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Drafting an Action Plan for Parosphromenus Fishes

Drafting an Action Plan for Peat Swamp Fishes in Malaysia

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by Mike Baltzer

In March this year, Shoal initiated a workshop with partners and experts to initiate immediate conservation action for one the most threatened group of fish species in the world.

Most of us are now familiar with forest fires in Southeast Asia. We have seen disturbing images of orangutans desperately looking for a haven to flee to and seen cities, like Singapore, choking on smoke drifting in from the forests of Indonesia and Malaysia. In most cases, these fires are burning ancient deep lowland peat swamp forests and many are derived from land clearance for crops such as palm oil. But what is often overlooked is that this destructive land clearance is driving a set of fish species rapidly towards extinction.

Peat swamp fishes are also known broadly as blackwater fishes. This refers to the dark tea coloured water that flows through peat swamps. These highly acidic and nutrient poor streams support a unique set of species adapted to these specialised conditions. The fishes are often small and intensely beautiful. Those with startling colours has led to a great deal of popularity with aquarium hobbyists such as the genera Betta, Parosphromenus, and Rasbora. These peat swamp fishes are now one of the most threatened group of fishes in Southeast Asia.

In fact, conservation attention to this group of fishes has been raised recently by some concerned aquarists. The Parosphromenus Project, originating in Germany, is an initiative led by aquarists that keep and breed this amazing genus. Set up originally to share knowledge on how to keep these species, the Project became more focused on ensuring a robust collection of species in their homes but also helping to secure the species in the wild.

More recently, the IUCN Asian Species Action Programme with Singapore Zoo (Wildlife Reserves Singapore) have been drumming up action for the most threatened (those categorised as Critically Endangered under the IUCN Red List) species of fishes in Southeast Asia. Shoal is now helping these partners to create an action plan and it has simultaneously been decided to initiate immediate conservation action for the peat swamp species already recognised as an urgent priority.

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Sampling at North Selangor Peat Swamp Forest Reserve with the Global Environment Centre team and experts in peat swamp fishes.

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Despite the work of the Parosphromenus Project and a small number of taxonomists, new species are being added to the Parosphromenus genus and their status, along with many other of peat swamp fishes is still poorly understood.

Only about 7mm in length Paedocypris progenetica is one good example of this. Discovered in 1996 in a peat swamp in Sumatra, it is the world’s smallest fish, in fact the world’s smallest vertebrate. Since this remarkable discovery a number of other new species of this genera have been found and more are waiting to be described. They were probably overlooked as fry until a pregnant female indicated that this was the really its fully mature size.

On 5 and 6 February 2020, a group of experts met in Malaysia to draw up an action plan for endangered peat swamp fishes in Malaysia. The meeting was hosted by Monash University Malaysia (MUM) and Global Environment Centre (GEC), facilitated by Mike Baltzer from Shoal. It included Wentian Shi from the Parosphromenus Project and other experts such as Dr Casey Ng, Amiruddin Ahmad and Ella Michael Dosi and Mohamad Sufiyan bin Salmi from the Malaysian Ministry of Fisheries. The meeting was rapidly pulled together with limited funding and just as the outbreak of coronavirus was known. Support was provided by Wildlife Reserves Singapore and most of the participants covered their own time and costs to attend the meeting.

On Day One, the group met at the Global Environment Centre field office at the North Selangor Peat Swamp Forest Reserve (NSPSFR) and was briefed by their CEO, Faizal Parish and his team. On day two, a workshop was held at the MUM campus in Selangor led by Dr Holly Barclay to gather the information and devise a plan.

During the workshop, the experts discussed which species should be considered as conservation priorities and peat swamp specialists, the location of the habitats these species rely on and the actions required to save them from extinction. A plan has been drafted and will be worked on further as more information is obtained. The next step is to design and fund the most urgent projects. Three areas, including a section of forest adjacent to the NSPSFR but threatened by oil palm expansion, were identified as the highest priorities for urgent action. The team also noted that more information is required on the status and distribution of peat swamps and threatened species in Sabah and Sarawak (Malaysian Borneo). The participants also agreed to form a working group and aim to discuss and meet regularly to update the action plan and most critically to initiate action. Experts and interested parties are invited to join the group.

