The SHOAL is the global ecosystem of partners and collaborators who work together to safeguard the health of Earth's freshwater habitats and conserve the most threatened freshwater species. As with a shoal of fish, the strength of the SHOAL lies with the number of partners all working together.
Blueprint for Conservation Action for 1,000 Freshwater Fishes
SHOAL's flagship initiative sets out a plan for how significant collaborative conservation effort can lift freshwater fishes and potentially thousands of other neglected freshwater species to a new elevated platform of conservation attention and greatly enhance freshwater conservation efforts globally.
What your support has helped achieve for the Denison’s Barb
When people support SHOAL, they’re helping local conservationists build the relationships and knowledge needed to protect entire freshwater ecosystems.
In India’s Western Ghats, that’s exactly what has been happening through our partnership with Zoo Outreach Organisation (Zooreach), where work to conserve the Denison’s Barb, listed by IUCN as Endangered and known affectionately as “Denise”, has continued to gather momentum.
Found only in a handful of rivers in Kerala and Karnataka, the Denison’s Barb has become one of India’s best-known freshwater fishes thanks to its popularity in the aquarium trade. Yet habitat degradation, pollution, destructive fishing practices and unsustainable collection from the wild have all contributed to its decline.
Over the past year, Zooreach has been working with local communities to understand where Denise still survives, and whether there is support for protecting the rivers she depends on.
The team visited 59 locations across 56 villages, speaking with 152 community members living alongside four river systems. Conversations explored people’s relationships with their rivers, the changes they had witnessed, and whether they would be willing to become involved in conservation.
The findings were encouraging. Around two-thirds of those surveyed recognised Denison’s Barb, with half having seen one themselves. During fieldwork, the team discovered a healthy shoal of around 40-50 Denison’s Barbs in one tributary – one of the largest groups encountered during the surveys. Many local residents were unaware the fish were there, underlining both how easily these populations can go unnoticed and why careful surveys are so important for guiding future conservation.
The surveys highlighted where future conservation efforts are most likely to succeed. Several communities expressed keenness to work together to protect their rivers, and two promising locations have now been identified as potential community-led conservation sites.
The team also encountered encouraging examples of local stewardship already underway, including communities helping to protect the nesting sites of the Critically Endangered Asian Giant Softshell Turtle. Building on that existing commitment gives hope that community-led conservation for Denise and her freshwater neighbours can flourish too.
The conversations revealed the value of local ecological knowledge. Residents described the subtleties in how Denise swims through different parts of the rivers at different times of year and recalled how river conditions have changed throughout their lifetimes. People spoke of deep pools in the rivers disappearing, river flows changing, fish diversity declining, and habitats being altered by dams, floods and sand deposition. Communities consistently identified flooding, overfishing, landslides, dams and destructive fishing methods as major threats to their rivers. Many also reported that wild collection for the aquarium trade continued until at least 2024.
These observations are helping Zooreach identify where conservation action is most urgently needed.
Sanjay Molur, Executive Director of Zooreach, said, “The community connection with the rivers varies throughout Denise’s range, with support for conservation fluctuating. However, increasing trends in positive attitude shift is perceptible, laying the foundations for the conservation effort. Our studies indicate that the time is right in pursuing a community led conservation action for Denise and her friends in at least two river stretches, and the need for financial support is now critical to build on the trust and positive attitudes of those communities.”
Alongside this research, Zooreach has been helping a new generation discover the remarkable wildlife living beneath the surface of their local rivers.
At the heart of this work is the Denise and Friends education programme. Rather than focusing solely on Denison’s Barb, the programme introduces children to an entire freshwater community. A five-foot illustrated river becomes the classroom, gradually populated with otters, kingfishers, dragonflies, freshwater fishes and many other species through games, storytelling, stickers and activities. As the river comes to life, students also explore the threats facing these ecosystems and the practical actions they can take to help protect them.
The materials have been produced in both English and Malayalam, making them accessible to schools across the region.
One of the biggest milestones this year was the first Train the Trainers workshop in Kasaragod. Twenty-five teachers and community leaders from 12 schools learned how to deliver the Denise and Friends programme themselves, before returning home with classroom kits containing manuals, a DIY tunnel book, activity packs and posters. The workshop also brought on-ground researchers and the community engaging with one another. By equipping local educators rather than relying on one-off events, the project can continue reaching many more young people long after the workshop has ended.
Payal Molur, a wildlife education specialist who works with Zooreach, said, “The best part of the training the trainers workshops is watching the teachers have their eureka moment. This was evident when they assembled Denise’s living river map, see it come to life and then watch all their hard work get covered by threats and then were able to relate this to what was happening on the ground.”
There is still plenty to do. Building community-led conservation areas takes time, trust and local leadership. But thanks to the generosity of SHOAL supporters, the foundations are now firmly in place. Communities have been engaged, promising conservation sites have been identified, teachers have been equipped with creative educational resources, and hundreds more children are now beginning to see their rivers not simply as waterways, but as homes for extraordinary wildlife worth protecting.
Every conversation, classroom session and community meeting brings Denise, and the many freshwater species that share her rivers, one step closer to a more secure future.
“The camp helped us to improve our knowledge about fishes especially Miss Kerala [Denise] and realise how important it is for each of us to protect our rivers and fish. The group members felt like family and the experience was truly special. We will do our best to create awareness among our students and engage them in related activities and share feedback as well.”
“It was a wonderful experience for me to attend this three-day camp. Before attending, I had never heard of this fish or realised its importance. The entire programme helped me truly understand nature and its significance. The activities and methodology were comprehensive, making it very easy to understand the message you wanted to impart. I am incredibly thankful to the entire Zoo Outreach team for organising the ‘Denise and Friends’ workshop.”
Protecting Tanzania’s extraordinary killifish and the communities who hold the key to their future
GUEST POST: DAVID ALILA, UNIVERSITY OF DAR ES SALAAM
When people think of Tanzania, they usually picture the Serengeti, Mount Kilimanjaro or the beaches of Zanzibar. Few realise that, just outside the bustling city of Dar es Salaam, lies one of the world’s least-known freshwater biodiversity hotspots.
The Mbezi River Basin is home to eight extraordinary species of annual killifish found nowhere else on Earth. These brilliantly coloured fish have evolved one of nature’s most remarkable survival strategies. As seasonal pools dry up, the adult fish die, leaving eggs buried in the mud. These eggs survive the long dry season and hatch when the rains return.
It is a remarkable adaptation, but one now under threat. The wetlands these fish depend on are disappearing rapidly because of agricultural expansion, water extraction, urban development, pollution and climate change. Yet during our recent project, supported through funding from The Rufford Foundation and SHOAL, we discovered that habitat loss is only part of the story.
