the goldminers. Unfortunately – and this is very relevant in terms of what Shoal is trying to do – this decline is going on right before our eyes and getting very little attention, and it’s happening fast, really just in the last 5 years.

Q: What are some of the things you’ve learnt from the people who have fished these places for generations?

From talking to fishermen in different parts of the world, I’ve been struck by how common it is now to hear things like, “You know, 100 years ago this river was full of fish…”. People often talk about the scale of change over a – relatively short – timescale of a few generations.

One thing that is very clear is that catching freshwater fish is dependent on place and timing. Being in the right place is one thing, but you also have to be there at the right time of year. If you’re there at the wrong time you might as well not bother. Of course, there’s always a bit of uncertainty about what state the river is going to be in, and a certain amount of variation. But what I’ve found, just about everywhere I’ve been, especially over the last 10 years or so – everywhere from the far East of Russia to South America, through Europe and Africa – is that people are saying the whole cycle has become far more unpredictable. What’s interesting is that these people are not scientists. These are people whose lives depend on the river, people who are watching the river very closely, people who have inherited knowledge of what happens on that river. They say that over the last 10 years, they just can’t predict it any more. So, of course, this affects the fish.

You can imagine fish migrations where the river is going up so the fish start to head upstream, only for the water to suddenly start coming back down again, without ever properly rising. I’ve seen a similar thing with freshwater turtles in Guyana. The river starts going down, exposing the sandbars so the turtles think it’s time to breed, dig a nest and lay their eggs, then they get back in the river and it starts coming up again, washing away the nests! It’s another false start to the dry season.

So this really is happening, and perhaps one way to engage people in climate change is to show how it affects certain animals. People seem to love turtles, so if turtles come under the remit of Shoal, then I think that could be an interesting leverage point.

Q: I think the aim for Shoal is ultimately to try to increase support for all freshwater species, so turtles would certainly come under its remit. So, do you think the key to drawing people in is to focus on the more ‘iconic’ species, and particularly the apex predators, as you often do in your shows?

JW: Well, I guess it could be seen as a fairly cheap trick, in a way, but what I’ve realised – and this is part of the DNA of River Monsters – is that everybody is fascinated by predators. If they tell you otherwise, they’re lying! For our ancestors, it was all about paying attention to those things in the environment that were dangerous, so it’s absolutely fundamental to who we are as living beings. For River Monsters, we start with a story – here’s this fierce animal that bites people – and we immediately have people’s attention. Then, from there, we can take the story wherever we want it to go.

Q: Anglers are clearly an important audience for your programmes. What role do you think anglers can – and should – play in freshwater conservation?

JW: Anglers have an incredibly important role as the eyes and ears of what is out there. By teaming up with scientists and through citizen science initiatives, they can be a very useful resource in helping to understand what is happening to rivers and lakes. But on a more fundamental level, an angler’s pastime depends on fish, so it really should be a duty to have a concern for the wider world of fish. It’s about having a respect for freshwater fish and to express that in as many ways as possible. I think some anglers don’t particularly care, but an awful lot do. I think there are enough anglers who care to make a huge difference.

Piraiba catfish (Brachyplatystoma filamentosum (c) Icon Films

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Arapaima (Arapaima gigas) (c) Icon Films

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shoalstaging

April 18th 2019

Angling, Conservation, Guest Author, Interview, Stories

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Sinking sharks and freshwater pandas

Freshwater megafauna: flagships for freshwater conservation?

by Merlin Veron, Conservation Research Analyst at Synchronicity Earth

Megafauna, sharks, and freshwater may not be three words which many would immediately associate with one another. Sharks belong in the Ocean (right?), and when people think about Earth’s larger animals they usually think of the tiger burning bright in Asia’s forests, or of great herds of wildebeest sweeping across the African savannah rather than rivers or lakes. But freshwater environments also hold an astounding array of large vertebrate species, 207 in total, including 5 shark species which have, quite remarkably, adapted to survive in freshwater habitats.

In a new paper published in Biodiversity Research, He et al., research the status of large freshwater species and uncover that this under-researched group are at a disproportionately high risk of extinction. This charismatic group, which also includes species such as the Amazonian Manatee, the Irrawaddy River Dolphin, and the Beluga (European Sturgeon) are flagships whose effective conservation could help to conserve thousands of other freshwater species, but their plight is indicative of the challenges facing the world’s freshwater ecosystems. Where sufficient data is available, He et al., find that 71% of large freshwater species are in decline. They also show that the threats to freshwater species are increasing: since the early 1990s human pressure has increased throughout 63% of the global ranges of freshwater megafauna.