It is hoped to undertake a similar process for peat swamp species in Indonesia as soon as possible.

For further information, please contact Mike Baltzer at Shoal mike@shoal.org.uk

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Sampling at North Selangor Peat Swamp Forest Reserve, Parosphromenus alfredi (Haji Banaruddin) and the workshop at Monash University Malaysia

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Merlin

April 6th 2020

Aquarists, Conservation, Fish, Newsletter, Stories

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Community Conservation: The Anguillids of Ambon

The Anguillids of Ambon

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by Kathy Hughes

Kathy is a Freshwater Specialist with experience from across Asia, Africa and Europe. She visited Ambon to see its awesome anguillids on holiday earlier this year.

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. In fact, freshwater species are declining at double the rate of terrestrial or marine biodiversity and for me, freshwater eels are a bit of a poster-fish for all freshwater biodiversity.

Anguillid eels have life cycles more complex and mysterious than any other species I can think of. They are catadromous; spending most of their lives in freshwaters but returning to the ocean to spawn (a return journey of around ten thousand kilometres). Eels can live for many years, especially females – the oldest known European eel was over 100 years old. Despite being long-lived they only spawn once in their lives. The marine phase of an eel’s life remains much of a mystery – we do not know what eels do during their time in the oceans or exactly where they spawn. An exciting new project is radio-tracking eels to attempt to answer the mysteries that have eluded scientists since the time of Aristotle.

There are multiple threats facing European eels, and to different extents, all other species of freshwater eel around the world. Threats include: climate change, human infrastructure and development, disease, water pollution, habitat loss, over-exploitation and mortality caused by pumps and hydropower dams. Furthermore, as the illegal trade in European, American and Japanese eel is stopped, eels in other parts of the world where protections are less, may be at increased risk.

A critical step in the conservation of eels is ensuring people care about them and with this in mind, during a recent trip to Ambon, Indonesia, I visited Larike village, home to a population of Marbled eels, Anguilla marmorata, to find out why they are important to the local community. I met with Hafes Lauspa who is the King (or Raja) of Larike village. Hafes has taken the unusual step of protecting the eels in his village, meaning that no one can fish for them or harm them in anyway. Hafes hopes that by protecting the eels, the eels will attract tourism to the village and generate income.

What were your motivations for protecting the eels? People in my village have a big appetite for the eels as they believe they are good for achieving healthiness. But the population of eels is getting smaller and it made me think that I must do something to protect the eels so that the population does not become extinct.

What do the villagers think of the eels and the tourists that come to visit them? Since I introduced tourists to the eels of Larike in 2010, the villagers are very happy. They realised that to protect the eels is one of the ways to bring Larike village to the eyes of the world.

What are your hopes for the eels, the river, and Larike village for the future? I am the son of my father, the son of a king and the son of kings, we become a king since the village exists. It is our duty, as kings, to love, to carry and to protect the village until our last breath. As a king I hope to make the village much better in the future. The river has existed for a long time and brings so much life here to the village. I hope it exists forever and will always be with us, for current and future generations. And what about the eels – I hope the eels know that we really love them, and I hope they can love us as much as we do.

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Hafes (King of Larike Village) and I posing by the sign welcoming tourists to the village.

Whilst visiting Larike I took the chance to personally test out how much of a tourist-attraction these giant Marbled eels might be. For me the opportunity was very special, my time spent time with their eely cousins in Europe has been dominated by catching them during fish surveys – a challenging endeavour because in the hand they are extremely strong (both physically and in terms of their opinions of trying to escape) and pretty slimy which doesn’t help deal with their aforementioned strength. However, in Larike Village, I had the opportunity to observe freshwater eels on their terms for the first time in my life.