Perhaps the greatest threat is that these remarkable fish are almost completely unknown even to the people living beside them.
Discovering a hidden treasure
For years, conservation in Tanzania has focused on iconic wildlife such as elephants, lions and rhinos. Meanwhile, many smaller freshwater species have quietly slipped towards extinction.
The Mbezi River Basin is one of the world’s most important centres of annual killifish diversity, yet few people outside the scientific community have heard of it.
Rather than beginning with fences or regulations, our project began with conversations. We worked with communities, schools and local leaders in the villages of Misufini and Kiparang’anda, sharing the story of these extraordinary fish and the seasonal wetlands they depend on.
The biggest discovery was not biological, it was social.
Most participants had never heard of annual killifish. Few knew that these species are globally threatened or that the Mbezi River Basin is internationally important for freshwater biodiversity. Even some local government officials responsible for environmental management were unfamiliar with the ecological importance of these wetlands.
At first this knowledge gap seemed discouraging. Instead, it became one of our greatest reasons for hope. People cannot protect what they have never been given the chance to know.
Once community members understood the uniqueness of their wetlands, attitudes changed quickly. Village leaders, farmers, women and young people enthusiastically joined discussions, sharing observations about disappearing wetlands, changing rainfall patterns and increasing pressure on natural resources.
Most importantly, many expressed a genuine willingness to help protect these habitats in the future.
Some of the most inspiring moments came from local schools. Students were amazed to discover that globally unique fish lived in wetlands near their homes. Their curiosity was infectious, with questions about how the fish survive, why wetlands matter and what they could do to help. Teachers also expressed strong interest in incorporating local biodiversity into environmental education.
These sessions showed that schools can become powerful centres for conservation. By inspiring young people today, we are helping to build the next generation of environmental stewards.
One lesson became clear throughout the project: conservation is ultimately about people.
Scientific research is essential, but lasting conservation depends on informed and engaged communities. Our experience showed that local people are not barriers to conservation; they are its greatest allies. Once they understood the global importance of their wetlands, they wanted to become part of the solution.
This change in awareness may become the project’s most important legacy.
The programme also laid important foundations for the future. It strengthened relationships between scientists, communities and schools, identified major knowledge gaps, and demonstrated that community education can play a central role in protecting freshwater biodiversity.
A small beginning with enormous potential
Our community awareness programme was a small but crucial first step. We reached two villages and two schools, a tiny fraction of the 121 villages in the wider region. The demand for more outreach is overwhelming, but financial constraints have limited our reach.
Future support will allow us to expand awareness programmes, establish school conservation clubs, engage government agencies, develop a Conservation Action Plan and strengthen community participation in wetland protection.
The lessons learned in Mbezi also extend far beyond this basin. Tanzania is home to 47 of the world’s 94 recognised annual killifish species, many facing similar threats. The approach developed here could become a model for protecting freshwater biodiversity across the country.
A message of hope
Conservation stories often focus on what has been lost. This one is different.
Yes, the wetlands of the Mbezi River Basin remain under pressure. Yes, these extraordinary fish are among the world’s most threatened freshwater species.
But our project showed something equally important: people care.
When communities understand the value of their natural heritage, they want to protect it. When young people discover that globally unique wildlife lives in their own backyard, they become proud ambassadors for conservation. And when scientists, communities and conservation organisations work together, lasting change becomes possible.
The hidden hotspot of the Mbezi River Basin may still be unfamiliar to much of the world, but the foundations for its protection have now been laid.
With continued partnership and support, these tiny fish, and the seasonal wetlands that sustain them, can become a powerful example of how community-led conservation can safeguard some of the planet’s most overlooked freshwater treasures.
Our awareness programme was a small but vital first step. We reached two villages and two schools, just a fraction of the 121 villages across the region. The demand for more outreach is overwhelming, but limited funds have held us back. Still, we’ve built something important: we’ve shown that community-based conservation works, proven that schools can become powerful hubs for environmental education, identified key gaps, and confirmed that local communities will embrace conservation when given the chance. Moving forward, we need to expand our reach to more villages, schools, and decision-makers, collaborate with national environmental agencies, develop a comprehensive Conservation Action Plan, and replicate this model across other threatened river basins in Tanzania.
Post Overview
David Alila
July 20th 2026
1000 Fishes, Conservation, Guest Author, Stories, Story, Tanzania
Thousands of freshwater fish species are threatened with extinction. For some of them, conservation measures in the wild alone are insufficient to prevent extinction, and ex situ conservation efforts can therefore play an important role in safeguarding their futures. These efforts require careful assessment, planning, and collaboration.
Earlier this June 2026, more than 30 freshwater fish conservationists, aquarium and zoo professionals, researchers, and taxonomists from around the world gathered at the Albuquerque BioPark in New Mexico, USA for the first Global Freshwater Fish Ex Situ Conservation Assessment (ECA) Workshop. The workshop was hosted by the IUCN SSC Center for Species Survival New Mexico (New Mexico BioPark Society), organised in partnership with the IUCN SSC Conservation Planning Specialist Group (CPSG), SHOAL, Re:wild, and the IUCN SSC Freshwater Fish Specialist Group (FFSG), and financially supported by the SeaWorld Conservation Fund. It marked a major milestone in efforts to strategically harness ex situ interventions to prevent freshwater fish extinctions. This is also the first event at which members of the SHOAL Alliance of Zoos and Aquaria have come together in person to participate in and contribute to global freshwater fish conservation planning, and represents a real landmark in the alliance’s continued growth and impact.
The workshop was the single largest assessment workshop of its kind ever conducted, and provided a valuable opportunity to evaluate ex situ conservation needs for more than 300 freshwater fish. Using the IUCN CPSG’s Ex Situ Conservation Assessment (ECA) process, participants systematically assessed how ex situ conservation could contribute to the long-term survival and recovery of these species.
Over five intensive days, participants worked in facilitated groups to assess the potential ex situ roles of each species: Ark, Rescue, and Insurance populations, Reintroduction programmes, Demographic and Genetic Reinforcement, Assisted Migration, Ecological Replacement, and Research, Training, and Education (take a look below for the definitions of these terms). Participants reviewed species information, evaluated threats, and assessed the feasibility of appropriate ex situ conservation roles for each species, then provided recommendations for each role using benefit, feasibility, and risk scores informed by their existing knowledge and expertise. These recommendations will help guide future ex situ conservation actions and planning.
One of the workshop’s achievements was bringing together a diverse group of experts and stakeholders who rarely have the opportunity to interact and collaborate within the same room. The workshop provided a unique platform for knowledge exchange, enabling participants to share expertise in taxonomy, conservation breeding, husbandry, field conservation, population management, and the socio-political dimensions of species conservation. Through the assessment of more than 300 priority freshwater fish species using a structured conservation planning framework, participants identified species that could benefit from ex situ conservation interventions, highlighted critical knowledge gaps and research priorities, and developed recommendations to inform future conservation planning and population management.
