5 freshwater fishes that need saving in 2020

At the end of 2019, buried in other news stories and festive cheer, there was one story which struck a sombre note, the scientific confirmation of the extinction of the Chinese paddlefish. In this article we look at 5 freshwater fishes for which there is still hope, but which need urgent conservation action to avoid the same fate.

2021-01-06T14:11:59+00:00January 20th, 2020|Conservation, Fish|

Community Conservation: The Anguillids of Ambon

When people think about the world’s most threatened animals, it’s unlikely that Anguillid (freshwater) eels spring to mind. In Europe, freshwater eels are one of our least appreciated but most critically endangered species, having declined by around 95% since the 1980s. Unlike most people, as a freshwater ecologist, I spend a lot of time thinking about animals like the freshwater eel because globally, all freshwater species are facing considerable threats.

2021-01-06T14:13:14+00:00December 9th, 2019|Conservation, Fish, Guest Author, Interview, Newsletter|

Killifish: Surviving in an Elephant’s Footprint

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’.

2021-01-06T14:13:14+00:00November 7th, 2019|Aquarists, Conservation, Fish, Guest Author, Newsletter|

The Search for Spawning Sturgeon

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.

2021-01-06T14:13:15+00:00November 7th, 2019|Conservation, Fish, Guest Author, Newsletter|

Starting Shoal in Germany

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.

2021-01-06T14:13:15+00:00November 5th, 2019|Angling, Aquarists, Conservation, Fish|
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