We started the visit with a walk through the picturesque village of Larike where we were greeted by curious children and locals (I must admit, we may have looked strange with our snorkelling equipment and cameras!). At the far end of the village we reached the stunning tropical and tree-lined Lady river (or Weidu Rupae as it is known locally). Hafes pointed to an area on the other side of the river that had large boulders ‘this is where the eels live’. We waded across the shallow middle of the river and as soon as we got close to the boulders, around twenty eels came out of their holes and started to swim around our ankles. It was time to get our snorkel masks on! The water was pristine and cool, a contrast to the warm Indonesian day.

And what a treat the river had in store – as soon as I put my head underwater I had a window to a world that I would’ve never appreciated from the river bank. The water was clear and the river bed a beautiful mix of multiple shades of beige cobbles. Amazingly, the eels were not backwards in coming forwards (as my Mum would say); they were very inquisitive and in groups of two or three inched closer and closer to ‘bop’ my mask and underwater camera. This was especially true of the largest eel (named Bruce by the villagers). Bruce and the gang were clearly interested in the new strange big animal in their habitat, and that interest was mutual! It was clear to see that these fish are capable of complex and inquisitive behaviours and I was blown away that this conservation underdog is outright one of the most charismatic and charming animals I’ve hung out with. It was hard to top such a great experience, but Hafes tried – afterwards he took us to a shop in the village which sold real chocolate!

So has eel eco-tourism got legs? I’m clearly biased but in my opinion yes! If you like fish, water and exploring beautiful places, then hanging out underwater with eels should be on your bucket list. But it must be done in a sustainable way like in Larike village where eels are in pristine natural habitat and free to come and go as they please, and where villagers benefit from tourism. Quite honestly, I’m convinced that if everyone had the chance to engage with eels on their terms like I did in Larike, everyone would become an anguillid advocate like Hafes and I.

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Post Overview

Merlin

December 9th 2019

Conservation, Feature, Fish, Guest Author, Interview, Newsletter

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Killifish: Surviving in an Elephant’s Footprint

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

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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Underwater jewels threatened by forest fires

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In this blog, Shoal Director Mike Baltzer takes a look at the present situation in the peat swamp forests of Malaysia and Indonesia and shines a light on some of the most spectacular but little known species that call this place home.

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An Orangutan overlooks the Sekonyer River in a peat swamp forest in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia (c) CIFOR

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The forests of Malaysia and Indonesia are burning again. Back on our screens are the horrifying scenes of millions of people living with extreme levels of air pollution and images of homeless orangutans and tigers, the wild icons of these great wildernesses. But there is one story of a magnificent group of species threatened by the fires that we haven’t heard enough about and that is the fishes.

It is not our first instinct to worry about life underwater when see forests burning. But the use of these fires to clear peat swamp forest for oil palm, acacia and rubber plantations is removing a habitat vital to thousands of wetland species such as fishes that are being rapidly driven towards extinction.

The permanently flooded peat swamp forests are ancient habitats that support thousands of unique species including many of the most threatened fish species in South-East Asia. One group of species are the peat swamp forest specialists from the Parosphromenus genus, endearingly known as Liqourice Gouramis.

These incredibly beautiful tiny jewels live hidden away in the murky blackwaters of the peat swamp forests. They are airbreathers living in the leaf litter in the tiny dark streams and channels that cut through the peat swamp forests, meaning they can tolerate the low oxygen levels in the water.

Scientists have only recently begun to understand the “Paros” as they are nicknamed. The first species was described in 19^th century but new species are still being discovered. Where they live, they are often abundant but easily overlooked. The aquarists, the fishkeeping hobbyists, have not overlooked them. Liquourice gouramis are naturally very popular because of their incredible beauty and diversity. But they are generally hard to keep and often hard to see in an aquarium and so very few people keep them.

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Parosphromenus harveyi, Assessed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List

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Parosphromenus alfredi, Assessed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List

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And it is the few people that do that may be part of the answer to their survival. The little known Parosphromenus Project, set up by a passionate German aquarist called Peter Finke has been quietly working to save these species through a voluntary effort organised by aquarists. Working across the world, these enthusiasts share information, maintain breeding populations of each species and raise awareness of the plight of these fishes. They have even begun to identify the habitats and seek to gain their protection in a variety of innovative ways.