Importantly, the workshop reinforced that successful species recovery requires integrated approaches that link ex situ conservation measures with in situ conservation efforts, such as habitat restoration, threat reduction, community engagement, policy support, and long-term monitoring in the wild. Furthermore, it fostered a growing connection and communication between zoological facility experts and private aquarium hobbyists for co-beneficial collaboration.
While the workshop marked a significant milestone, participants emphasised that the real work had only just begun. The results and recommendations from this assessment will be synthesised into actionable conservation plans that help guide future strategies, investments, and institutional priorities. Moving forward, efforts will focus on prioritising species requiring urgent intervention, developing coordinated ex situ and integrated conservation strategies, expanding participation through the SHOAL Alliance of Zoos and Aquaria, strengthening technical capacity and husbandry expertise, securing resources for implementation, and fostering stronger connections between ex situ and in situ conservation efforts.
Michael Chase, conservation policy and strategy specialist at New Mexico BioPark Society, and member of the workshop organising team, said of the event, “While this is the first step of many in expanding ex situ conservation efforts for freshwater fish species in need of it, we are proud of the work accomplished at the workshop and the momentum it is building. We’re excited to continue to move this work forward with the IUCN Species Survival Commission, SHOAL, all the partners represented at the workshop, and all those we are looking to bring in along the way.”
TERMINOLOGY:
Ark Population
Maintain a long-term ex situ population after extinction of all known wild populations (i.e., a species that is Extinct in the Wild) and as a preparation for reintroduction or assisted colonisation if and when feasible.
Population Rescue (temporary or long term)
Establish an ex situ population for a species that is in imminent danger of extinction (locally or globally) and requires ex situ management, as part of an integrated program, to ensure its survival. The species may be in imminent danger because the threats cannot or will not be reversed in time to prevent likely population or species extinction, or the threats have no current remedy. The rescue may need to be long term or can be temporary (e.g., to protect the population from catastrophes or predicted imminent threats that are limited in time, such as extreme weather, disease or toxic spill). Population Rescue should be beneficial at the population level. This role is not meant to apply to the periodic rescue of injured or confiscated individuals for reasons of individual welfare when this does not significantly contribute to population survival.
Insurance Population
Maintain a long-term viable ex situ population of the species to prevent predicted local, regional or global species extinction and preserve options for future conservation strategies. These are typically species that are threatened and/or declining and for which it is unsure whether in situ threat mitigation will have sufficient effect in a sufficient timeframe to prevent the extinction of the species or to prevent a dramatic decline in the numbers, populations and/or genetic diversity of the species. An ex situ population may be desired as an insurance population from which individuals can be taken for genetic and/or demographic reinforcement or other conservation translocations as required, but these are not yet actively planned for the foreseeable future.
Population Restoration: Reintroduction
Serve as a source of individuals for population restoration to reestablish the species to part of its former range from which it has been extirpated. In some cases, ex situ management also may support reintroductions that use another wild population as the source (wild-to-wild translocation).
Population Restoration: Demographic Reinforcement
Serve as a source of individuals for population restoration to supplement an existing population for demographic purposes or use ex situ management during wild-to-wild translocations. This can include:
Demographic augmentation to increase the wild population size; and/or
Demographic manipulation to improve a demographic rate (survival or reproduction) or demographic imbalance (e.g., skewed sex ratio) in the wild, often of a particular age, sex, or life stage. For example, head-start programmes that remove individuals from the wild to reduce high mortality during a specific life stage and then subsequently return them to the wild.
Population Restoration: Genetic Reinforcement
Serve as a source of individuals for population restoration to supplement an existing population for genetic purposes or use ex situ management during wild-to-wild translocations. This can include:
Genetic augmentation to increase overall genetic diversity in the wild population, and/or
Genetic manipulation to restore or promote specific genetic trait(s) that improve viability or the ability to withstand threats.
Conservation Introduction: Assisted Migration
Introduce the species outside of its indigenous range when the natural range is insufficient to avoid extinction of populations of the species. Can either use the ex situ population as the source or use ex situ management in wild-to-wild translocation.
Conservation Introduction: Ecological Replacement
Introduce the species outside of its indigenous range to reestablish a lost ecological function and/or modify habitats. This may involve species that are not themselves threatened but that contribute to the conservation of other taxa through their ecological role. Can either use the ex situ population as the source or use ex situ management in wild-to-wild translocation.
Conservation-based Research
Use an ex situ population for research that will directly benefit conservation of the species, or a similar species, in the wild (e.g., develop monitoring methods such as telemetry transmitters and genetic sampling; address data gaps in disease transmission or treatment). The research must address specific questions essential for success of the overall conservation strategy for the species. This can include non-threatened species serving as a model for threatened species or establishing ex situ populations of a threatened species to gain important species-specific husbandry and breeding expertise that is likely to be needed in the future to conserve the species.
Conservation-based Training
Use an ex situ population for training people that will directly benefit conservation of the species, or a similar species, in the wild (e.g., train field biologists or wildlife managers in restraint, handling and/or health assessment). Training must address expertise essential for success of the overall conservation strategy for the species. This can include non-threatened species serving as a model for threatened species.
Targeted Conservation Education
Forms the basis for an education and awareness programme that addresses specific threats or constraints to the conservation of the species or its habitat. Education should address specific human behavioral changes that are essential for the success, and an integral part of, the overall conservation strategy for the species. This primarily involves ex situ locations visited by the intended human audience. This can include using non-threatened species as a model to promote behavior change that benefits a threatened species.
Springs may be small in size, but they are among the most extraordinary and irreplaceable freshwater ecosystems on Earth. Often hidden and overlooked, these habitats support a remarkable diversity of life – endemics, shaped by many thousands of years of isolation. Beyond their biodiversity value, springs are vital for people. They help maintain water quality, sustain river flows, support livelihoods, and hold deep cultural significance for communities around the world.
Yet despite their importance, springs are disappearing at an alarming rate. Groundwater over-extraction, pollution, habitat degradation, invasive species, and climate change are placing immense pressure on these fragile systems. Because they are often remote, small, or poorly studied, springs have long been neglected in global conservation efforts.
In October 2025, at the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025, the global conservation community took a significant step forward. Motion 016, Springs under Threat – Mobilising Urgent Action for Neglected Freshwater Systems, was formally adopted, calling for coordinated global action to protect springs and subterranean ecosystems. Developed by the IUCN Species Survival Commission Freshwater Conservation Committee, the motion has helped bring long-overdue attention to springs and created new momentum for action.