Within this category of ‘freshwater megafauna’, one group epitomises the challenges faced by freshwater species; river sharks. Of the more than 400 known species of shark, almost all of them reside near permanently in salt water, with the Bull Shark (Carcharhinus leucas) most famed for its forays into estuaries and up rivers. However, whilst the Bull Shark has evolved to restrict the removal of salt from its bloodstream to allow it to traverse inland for significant periods of time, it is not a ‘true’ freshwater shark. Instead that title belongs to five species of the Glyphis genus, an unknown, endangered and enigmatic group which encapsulate the mystery and intrigue which makes the natural world so fascinating.

‘True’ freshwater sharks all belong to one genus or group (Glyphis) of 5 known species which have adapted to inhabit river systems. River sharks are evolutionarily distinct from their ocean dwelling cousins, showcasing a number of key adaptations which allow them to respire, navigate and hunt in the desalinated and murky waters they call home. Most shark’s species adapted to saline environments would overhydrate in freshwater, with water flowing into their cells through osmosis causing intoxication as key electrolytes are flushed out of their bodies. We don’t actually know the exact mechanism through which Glyphis sharks are able to do adapt to freshwater environments, whether like freshwater rays they have smaller rectal glands for secreting salt, or whether they have an altogether different adaptation which allows them to tolerate freshwater and, as recent research suggests, potentially also salt-water conditions.

Given the low visibility associated with freshwater ecosystems, for most Glyphis species the primary sense relied upon to catch prey is not sight, and as such they have also evolved to have small eyes. Instead they have a particularly large concentration of special organs called ampullae of Lorenzini on their wide snouts which allow them to sense the location of their prey using electro-magnetic fields (Swancer 2014). These species are also equipped with small, spear-shaped teeth on the lower jaw which differ from those of salt water species, suggesting that Glyphis sharks rely exclusively on a fish-based diet. However, the extent to which I can actually write about the adaptations of river sharks and their environment here is really constrained by the fact that quite simply so little is known about them, about their taxonomy, their ecology, their diet – they remain, even for experts, an elusive enigma.

The five described species of freshwater shark all inhabit rivers in South and Southeast Asia and Oceania. The two best studied species are the Northern River Shark (Glyphis garricki) and the Speartooth Shark (Glyphis glyphis), both of which are known to occur in Northern Australia and Papua New Guinea. If you watch the show ‘River Monsters’, you might have some familiarity with the Northern River Shark, which caused amazement amongst the team when Jeremy Wade foul-hooked one on the Fitzroy river, Australia. Their surprise spoke volumes about the plight of the Glyphis genus, in fact, there isn’t a single river shark species which can be described as anything other than endangered or critically endangered, and in some cases having enough data to even make an assessment is problematic (this is generally a bad sign!). Glyphis garricki and Glyphis glyphis are both thought to be amphidromous, meaning that they can inhabit both fresh and salt water. For example, the speartooth shark has been recorded in salinities ranging from 0.8 to 28ppm (0 pure freshwater, 35 full strength sea water) (Commonwealth of Australia 2015), and this fits the theory of Li et al., (2015) that these sharks are euryhaline; i.e. they can adapt to survive in a wide range of salinities.

However, a third member of the Glyphis genus, the Ganges River Shark (Glyphis gangenticus) has not yet been recorded in saline waters, and observations at least suggest it remains in freshwater during various life stages. In fact, the latest record of this species in 2001 was from a specimen 84km upstream on the Hooghly River, India. Whilst there is some speculation about movement of this species between populations in the Ganges, Hooghly and Indus rivers, the honest answer is we just don’t know whether this species leaves the rivers where it has, to date, been so sparsely recorded. In fact, from 1867 to 1996 the Ganges River Shark went unrecorded before its miraculous reappearance (Compagnno 2007). For this reason, there is still hope that a fourth suggested species, the Irrawaddy River Shark (Glyphis siamensis) may still be rediscovered. This species is known from only one specimen discovered in 1896 in the Irrawaddy River near Yangon in Myanmar, and whilst in recent years a number of researchers have set off to rediscover this species, inebriated with a sense of exploration increasingly rare on this planet, none have yet been successful.

The final described species Glyphis fowlerae, is one which has however been recently discovered/confirmed (see Compagno et al., 2010). The Bornean River Shark is the smallest of the described species, measuring just 78cm and specimens have been collected from the Kinabatangan, Mukah and Sampit rivers. Li et al., (2015) suggest that these records across Malaysia and Indonesia could in fact be from different species, however once again the data simply isn’t there to confirm or deny such a hypothesis. Indeed, we’ll likely only learn more about these species if we can successfully conserve them, and allow recovery of their populations, but this means that the first steps towards these species’ proper conservation must be a bit tentative. However, in reality the main threats to these species are likely to coincide with those which have driven an 81% decline in freshwater biodiversity since 1970 (Living Planet Index 2016). In particular, threats to the five species across their range include changes to river regimes from dams and barrages (see Compagno 1997), unregulated fishing of these species whether caught intentionally or unintentionally in gillnets, demand for fins and shark jaws in domestic and international markets, habitat degradation from pollution, changes to watershed management (IUCN Red List 2017), and finally opportunistic killings perhaps motivated by the fear instilled by the famous pointed fin as it breaks the water’s surface.