The issue facing the liquorice gouramis is that their habitat is shrinking. Many of the species are now confined to very tiny patches and islands, some not much bigger than a football field of peat swamp forest in a sea of oil palm.

Shoal together with the Parosphromenus Project and IUCN ASAP, the Asian Species Action Programme are working with experts and partners in Malaysia and Indonesia to set up immediate action to halt any further loss of the Liquorice Gourami habitats and to secure sustainable populations of these species. This is a unique collaboration between aquarists and conservation agencies.

Next time you see the fires on the news, think of these tiny fishes that are facing extinction through the loss of these great forests.

If you want to know more, please contact us by email at: info@shoalconservation.org

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Peat swamp forest in Indonesia (c)AusAid

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Merlin

September 27th 2019

Aquarists, Conservation, Feature, Fish, Newsletter

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An interview with Rajeev Raghavan

Rajeev Raghavan is an assistant professor in the Department of Fisheries Resource Management at the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies. Rajeev is one of the foremost freshwater fish scientists in Asia and is also the South Asia Coordinator for the IUCN Freshwater Fish Specialist Group and the Freshwater Fish Red List Authority Coordinator for the Asia/Oceania region. We caught up with Rajeev to find out a bit more about his interest in freshwater fish and his current work.

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When did your interest in fish begin?

My interest in freshwater fish started off as a school kid who kept goldfish, guppies and gouramies at home. Only after several years of keeping these ‘exotics’, did I understand that they were ‘enemies of nature’ – a leading cause for decline in native biodiversity, often pushing many species to extinction. I quickly quit my fishkeeping hobby, unhappy about the fact that I could not find any ‘good fish’ to keep. Field trips during my undergraduate program made me realise the importance of my backyard, the Western Ghats, as one of the world’s finest natural repositories of freshwater biodiversity.

What’s the best memory you have from all the times you have had working on the rivers of India?

There are several, and I come back from each of my field trips with several interesting incidents. This includes watching shoals of the endangered Redline Torpedo Barbs to monster-like mahseers. But the moment I will always cherish is describing the world’s only known subterranean snakehead fish, Aenigmachanna gollum, probably one of the most enigmatic species of freshwater fish ever described from India! This was such an unusual fish – like a beast from outer space!

Rajeev on a recent scoping trip for a conservation project to save the hump-backed mahseer (c) Michael Baltzer

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What changes have you seen since you first visited those river systems?

The crystal-clear waters in the mountain streams of the Western Ghats had fish species a hundred times more beautiful than the goldfish I kept in my tank, but their habitats were being quickly threatened in the race for development. Very few rivers of the Western Ghats are now free flowing, with the majority of them being dammed for irrigation and hydropower. Alien Invasive Species have colonised habitats from headwater streams to the estuaries with species such as Amazonian Sucker Catfish and African Catfish now dominating many water bodies and resulting in severe declines of native species. Clearly, we have lost more than 50% of critical freshwater habitats of Western Ghats, and have no idea how many silent extinctions have taken place!

Why do freshwater fish need our help?

The ‘freshwater paradox, where more than 16,000 fish species live in less than one percent of the Earth’s surface, and subjected to a range of anthropogenic stressors is one of the greatest challenges for global biodiversity conservation. With more than 60 species already extinct, 22% of the species (of over 7,600 species assessed for their conservation status) facing a high risk of extinction, and recent extinction rate estimates several hundred times higher than natural extinction rates, freshwater fish are truly a group ‘living on the edge’. As many human-induced stressors are predicted not only to persist but also intensify in the foreseeable future, and several emerging threats adding to the woes, freshwater fish and the ecosystems they rely on will require immediate and sustained conservation interventions if they are to overcome the Anthropocene. Despite this, freshwater fish conservation is often invisible, and ignored on the global conservation agenda.

Is there a particular species which you think epitomises the challenges of conserving freshwater fish?