Since its adoption, SHOAL and partners, including the IUCN Species Survival Commission Freshwater Conservation Committee, Re:wild, the Springs Stewardship Institute, and the University of Missouri–St. Louis in collaboration with the Saint Louis Zoo, have been working to translate this global commitment into tangible action on the ground.
A key early step has been raising awareness and building a shared understanding of the importance of springs. This month, SHOAL launches a new webinar series focused on springs conservation. The Season on Springs brings together scientists, practitioners, and policy experts from around the world to share knowledge, experiences, and practical solutions. These conversations are helping to connect a growing global community working to protect these ecosystems.
At the same time, we are laying the groundwork for longer-term collaboration. Efforts are underway to establish an IUCN Springs Task Force and to catalyse a Global Springs Alliance – two complementary initiatives designed to strengthen coordination, improve knowledge exchange, mobilise resources and elevate springs within global biodiversity and water policy frameworks. Together, these platforms aim to ensure that springs are no longer overlooked but recognised as critical components of healthy freshwater biodiversity.
This is just the beginning. There is still much to learn about springs, and even more to do to protect them. But with the momentum generated by Motion 016 and the growing network of partners committed to this work, there is a real opportunity to drive meaningful change.
Springs may be small, but their importance is immense. Protecting them means safeguarding clean water, resilient ecosystems, and unique biodiversity for future generations.
If you are interested in getting involved in springs conservation or learning more, please feel free to reach out at cou@rewild.org.
Grace Brady joined SHOAL as Data Officer in 2025. Here she looks back on her first six months working with the SHOAL core team.
If anything has guided my career thus far, it’s following the fish. Whether it be online or in the field, I want to work for the future of healthy fish populations. I thought all signs would lead to the sea, but the world has a funny way of placing you just where you belong. If I could consult a crystal ball or had even a moment of narrative foresight within my own life, the signs always pointed to freshwater.
I started university on a Classics degree, which meant quite a lot of careful pivoting was done, both academically and professionally, to end up here. I changed my degree to Sustainable Development, with a focus on sustainable fisheries management. This was primarily sparked by reading Ian Urbina’s essay collection The Outlaw Ocean, as well as the incredible work of one of my university professors, Dr. Ifesinachi Okafor-Yarwood. In my final undergraduate year, I was looking for more opportunities to study fish and was put in contact with a student researching invasive traits in freshwater fish. As a research assistant, I trawled through the IUCN Red List and FishBase, aggregating life history data to model species’ invasive potential. I thoroughly enjoyed this work, and this specific experience aligned quite seamlessly with the advertised Data Officer role at SHOAL.
I found out I was successful for this position on an island off the Isle of Mull that can only be accessed on foot at low tide or by boat. There was no reception at the campsite, so I bashed up a heathery hill for a crumb of 4G every few hours to check my email. At the time, I missed Georgie’s call about a verbal offer because it was low tide, and therefore the critical window of time to vacate the island that day. I accepted the position on a single-track road that bisected two sheep paddocks.
The first week at SHOAL was an absolute whirlwind. Within 48 hours in the role, I found out that I would be joining SHOAL in Abu Dhabi for the IUCN World Conservation Congress (WCC). It was exciting to know that I would meet the team in person so quickly into starting, as we work remotely. It was the first time the SHOAL core team was all in one room together!
Leading up to the WCC, my workload became dictated by a strict deadline to produce physical brochures on our work for the event. It was an intense welcome to the team, but it was also gratifying to be given a task that acquainted me with SHOAL’s work, both for specific countries and species.
I went from the airport straight to the Synchronicity Earth Partners dinner. It was less than an hour in Abu Dhabi before uniting with the team!
After the WCC, I finally had time to settle into the role. This gave me a better sense of my week-to-weektasks, which are mainly running our 1000 Fishes and partner databases, as well as completing data pulls for the team. My first long-term project in this role is leading a Conservation Monitoring Outreach initiative for our Critically Endangered Priority Fishes. This effort aims to collect and update knowledge on whether conservation action has taken place for these Critically Endangered species. With the help of the IUCN SSC Freshwater Fish Special Group and local and regional experts, we havecollected data on over 400 species thus far.It’s been a great learning experience to focus my efforts on outreachand lead a project at SHOAL.I am excited to analyse the data collected from this outreachand share the results in our annualreview coming out in May.
Also, it’s been an absolute joy to use my Gen Z internet literacy to make fun social content for SHOAL as a side task. This is a consistent avenue to express creativity within the new social media strategy and contribute in a multi-faceted way to the team.
In February, I was offered more hours and an extended contract to stay with SHOAL longer than I initially expected. It is very exciting news and reassuring that I am contributing to the team as they hoped someone would in this role. I still am early in my career, and sometimes there are moments of doubt and imposter syndrome working as a data officer in the conservation sector. All I can do is accept feedback from my team to produce good work and continue learning about freshwater fishes and the data-driven tools that I can use to share their stories and inform conservation planning. I am very grateful for the kind, supportive, and knowledgeable team that I have at SHOAL, and I am overjoyed to extend my time here!
SHOAL Wrapped is where freshwater fans get a deep dive into our most memorable moments of the year.
We took an incredible trip to India’s Western Ghats
In February we went to Kerala to meet project partners and visit project sites. It was a phenomenal experience to see some of the Western Ghats’ incredible aquatic diversity with our own eyes.
Here’s a handful of what we got up to on the trip:
Caught up with our amazing partners at Zoo Outreach and Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies
Met Mr Abraham, who famously discovered the Pathala Eel Loach in his shower!
Visited sites where subterranean fishes have been found
Explored the mighty Periyar River, where we catalogued 15 species – and found wild Denison’s Barbs!
A killifish discovered right next to a tourist path, the piranha’s vegetarian cousin, and a bizarre worm-like fish that doesn’t live in water…but MUD!
On World Wildlife Day in March we released our fourth annual New Species report, detailing the 260 freshwater fish species described in 2024.
In this year’s edition there are more new species than ever before! It’s a timely reminder that there’s still plenty of biodiversity on our planet yet to be discovered.
“New species discoveries shine a small but optimistic light: an indication that our embattled Earth yet harbours wonder and discovery, and a bracing reminder of the continued need to explore, observe, and protect the priceless biodiversity that sustain us all.”
– Dr Chouly Ou, US Coordinator, SHOAL and Dr. Nathaniel NG, Southeast Asia Coordinator, SHOAL / IUCN SSC ASAP
Contributions from researchers and taxonomists who work hard to discover and describe new species make the landmark report possible. We’re now looking forward to New Species 2025, and we want to hear from you again. If you have come across a species this year you think should be included, get in touch.