In fact given their long gestation periods, delayed maturity, slow growth, and status as an apex predator ranging over large areas, freshwater sharks are actually probably some of the most sensitive species to human pressures, acting as sentinels warning us of the damages associated with the changes the world’s river systems are currently experiencing. He et al., show the plight of freshwater species, it is a clarion call for us to do more to protect our rivers and the remarkable array of species, big and small, which call them home. The message is clear: water is life, but rivers are dying.

References:

Commonwealth of Australia, 2015, Sawfish and River Sharks, Multi-species Issues Papers, Accessed 05.04.17, https://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/062794ac-ef99-4fc8-8c18-6c3cd5f6fca2/files/sawfish-river-sharks-multispecies-issues-paper.pdf

Compagno L.J.V, 1997, Review of the Biodiveristy of Sharks and Chimaeras in the South China Sea and Adjacent Areas, in, eds; Fowler S.L, Reed T.M, Dipper F.A, Elasmobranch Biodiversity, Conservation and Management, Proceedings of the International Seminar and Workshop, Sabah, Malaysia, July 1997, Occasional Paper of the IUCN Species Survival Commission No.25
Compagno L.J.V, 2007, Glyphis Gangenticus, The IUCN Red List of Species, Accessed 06.04.17, https://www.iucnredlist.org/details/9281/0

Compagno L.J.V, White W.T, Cavanagh R.D, Glyphis fowlerae sp. nov., a new species of river shark archarhinigormes; Carcharhinidae from Northerneastern Borneo, Accessed 06.04.17
Li C, Corrigan S, Yang L, Straube N, Harris M, Hofreiter M, White W.T, Naylor G.J.P, 2015, DNA capture reveals transoceanic flow in endangered river sharks, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Vol.112, No.43, pp.13302-13307

Living Planet Index, 2016, Living Planet Report 2016, Accessed 06.04.18 https://www.wwf.org.uk/sites/default/files/2016-10/LPR_2016_summary_spread%20low%20res.pdf?_ga=1.79716119.1499935510.1483524022
Swancer B, 2014, The Mysterious River Sharks of the World, Mysterious Universe, Accessed 21.08.14, https://mysteriousuniverse.org/2014/08/the-mysterious-river-sharks-of-the-world/

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shoalstaging

February 6th 2019

Conservation, Feature, Fish

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Safeguarding Bangka’s Hidden Gem: Conserving Betta burdigala

Mekong Ghost rediscovered after missing for nearly 20 years

Aquarists and Conservation

Aquarists and Conservation

Post Overview

Recent News

Michael Köck European tour update: 4

Safeguarding Bangka’s Hidden Gem: Conserving Betta burdigala

Mekong Ghost rediscovered after missing for nearly 20 years

An Interview with Jeremy Wade

An Interview with Jeremy Wade

Q: Was there a moment you realised that a lot of rivers you were spending time on were in trouble, or was it more of a gradual realisation?

Q: Why do you think that freshwater is something of a ‘cinderella issue’, and doesn’t get the attention that, for example, tropical forests or coral reefs get?

Q: In a way, it’s similar to what you see with some of the deep-sea species, and all the amazing creatures that live in the ocean depths. The fascination is often precisely because of how extraordinary – and how ugly (to some) – they look.

Q: It is not always easy to recognise the importance and relevance of the world’s great rivers and lakes to our health and wellbeing, wherever we live. Why should people care about freshwater systems on the other side of the planet?

Q: Having visited so many of the world’s great rivers, is there one that particularly stands out?

Q: What are some of the things you’ve learnt from the people who have fished these places for generations?

Q: Anglers are clearly an important audience for your programmes. What role do you think anglers can – and should – play in freshwater conservation?

Post Overview

Recent News

Michael Köck European tour update: 4

Safeguarding Bangka’s Hidden Gem: Conserving Betta burdigala

Mekong Ghost rediscovered after missing for nearly 20 years

Sinking sharks and freshwater pandas

Freshwater megafauna: flagships for freshwater conservation?

Post Overview

Recent News

Michael Köck European tour update: 4

Safeguarding Bangka’s Hidden Gem: Conserving Betta burdigala

Mekong Ghost rediscovered after missing for nearly 20 years