No doubt, this would be the humpbacked mahseer, one of the world’s largest and rarest mahseer species. Working with colleagues from the Mahseer Trust and the Bournemouth University, I was fortunate enough to have resolved the identity of the humpbacked mahseer – a mystery that lasted for 150 years. A megafish, and an icon of freshwater conservation in the Western Ghats, the humpbacked mahseer has shown catastrophic declines (>90%) since the early nineties, and is now listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Despite these striking statistics, there is absolutely no on-ground conservation action in place to save these giants from going extinct! The remaining populations of the humpbacked mahseer lives in some of the remotest habitats in the Western Ghats including the ‘Moyar Gorge’ – also infamous as the ‘Mysore Ditch’. Saving the humpbacked mahseer would mean working in some of these isolated river systems inside forests teeming with wildlife, including elephants, tigers, leopards and bears, and where accessibility is extremely limited, and movement severely compromised.

Why is the research you do so important?

Regardless of over three centuries of ichthyological research, we know very little about the diversity (around 240 new species continue to be described every year!), distribution, biology and ecology of freshwater fish species, thus hindering the development and implementation of on-ground conservation actions. For 90% of tropical freshwater fish species, the only information we have is their name, type locality and basic morphology. Bridging this knowledge gap has been hampered by the lack of organised and continued investment for freshwater science and policy making.

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Why are you involved in the Shoal Partnership?

Conserving the world’s freshwater fish species requires a proactive strategy and a combination of approaches from public awareness, to scientific research, and on-ground conservation practice. There is still time to conserve and sustainably manage the Earth’s freshwater biodiversity but we should act now! Shoal arrived at the right time, providing hope that we can all work together to protect critical freshwater habitats and threatened species. It is indeed heartening to see some of the world’s top conservation organisations working for the cause of freshwater species and it gives me immense happiness to be working alongside them.

What can people do to help freshwater fish?

Firstly, freshwater fish need to be recognised and treated as ‘wildlife’! Making sure that freshwaters are not treated as dumping grounds of waste and are allowed to flow freely, will no doubt create healthy ecosystems where fish can survive and flourish.

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Rajeev conducting field work (c) Rajeev Raghavan

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The Bhavani River, a potential reintroduction site for the hump-back mahseer (c) Michael Baltzer

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Merlin

June 24th 2019

Conservation, Feature, Fish, Interview, Newsletter, Why I'm behind Shoal

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Under the water’s surface: An interview with Jack Perks

One of the key challenges in conserving freshwater species is that few people ever get to see them. If they do it is often out of the water, where it is difficult to get a true appreciation for these aquatic animals. As a result of sediment suspended in the water, rivers, lakes and even streams are often turbid and unlike marine environments it is tricky to see clearly underwater. Consequently, it can be difficult to shine a light on the species that live there. Out of sight and out of mind – it’s hard to protect something (or even to want to protect something) that you can’t see.

One man working to change this in the UK is Jack Perks. Jack recently completed the feat of seeing, and importantly, filming all 54 species of the UK’s freshwater fish species. You can see these species for yourself in Jack’s latest video which includes some stunning and even comical footage of these species from around the country, or in Jack’s newly released book: Freshwater Fishes of Britain (available here). We caught up with Jack for a quick interview about some of his observations over the last seven years under the surface of Britain’s rivers, lakes, and streams.

Banner: Jack diving with a Pike (c) Jack Perks

Grayling, River Allen (c) Jack Perks

What’s the strangest thing you’ve seen during your dives?

Well in terms of non-fishy things, I’ve found everything from guns, iPads and even a sex toy! Fish-wise, one surprise was fairly recently finding a good-sized bass 10 miles inland considering it’s mainly thought as a sea fish!

What changes have you seen in the river systems during your time diving around Britain?

We constantly hear that rivers are getting better, but when you think most were open sewers it doesn’t take much to be better. They are in a real poor state with lots of pollutants, chemicals and plastics in many of them and anglers are often the first people to notice these things. I only got ill once from rivers while filming and I’m convinced it was from a manky river in Devon that shall remain nameless!