We made a splash with our programme of free freshwater conservation webinars, kicking off in April with our New Species webinar, which brought together four of the brilliant researchers involved in discovering and describing some of our most intriguing new species – thanks Jairo, Felipe, Valeria and Rupert!
“These webinars have been a really fun way to learn more about the wonderful work people are doing globally for freshwaters. Thank you to all those who we’ve featured, and to everybody who has tuned in. If you have a freshwater story that you’d like to share, get in touch – we’d love to hear about it and hopefully feature it in a webinar in 2026!”
– Michael Edmondstone, Communications and Engagement Lead, SHOAL
We went on to host fascinating conversations on topics from conserving the incredible endemic fauna of India’s mighty Western Ghats to killifish conservation work in the Mediterranean Basin, and many more!
In June we gathered more than 60 of SHOAL’s partners for the first of an annual series of all partner conversations.
The all partners meeting was an opportunity to celebrate the successes of the wider SHOAL, share future plans, and listen to experts talk about all the fantastic freshwater conservation work they’re doing around the world.
“This was the first time we brought the whole wider SHOAL of partners together at the same time, to share how far the organisation has come since we started in 2019, to celebrate our wins, and to plan together how we can elevate and amplify our collaborative work over the coming year and beyond. It was fantastic to see everybody’s faces, even if only on a screen and not, as we’d prefer, in person! We look forward to hosting this all partners meet every year.”
– Mike Baltzer, Executive Director, SHOAL
Highlights include Eresha Fernando‘s (IUCN Centre for Science and Knowledge), presentation on the results of the 2025 Nature paper One-quarter of freshwater fauna threatened with extinction, the facilitated group discussion with a guest panel on How can we build and strengthen the SHOAL, and of course just seeing everyone’s beautiful faces in one place!
Watch this space – in 2026, the all partners meeting will return.
We went to the 1st International Conference on the Cultural Significance of Fish
In June, SHOAL’s Georgie Bull attended the Institute of Fisheries Management’s 1st Cultural Significance of Fish Conference, in Ely, UK. The event powerfully underscored the deep cultural connections between people and fishes across the globe.
“It was encouraging to see the incredible work being done to better define and quantify cultural significance in ways that respect local knowledge and lived experience. What struck me most, though, was the deep humanity in the talks: the personal stories, emotional resonance, and clear passion behind each project or anecdote presented. The conference has created a strong sense of momentum for recognising and protecting these connections as a vital part of conservation.”
We collaborated on WWF’s flagship Africa’s Forgotten Fishes report
In July the WWF published the major new report ‘Africa’s Forgotten Fishes…And The Emergency Recovery Plan To Save Them’.
“Africa is a global hotspot of freshwater fish diversity, home to over 3,200 species, but it’s also a hotspot of risk. When these fish disappear, we lose much more than species: we lose food & nutrition security, livelihoods, ecosystem balance, and adaptive capacities to climate change. These declines are a red flag for the broader health of Africa’s freshwater ecosystems, which are the very life support systems for people and nature.”
– Eric Oyare, Freshwater Lead, WWF Africa
We were thrilled to collaborate with the WWF on this landmark report, which sounds the alarm for Africa’s freshwater fishes and their ecosystems, and join its call for urgent, coordinated action.
We launched The SHOAL Alliance of Zoos and Aquaria
The SHOAL Alliance of Zoos and Aquaria for freshwater species conservation soft launched in 2025, with the goal of supporting zoos and aquaria in their work towards freshwater conservation.
The alliance supports members in their work through sharing knowledge, skills, capacity, and showing a united front in the face of threats to freshwater and the species that call it home.
By the end of 2025, 11 zoos and aquaria have confirmed their participation, showing their dedication to freshwater species conservation, and we look forward to many more.
In September, we welcomed the brilliant Grace Brady onto the SHOAL team as Data Officer. Dedicated to our 1,000 Fishes species database, Grace has joined us at the perfect moment to help meet our Blueprint’s ambitious goals.
“Joining SHOAL in September was a welcome pivot from marine research to freshwater conservation. Everyone on the team has been so welcoming, and it was especially great to meet everyone in-person at the WCC! I am excited to see what we can all accomplish in 2026.”
A key component of Grace Brady’s role is to keep track of work being done for the SHOAL Priority Fishes, meaning we can keep an accurate tally of the number of species that have conservation action, which are fed into our 1,000 Fishes target.
This work is one of the widest inclusive conservation monitoring programmes in existence.
“Adding the 2025 IUCN Red List updates to our 1,000 Fishes database allows me to focus on individual fish species, as opposed to processing data queries. I enjoy this specific aspect of the role and expanding my knowledge on our newly-assessed Priority Fishes. This year, many Tanganyikan cichlids were assessed and reassessed, as well as a gudgeon species found on the border between China and the DPRK/North Korea.”
We stopped by the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025
In October the SHOAL team spent a whirlwind few days at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi.
SHOAL were involved in 6 sessions – three in the Forum and three in the Exhibition. We also held a booth, where we made loads of exciting new connections, and caught up with our existing funders and partners.
A congress highlight was all 15 of the motions we followed being approved, including 2 motions we proposed ourselves.
“One of the major highlights was the first presence of SHOAL including many of our partners at the WCC where freshwater conservation and species conservation were given a strong show of support and increased attention. We hope this platform will lead to further action for this overlooked component of biodiversity conservation and we can pass the baton onto the 17th CBD COP in Armenia.”
– Mike Baltzer, Executive Director, SHOAL
And not to mention it was at the congress that all 6 members of the SHOAL team finally met in person for the very FIRST TIME! With the SHOAL team based in the UK, Singapore and the USA, chances to meet in person are rare, which made the congress even more special.
We partnered with AMAZONAS and Practical Fishkeeping magazines
We were thrilled to help bridge the gap between passionate aquarists and the conservation sector by partnering with AMAZONAS and Practical Fishkeeping, two of the US and UK’s leading aquarium mags.
“We at Practical Fishkeeping care deeply about fish, and not just those in aquariums. Throughout the year we have shared stories from SHOAL and their partners about the struggles freshwater fish face and the amazing work being done to help them in a bid to raise awareness of the threats to freshwater environments that often get forgotten. We have a responsibility to share our fishes’ stories, and we are grateful for our chance to do that in partnership with SHOAL.”
Alex Bell, Editor, Practical Fishkeeping
“At a time when so many stories in the conservation space are depressing, partnering with SHOAL has been a bright spot for AMAZONAS and our readers. Their initiatives are actionable, measurable, and inspirational, providing a hopeful path towards preservation for the some of the most overlooked and imperiled species in this amazing, watery world we are so lucky to call home.”
