Southeast Asia is considered the region with the highest number of species facing immediate extinction. In response, The IUCN SSC Asian Species Action Partnership (ASAP) was established to address the extinction risk facing the most threatened (listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species) land and freshwater vertebrates found in Southeast Asia.

With 90 Critically Endangered species, freshwater fishes are currently the largest group of ASAP species. The fishes range from the some of the smallest in the world including liquorice gouramis (genus Parosphromenus), to some of the largest, such as the Mekong giant catfish (Pangasianodon gigas). The threats to these fishes are varied and include impacts from agriculture (including land habitat loss and pollution), aquatic habitat loss, invasive species, overharvesting and water flow changes.

Fishes are also the most often neglected of the ASAP species with presently very little targeted conservation action underway. Aquatic species in general are overlooked globally amongst conservation actions and many of these species need urgent attention.

Undertaking the required amount of action individually for each of the ASAP fish species would be likely to be inefficient, if even possible. This Strategic Framework, developed by ASAP, Mandai Nature and SHOAL ascertains and sets priorities, identifies the most efficient methods for securing these fish populations, and identifies appropriate implementation methods.