Brown Trout, River Lathkill (c) Jack Perks

Not many people get to see freshwater fish up close or underwater. What was it that got you interested in freshwater fish?

I think it’s the mystery of them that intrigues me most, that hidden nature. I’ve always had a fascination with the natural world and started fishing when I was 11. I then turned to photography at 16 and seemed the perfect combination to try and photograph fish.

Which is the species which you enjoy seeing most?

Grayling are my favourite species though barbel come a close second. They look just magnificent in the water with the dorsal fin moving in the current and the splendid breeding colours of kingfisher blue and ruby reds.

Smelt, River Tamar (c) Jack Perks

What are some reasons to feel optimistic about the future of freshwater fishes in Britain?

People are certainly more aware of the problems these habitats and species face: look at the Blue Planet effect with plastics for example, so there is hope but it takes action, not just sharing a post on social media to really make a difference. And it doesn’t have to be big things: use a little less water, reduce your single-use plastic, and eat sustainably caught fish.

What’s your next project?

I’d like to do another book, maybe on the places, people and fish I’ve come across, as well as try to film more marine fish. Some of the European fish like Cozimo barbel, Amur pike and huchen sound like a challenge too.

Perch, River Trent (c) Jack Perks

[/fusion_text][fusion_button link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oJ6-fGSVs8″ text_transform=”” title=”” target=”_self” link_attributes=”” alignment=”” modal=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” color=”custom” button_gradient_top_color=”#03a9f4″ button_gradient_bottom_color=”#03a9f4″ button_gradient_top_color_hover=”#03a9f4″ button_gradient_bottom_color_hover=”#03a9f4″ accent_color=”” accent_hover_color=”” type=”” bevel_color=”” border_width=”” size=”xlarge” stretch=”default” icon=”” icon_position=”left” icon_divider=”no” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=”” border_radius=””]Click here to see all 54 species[/fusion_button][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_2″ layout=”1_2″ spacing=”” center_content=”no” link=”” target=”_self” min_height=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_image_id=”” background_position=”left top” background_repeat=”no-repeat” hover_type=”none” border_size=”0″ border_color=”” border_style=”solid” border_position=”all” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=”” last=”no”][fusion_imageframe image_id=”918|full” max_width=”” style_type=”” blur=”” stylecolor=”” hover_type=”none” bordersize=”” bordercolor=”” borderradius=”” align=”none” lightbox=”no” gallery_id=”” lightbox_image=”” lightbox_image_id=”” alt=”” link=”” linktarget=”_self” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=””]https://shoalconservation.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Perch-River-Trent6-copy.jpg[/fusion_imageframe][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_global id=”191″]

Post Overview

Merlin

June 11th 2019

Conservation, Feature, Fish, Newsletter

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The first month of Shoal: Launching and Learning

Today Shoal celebrates one month since the Partnership’s official launch. This was marked on Friday 1^st March 2019 with a small event kindly hosted by the Fishmongers’ Company in London. The event brought together aquarists, anglers, businesses, zoos and aquariums, conservation organisations and foundations. Many of the organisations present were, or have since, signed up as Strategic Partners of Shoal, aligning with the Partnership’s mission: to save and recover populations of the most threatened fish and other threatened freshwater species.

Mike Baltzer, Director of Shoal, announced the realisation of his vision: a new partnership which will put freshwater species conservation front and centre (below, left). As well as highlighting the great peril faced by thousands of freshwater species across the world and the absence of coordinated conservation action for many of them, Mike also spoke with great optimism of the amazing global community of people and businesses passionate about freshwater species. Throughout the development of Shoal there has been a palpable sense that many have been waiting for just such an opportunity.