Alex Rose, Editor, Amazonas
Regular readers will have been treated to an article from SHOAL every month in Practical Fishkeeping and a new SHOAL feature in every issue of AMAZONAS in 2025, and we look forward to continuing the partnership with both magazines next year
The Rufford Foundation supported us with significant funding
The Rufford Foundation granted £100,000 of vital funds to support work in Papua New Guinea and Papua in Indonesia, along with SHOAL’s first projects on killifish in Tanzania.
Each of these projects will significantly help us in our 1,000 Fishes goal of ensuring conservation action is mobilised for 1,000 of the planet’s most threatened freshwater fish species by 2035.
We sweat the small stuff in our Tiny Fishes report
Under the wire at the end of the year, in December we published Tiny Fishes: The miniature marvels that slip through the net, spotlighting the tiny freshwater fishes that play outsized ecological roles – and are often the first to disappear when habitats decline.
Tiny fishes are chronically overlooked, even in a species group which itself is overlooked, so our report aims to catalyse tiny fishes into the conservation conversation.
“Miniature fishes are small wonders of evolution.”
– George Mattox, Federal University of São Carlos in Brazil
There’ll be more on tiny fishes in 2026 – watch this space!
Three new SHOAL-ASAP grants were awarded to our brilliant partners
Also in December, three of SHOAL’s ASAP grantees were awarded continuation grants, to help them in their excellent work of saving Priority Species.
“December 2025 saw the awarding of three new SHOAL-ASAP grants to existing action partners in Indonesia and Thailand enabling conservation efforts on three ASAP species, two of which have not previously benefited from in situ interventions. It is extremely exciting to see our Southeast Asia programme go from strength to strength, and I cannot wait to witness the positive impacts these projects will bring in 2026 and beyond.”
– Dr. Nathaniel NG, Southeast Asia Coordinator, SHOAL / IUCN SSC ASAP
We can’t wait to see what’s to come in 2026 from Airlangga University’s Veryl Hasan’s Betta miniopinna project, Winda Eka Putri from Tropical Conservation Society’s Parosphromenus ornaticauda project, and Chavalit Vidthayanon’s work on Ceratoglanis pachynema.
Thank you for supporting SHOAL in 2025! Here’s a little taste of what to look forward to in 2026…
Even MORE webinars
Our second all partner meeting – we loved how much time we got to spend celebrating our SHOAL this year.
Our ‘Springs in the spring’ campaign.
The fifth New Species report – place your bets now on how many new freshwater species were discovered in 2025!
A landmark report about culturally-lost fishes – keep your eyes peeled.
An action planning meeting for conservation in the Mekong.
New killifish projects in East Africa.
A Madagascar Action plan for freshwater fishes – SHOAL is a junior partner in an alliance of organisations.
Our first report on the 1,000 Fishes initiative.
If you’d like to support SHOAL’s work to conserve and protect the Earth’s freshwater species and habitats, please donate here.
Don’t forget to sign up to our newsletter The Stream below to get all the latest freshwater news straight to your inbox.
Joint Statement on Managing Invasive Alien Species in Freshwater Ecosystems
Joint Statement on Managing Invasive Alien Species in Freshwaters (Issued by Freshwater Life, International Rivers, the IUCN Species Survival Commission Invasive Species Specialist Group, the Office Français de la Biodiversité, SHOAL, and TARSIUS).
Abu Dhabi, October 2025
At the 2025 IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi, representatives from six leading organisations – Freshwater Life, International Rivers, the IUCN Species Survival Commission Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG), the Office Français de la Biodiversité (OFB), SHOAL, and TARSIUS – convened for a session titled “Achieving conservation and socio-economic benefits from managing Invasive Alien Species (IAS) in freshwater ecosystems.”
The session brought together experts and practitioners from around the world to share their experiences addressing one of the fastest-growing threats to freshwater biodiversity. Speakers Muhammad Iqram (TARSIUS), Gregg Howald (Freshwater Life), Victoria Lichtschein (IUCN Argentine Committee), Joshua Klemm (International Rivers), and Guillaume Gigot (OFB), with an introduction from Piero Genovesi (ISSG and ISPRA) and moderation by Kevin Smith and Ana Nunes from the IUCN Secretariat, presented case studies and lessons learned from Invasive Alien Species (IAS) prevention and management efforts.
In light of these challenges, our organisations commit to strengthening cooperation and applying science-based, locally-grounded solutions that protect and restore freshwater ecosystems impacted by IAS, and the communities that care for and depend on them. We recognise that effective responses require integrated management, long-term monitoring, and active participation of the communities who depend on these waters for their livelihoods and cultural identity. Through our individual and collective efforts, we aim to directly support the implementation of Target 6on IAS of the Global Biodiversity Framework, and contribute to achieving the ambitions of the global Freshwater Challenge, restoring 300,000 km of degraded rivers and 350 million hectares of wetlands by 2030.
Our Joint Commitments
Prevention First: Preventing the introduction of IAS is the most effective and cost-efficient form of management. We commit to advocating for stronger biosecurity measures, risk assessments, and public awareness initiatives to stop IAS before they enter freshwater systems.
Restoration Where Possible: In systems already affected by IAS, effective and science-based management can yield major social-ecological benefits. This was shown at the IUCN Congress event by evidence from two Whitley Award winning successful interventions. In Argentina, the Fundación Somuncura and Freshwater Life completely removed invasive fish from a section of the Valcheta Stream, increasing the populations of the Critically Endangered Naked Characin, El Rincon Stream Frog, and two species of snail by 15% and growing. This demonstrates that targeted removal and ecosystem restoration are achievable in freshwater systems when carefully designed and supported. In Cameroon, the African Marine Conservation organisation (AMCO) has restored lake Ossa from the invasive Salvinia molesta using biological control by a natural predator, the Salvinia Weevil that feeds specifically on the salvinia plant.The drastic reduction of salvinia in the lake led to the restoration of the fishing activities and the return of the manatee population.
Community-Led Action: Sustainable impact depends on local leadership. Our organisations jointly commit to ensuring Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities are at the forefront of IAS prevention, management, and restoration projects, from design to delivery, ensuring that conservation success aligns with community wellbeing, traditional knowledge, and long-term stewardship.
Quotes from Participants
Piero Genovesi, IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group: “The new IUCN programme commits IUCN as a Union to scale up its work on Invasive Alien Species, and the Invasive Species Specialist Group that I chair is ready to provide scientific support for this aim. The presentations and discussions held at the IUCN Congress demonstrate how action in freshwater systems is essential but also feasible.”
Graden Froese, Freshwater Life: “Too often, freshwater invasive species can feel like an overwhelming problem. But invasive species can be dealt with, and even permanently removed, from many rivers and lakes. The results, for people and nature, are spectacular. This gathering, the first of its kind at the IUCN’s World Conservation Congress, reminded and energised us around the importance of action.”
Victoria Lichtschein, IUCN Argentine Committee: “For me the session at the World Conservation Congress was very significant and provided hope that the problem can be dealt with successfully.”
Guillaume Gigot, OFB: “This session was an excellent demonstration of a collective and reasoned approach, where everyone is heard and each situation is considered carefully. This is typical of IUCN’s expertise, which is essential for addressing the challenges of IAS in freshwater environments: consolidating networks and building shared strategies to influence public policy.”
Michael Edmondstone, SHOAL: “Invasive Alien Species are accelerating the decline of already vulnerable freshwater species and ecosystems, yet this session showed that when local leadership and global expertise come together, real recovery is possible. At SHOAL, we’re committed to working alongside our partners to scale the prevention and restoration efforts needed to protect rivers and wetlands, and the communities that depend on them.”
Arely Ramírez García, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, México: “The reintroduction of fish species once lost from the wild, such as Zoogoneticus tequila and Skiffia francesae, demonstrates that ecological restoration is achievable when scientific resolve, community engagement, and collective action come together.”
Tania Romero Bautista, Florida International University (FIU), Tropical Rivers Lab: “I was delighted to participate in this session at IUCN and to learn about community-led projects on how freshwater ecosystems and different species can be sustained through citizen science as well as integrative conservation and policy mechanisms in local and within transboundary areas. As I reflect on my work in freshwater ecosystems in the Peruvian Amazon, this was an opportunity to reimagine new possibilities for such efforts in the Amazon basin.”
Tiny Fishes: the miniature marvels that slip through the net
They’re so small, they’d fit on your fingertip.
And yet tiny fishes are big players in ensuring freshwater ecosystems are healthy: they recycle nutrients and act as essential bioindicators.
They are incredibly diverse, frequently restricted to ranges that match their tiny size, and often sit right at the heart of the ecosystems they inhabit. What makes them so essential is their place in the food web. Small fishes convert algae, plankton, detritus and small invertebrates into energy that supports everything above them. Take them away and you remove the foundation that larger fishes, birds, reptiles, amphibians and mammals rely on.
Yet they are doubly neglected; firstly, by being in a species group that has historically received very little attention, and secondly by being often overlooked even within that overlooked and underfunded group.
SHOAL’s new report Tiny Fishes: the miniature marvels that slip through the net celebrates these fintastic little fishes. It shines a light on species that have been sidelined, even within a conservation sector already fighting for attention, and celebrates them in their small, surprisingly complex glory. It’s about showing their conservation is desperately needed. And that conservation action would be highly effective if it received the resources it needs. As well as a celebration, Tiny Fishes is a plea for targeted conservation action for some of the world’s most threatened species, that also happen to be among the most cost effective to save.
This report will place tiny fishes firmly in the conservation conversation. By documenting their ecological roles, threats, adaptations and cultural connections, it aims to ensure these species are not lost simply because they are small. Tiny fishes aren’t likely to dominate the headlines. But they matter. Paying attention to them isn’t a niche concern: it’s essential if we’re serious about reversing the decline of freshwater biodiversity.
Tiny fishes have swam under the radar, and not just because they compete for attention with larger, more familiar or more charismatic species. A two-centimetre fish can quite literally slip through the net, and as such, our conservation attention.
There are 295 fishes under 40 mm on SHOAL’s Priority Fishes list. Of those:
94 are Critically Endangered
142 are Endangered
2 are Extinct in the Wild
57 are Vulnerable
Most of them do not have any conservation action in place.
To accompany our Tiny Fishes Report, SHOAL is calling for action for tiny fishes across the globe. If you’re working on, or would like to work on a tiny fish, we would love to hear from you.
Fortunately, one of the tiny fishes featured in our report, the Critically Endangered Coral Red Pencilfish (Nannostomus mortenthaleri), is already the focus of a conservation project led by Amazon Research Center for Ornamental Fishes (ARCOF). This initiative integrates science-based conservation, national policy engagement, and community-driven livelihood solutions. However, the project urgently needs support. The details of the project can be found here.
The 2025 IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi, 9-15 October, brought together thousands of people working to protect the planet’s biodiversity. For SHOAL, the Congress was an opportunity not only to reconnect with partners and friends from across the world and help shape global conservation policy, but also to gather fresh support for how the 1000 Fishes initiative can help turn back the clock on freshwater extinctions.
This year, SHOAL took part in six sessions across the Congress programme, each addressing critical gaps in freshwater conservation. Three were Forum sessions, which featured in depth discussions, and three were Exhibition sessions, where SHOAL and partners discussed their projects and programmes in various pavilions in the Exhibition Hall.
Achieving Conservation and Socio-economic Benefits from Managing Invasive Alien Species (IAS) in Freshwater Ecosystems
Global Mechanisms for the Conservation of Overlooked Species
Overlooked Yet Essential: Advancing the Recognition and Conservation of Springs for Biodiversity and Society
Exhibition sessions:
Innovative Actions for Effective and Resilient Freshwater Connectivity and Conservation
Saving ASAP Fishes: A Radically Collaborative Approach
Transforming Biodiversity Conservation Beyond Protected Areas – OECMs in Asia to Advance KM-GBF Target 3
While each session offered valuable insights, the Forum sessions presented the best opportunity for audience collaboration and rich level of detail. Each of the three provided valuable insights for freshwater biodiversity conservation, and highlighted the growing partnerships and momentum behind SHOAL’s 1000 Fishes initiative.
Achieving Conservation and Socio-economic Benefits from Managing Invasive Alien Species (IAS) in Freshwater Ecosystems
In collaboration with Freshwater Life, International Rivers, the IUCN Species Survival Commission, Office Français de la Biodiversité (OFB), and TARSIUS, SHOAL co-hosted this session, which culminated in a joint statement committing all six organisations to stronger cooperation on invasive species management.
The speakers, including Muhammad Iqram (TARSIUS), Gregg Howald (Freshwater Life), Victoria Lichtshein (IUCN SSC), Joshua Klemm (International Rivers), and Guillaume Gigot (OFB), presented evidence that prevention is the most effective and cost-efficient approach. But they also shared success stories showing that, where invasives have already taken hold, targeted, science-based management can bring ecosystems back to life.
Fundación Somuncura and Freshwater Life’s restoration in Patagonia, which completely removed invasive fish from a section of the Valcheta Stream, causing the dramatic recovery of the Naked Characin (Gymnocharacinus bergii) and Valcheta Stream Frog (Atelognathus rivularis), was highlighted as a leading example.
Graden Froese, CEO of Freshwater Life, said, “Too often, freshwater invasive species can feel like an overwhelming problem. But invasive species can be dealt with, and even permanently removed, from many rivers and lakes. The results, for people and nature, are spectacular. This gathering, the first of its kind at the IUCN’s world conservation congress, reminded and energized us around the importance of action.”