[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_2″ layout=”1_2″ spacing=”” center_content=”no” link=”” target=”_self” min_height=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” background_image_id=”” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_position=”left top” undefined=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” hover_type=”none” border_size=”0″ border_color=”” border_style=”solid” border_position=”all” padding_top=”0″ padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”0″ padding_left=”” margin_top=”0″ margin_bottom=”0″ animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=”” last=”no”][fusion_imageframe image_id=”853|full” max_width=”” style_type=”” blur=”” stylecolor=”” hover_type=”none” bordersize=”” bordercolor=”” borderradius=”” align=”none” lightbox=”no” gallery_id=”” lightbox_image=”” lightbox_image_id=”” alt=”” link=”” linktarget=”_self” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=””]https://shoalconservation.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/IMG_4808.jpg[/fusion_imageframe][fusion_button link=”https://shoalconservation.org/an-interview-with-mike-baltzer-director-of-shoal/” text_transform=”none” title=”” target=”_blank” link_attributes=”” alignment=”center” modal=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” color=”custom” button_gradient_top_color=”#0045a5″ button_gradient_bottom_color=”#0045a5″ button_gradient_top_color_hover=”#0045a5″ button_gradient_bottom_color_hover=”#0045a5″ accent_color=”” accent_hover_color=”” type=”” bevel_color=”” border_width=”” size=”xlarge” stretch=”yes” icon=”” icon_position=”left” icon_divider=”no” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=”” border_radius=”2″]Click here to read an interview with Mike Baltzer [/fusion_button][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_2″ layout=”1_2″ spacing=”” center_content=”no” link=”” target=”_self” min_height=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” background_image_id=”” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_position=”left top” undefined=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” hover_type=”none” border_size=”0″ border_color=”” border_style=”solid” border_position=”all” padding_top=”0″ padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”0″ padding_left=”” margin_top=”0″ margin_bottom=”0″ animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=”” last=”no”][fusion_imageframe image_id=”854|full” max_width=”” style_type=”” blur=”” stylecolor=”” hover_type=”none” bordersize=”” bordercolor=”” borderradius=”” align=”none” lightbox=”no” gallery_id=”” lightbox_image=”” lightbox_image_id=”” alt=”” link=”” linktarget=”_self” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=””]https://shoalconservation.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/IMG_4834.jpg[/fusion_imageframe][fusion_button link=”https://shoalconservation.org/an-interview-with-jeremy-wade/” text_transform=”none” title=”” target=”_blank” link_attributes=”” alignment=”center” modal=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” color=”custom” button_gradient_top_color=”#0045a5″ button_gradient_bottom_color=”#0045a5″ button_gradient_top_color_hover=”#0045a5″ button_gradient_bottom_color_hover=”#0045a5″ accent_color=”” accent_hover_color=”” type=”” bevel_color=”” border_width=”” size=”xlarge” stretch=”yes” icon=”” icon_position=”left” icon_divider=”no” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=”” border_radius=”2″]Click here to read an interview with Jeremy Wade[/fusion_button][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ spacing=”” center_content=”no” link=”” target=”_self” min_height=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” background_image_id=”” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_position=”left top” undefined=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” hover_type=”none” border_size=”0″ border_color=”” border_style=”solid” border_position=”all” padding_top=”20″ padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”20″ padding_left=”” margin_top=”20″ margin_bottom=”20″ animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=”” last=”no”][fusion_text columns=”” column_min_width=”” column_spacing=”” rule_style=”default” rule_size=”” rule_color=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=””]

At the launch event we were also delighted to welcome author, biologist, angler and television presenter, Jeremy Wade as our special guest speaker (above, right). Jeremy is best known for River Monsters and Mighty Rivers, and he fascinated the audience with tales from his travels to catch some of the largest and most threatened freshwater fishes around the globe. Jeremy reflected of the increasing rarity of the Earth’s freshwater “monsters”. Often the communities he meets on the banks of the world’s rivers and lakes tell him that if he wanted to catch that particular species, he should have come 50 or 100 years ago. Jeremy said his travels had shown him the desperate need to better protect freshwater systems and the species who depend upon then, and that is why he had taken time out of his schedule to make sure he was at the Partnership’s launch in person. We are very pleased to announce that Jeremy has agreed to become an official ambassador for the Shoal Partnership.