Dileri Berdeja, conservation consultant from Berde Environmental Consulting, who was instrumental in pulling this session together, said, “This session went beyond ecological concerns, emphasising how invasive species intersect with the socio-cultural and economic dimensions of local communities. Managing these species is essential not only for protecting biodiversity but also for safeguarding the livelihoods that depend on healthy freshwater systems. Witnessing collaboration among leading organisations and experts was both inspiring and a much-needed step toward stronger, coordinated global action.”
Global Mechanisms for the Conservation of Overlooked Species
Hosted by Synchronicity Earth and partners including Amphibian Survival Alliance, IUCN Asian Species Action Partnership (ASAP), Mandai Nature, and SHOAL, this session explored how new global frameworks can raise the profile of species often left behind by mainstream conservation, from freshwater fishes to invertebrates and plants. It set the tone for a broader movement recognising that small, data-deficient, and non-charismatic species are every bit as vital to ecosystems as their larger counterparts.
SHOAL highlighted how the 1,000 Fishes Blueprint and its network of Priority Fishes already provide a practical model for identifying and investing in overlooked freshwater species. Participants agreed that better funding mechanisms, stronger coordination, and policy recognition are essential to scaling up this work.
Mike Baltzer, Executive Director of SHOAL, said, “This session fizzed with energy and actionable discussion for how we can together make a huge difference to overlooked freshwater biodiversity. We heard about many new mechanisms and solutions underpinned by a determination for change. This included many visionary funders and host organisations happy to take on the challenge to mobilise action to save these neglected species. Next step is to engage more funders and organisations”.
Overlooked Yet Essential: Advancing the Recognition and Conservation of Springs for Biodiversity and Society
Left to right: Topiltzin Contreras-Macbeath, Joseph Holway, Chouly Ou, Catherine Sayer, john Simaika
Springs, the literal sources of many rivers, received rare attention in this session, which SHOAL co-organised with Re:wild, the International Water Management Institute, the Springs Stewardship Institute, Saint Louis Zoo, and the IUCN Species Survival Commission. It called for global recognition of springs as unique freshwater ecosystems, vital both to biodiversity and to the human communities that depend on them.
The discussion built momentum behind Motion 016 Springs under threat: Mobilising urgent action for neglected freshwater ecosystems, one of two SHOAL-proposed motions at the Congress, both of which were approved and elevated to IUCN Resolutions.
Joseph Holway, Assistant Director at the Springs Stewardship Institute (SSI), said, “At SSI, we have been actively studying and protecting springs for the past four decades, yet their significance has too often fallen on deaf ears. That is why it fills me with hope to see a room full of scientists and conservationists dedicating their time and energy to these systems, these tiny focal points in the landscape that collectively weave together the fabric of biodiversity itself. Without springs, we would have only a fraction of the perennial rivers, wetlands, and ecosystems that sustain life across the planet. It is time that springs receive the attention they deserve as the lifeblood upon which both freshwater and terrestrial biodiversity depend.”
Chouly Ou, Freshwater Fish Conservation Coordinator of SHOAL/Re:wild, addded, “This session provided a much-needed platform for spring experts to meet in person, exchange knowledge, and identify concrete steps to move from motion to action. We discussed the roadmap for protecting springs, the establishment of the IUCN Springs Task Force, and the creation of a Global Springs Alliance. These are essential steps following the adoption of the motion as an official IUCN resolution, and this session marked an important milestone in turning the resolution into coordinated global action”.
Exhibition sessions
Throughout the Exibition sessions, SHOAL and partners highlighted many of the challenges and successes they have been involved in through their work to protect freshwater biodiversity, such as the efficacy of using Other Effective Conservation Measures (OECMS) to solve many freshwater conservation needs, and case studies highlighting how being innovative can help safeguard river connectivity and protect habitats that are highly important for local communities.
Jessica Judith Grefa Huatatoca, a biologist and Indigenous Kichwa woman from Santa Clara, Ecuador, who works with Piatua Resiste to protect the Piatua River and the cultural heritage of the Kichwa people, and who was a panellist in the Innovative Actions for Effective and Resilient Freshwater Connectivity and Conservation session offered some profound words about connectivity: “In the Kichwa tradition, humans are aquatic beings; we don’t say we learn to walk, but that we learn to swim. We are one interconnected, flowing system”.
SHOAL closely followed 15 motions relevant to freshwater conservation. Each was approved, meaning these issues now become formal IUCN policy. Three were debated and adopted in the Members’ Assembly:
Motion 067:Living in harmony with rivers through the rights of nature and ecocentric law
Motion 094:Recognising the importance of Indigenous languages, knowledge and cultural heritage in biodiversity conservation
Motion 108:Development of IUCN guidelines to effectively control the commercial pet trade in terrestrial wildlife
Each adopted Resolution, guides IUCN’s future actions and influences global policy, funding, and awareness.
Growing the SHOAL
Beyond the sessions, SHOAL’s exhibition booth drew crowds with an interactive fishing game, where visitors could win Priority Fishes posters and learn about the species and people behind them. It proved a fantastic way to spark conversations about freshwater life and the global network working to protect it.
The Congress also marked the first time the entire six-member SHOAL team gathered in person. For a team that works across continents, this made the week especially memorable.
In Abu Dhabi, freshwater voices were loud, united, and full of momentum, showing how much hunger and ambition there is among the wider SHOAL partnership to ensure the 1000 Fishes initiative will succeed. SHOAL leaves the Congress energised and inspired to build on the productive conversations that were had and connections that were made.
This month Dominic Whitmee celebrated his retirement from the Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association (OATA). While it is sad news for us at SHOAL that we will not be working with Dominic further in his role of the Chief Executive of OATA, we wish him all the best for next adventures and hope that he will continue to be a friend to SHOAL.
Many knew him through his role as the CITES representative from the UK government’s Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), and respected his extensive knowledge and experience in that role. It was therefore no surprise that he was very successful at OATA and was welcomed and lauded by all its members.
Dominic was one of the very first people to participate in the initial steps of SHOAL’s development. His advice, based on a rich knowledge of conservation and the home aquaria hobby, was invaluable to the fledgling initiative. Since our launch in 2019, Dominic has been central to SHOAL’s work of engaging hobbyists and the ecosystem of businesses that support the hobby. We could not have achieved what we have without his generous and enthusiastic support.
We hope to continue to stay connected with Dominic in the future.
We send our congratulations to Dr Matthew Bond who steps into Dominic’s shoes as Chief Executive. We wish him every success and look forward to continuing the excellent partnership between SHOAL and OATA.
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