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Jeremy Wade with a Piraiba catfish (Brachyplatystoma filamentosum) , Essequibo River, Guyana (c) Icon Films

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As well as the launch event we also organised a meeting for fish aquarists kindly hosted by Chester Zoo on Saturday 9^th March. This meeting was coordinated by Shoal supporter Andy Patel, and brought together 17 aquarists and aquarist associations from the north of England. The purpose of the meeting was to understand more about how the aquarist community already engages in conservation, and how Shoal can help aquarists to implement and be a part of effective conservation programmes for the species they treasure. It was an extremely productive meeting with many promising ideas discussed. One outcome is that we will soon be launching a Facebook page which will aim to bring aquarists closer to the wild species and habitats they care for. We are also now exploring establishing an individual membership scheme for Shoal. The meeting ended with a tour of Chester Zoo’s aquarium, and the feedback from the meeting is now being developed into a new strategy focused on engagement of the aquarist community.

The Shoal aquarists meeting, kindly hosted at Cedar House, Chester Zoo (c) Claire Raisin

A commentary the topic ‘aquarists and conservation’ written by Andy Patel is available here.

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In addition to these meetings we’ve also been continuing to reach out to individuals, businesses and organisations who show an interest in joining Shoal and have been working to formalise these organisations’ engagement in the Partnership. You can learn more about Shoal’s strategic partners and how to become one here.

We are also continuing to develop our initial suite of projects, with a Conservation Planning meeting now being organised in India to kickstart work to save the mighty hump-backed mahseer from extinction. Project Mahseer is a collaborative initiative catalysed by Shoal to save this remarkable group of fish from extinction. The project will focus on conserving these species across their range, in turn contributing towards conservation of some of Asia’s most biodiverse and threatened river systems. The project will engage with a wide range of partner organisations, including non-governmental organisations (NGOs), government stakeholders, universities, scientists, businesses, anglers and local communities to devise and implement conservation solutions which reduce pressure on surviving mahseer populations, and help to recover populations in areas where they have undergone rapid decline. The initial objective is to focus on the conservation of the Critically Endangered hump-backed mahseer; however, it is hoped this will be the first of many projects which is undertaken under this new initiative. Project Mahseer intends to be a long-term initiative operating over a long-time horizon. This is both due to the enormity of the challenge to save mahseer in their 11 range countries, but also to ensure that the impacts of supported conservation interventions are sustainable and enduring. This initial planning meeting is being kindly hosted by WWF-India and is a vital first step in this ambitious project to save the hump-backed mahseer from extinction.

We thank everyone who has shown an interest in Shoal so far and helped to get the Partnership to the stage where we could officially launch. We are very much looking forward to the exciting next steps in the Partnership’s development and to working with you all. If you want to find out more about any of our programmes or have ideas for how Shoal can better engage with you and your community then contact us at: mike@shoalconservation.org or m.edmondstone@shoal.org.uk

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Post Overview

Merlin

April 1st 2019

Aquarists, Conservation, Fish, Newsletter, Stories

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Who We Are: The SHOAL

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Safeguarding Bangka’s Hidden Gem: Conserving Betta burdigala

Mekong Ghost rediscovered after missing for nearly 20 years

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Michael Köck European tour update: 4

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Mekong Ghost rediscovered after missing for nearly 20 years

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Michael Köck European tour update: 4

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Michael Köck European tour update: 4

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An interview with Rajeev Raghavan

When did your interest in fish begin?

What’s the best memory you have from all the times you have had working on the rivers of India?

Rajeev on a recent scoping trip for a conservation project to save the hump-backed mahseer (c) Michael Baltzer

What changes have you seen since you first visited those river systems?

Why do freshwater fish need our help?

Is there a particular species which you think epitomises the challenges of conserving freshwater fish?

Why is the research you do so important?

Why are you involved in the Shoal Partnership?

What can people do to help freshwater fish?

Rajeev conducting field work (c) Rajeev Raghavan

The Bhavani River, a potential reintroduction site for the hump-back mahseer (c) Michael Baltzer

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