SHOAL Wrapped 2023
© Frank Schäfer
New Species Report 2022
A fish that can leap out of water to escape predators, an air-breathing catfish, and some blood-sucking vampires highlighted in New Species 2022. In March we released our second annual New Species report, detailing the 201 freshwater fish species described in 2022.
“SHOAL’s New Species reports shine a much-needed light on a group of creatures that get very little attention.”
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 2023, 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.
Expedition to Southeast Asia
In the Spring, SHOAL Executive Director Mike Baltzer travelled to Southeast Asia to meet conservation partners and visit some of the world’s most exciting freshwater ecosystems first hand.
“The trip gave me an invaluable opportunity to connect with local experts, plan future collaborations and see some of the world’s most biodiverse freshwater ecosystems first-hand.”
© David Tan, Mandai Wildlife Group
ASAP Strategic Framework Release
In July we released The Strategic Framework to Accelerate Urgent Conservation Action for ASAP Freshwater Fishes in Southeast Asia, alongside our partners the IUCN Asian Species Action Partnership (ASAP) and Mandai Nature. Years in the making, this major new report sets the course for urgent conservation of 90 freshwater fishes on the brink of extinction across 11 countries in the region.
To celebrate the launch key voices in freshwater conservation from SHOAL, PROGRES and the National University of Singapore came together for our “Securing a Future for Freshwater Fishes in Southeast Asia” webinar. Catch up here→
Alongside the report, the SHOAL-ASAP Freshwater Fish Conservation Grant was launched to support work to conserve Critically Endangered freshwater fishes in Southeast Asia. The grant directed funding to four brilliant projects across Indonesia and the Philippines.
- Paratherina labiosa Hasanuddin University – Biology Department (Indonesia)
- Poropontius tawarensis PGKB – Research Centre for Elephant and Forest Biodiversity Conservation (Indonesia)
- Betta burdigala Airlangga University, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Studies (Indonesia)
- Barbodes manguaoensis and Bostrychus expatria Community Centred Conservation (Philippines)
“Southeast Asia is the world’s hotspot for highly threatened species. This framework provides the direction and clarity required to focus and catalyse action to bring the most threatened freshwater fishes back from the brink of extinction.”
© Rajeev Raghavan
Pathala Eel Loach Gets The Star Treatment
The Pathala eel loach, star of SHOAL‘s New Species 2022 report, has shot to fame after Hollywood legend Leonardo DiCaprio celebrated its discovery on his Instagram.
Mr Abraham discovered the species by complete accident when it plopped out of the shower head and has demonstrated the amazing impact of a local campaign to engage community members in citizen science. His wife Suja says: “Now we’re always on the lookout for these creatures in our wells, tanks and tap water, after the researchers told us about them.”
© Freshwaters llustrated
Phase One Report
In September we published our Phase One report, celebrating the highlights of our four year journey so far and outlining plans for the next 10. In four years SHOAL has launched programmes across 5 continents, helped develop 2 new NGOs, engaged 50+ brilliant strategic and local action partners, and much more.
By 2032, we aim to support 300 local organisations to protect, restore and rewild more than 300 habitats and halt the extinction of 1,000 of the Earth’s most threatened freshwater fish species.
“We are proud that we are recognised globally in conservation circles as an important actor in freshwater species conservation, that we have established programmes across five continents, and that we have built powerful partnerships with leading organisations who have been and will continue to be instrumental in helping us achieve our goals of protecting and restoring freshwater habitats and conserving the most threatened freshwater species globally.”
© Manfred Meiners
Mexico Action Plan Release
In October we released The Action Plan for the Conservation of Mexico’s Goodeid Fishes, an urgent new initiative with an ambitious multinational conservation programme – the first time this has ever been done.
The action plan was released in collaboration with Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo‘s AquaLab, Chester Zoo, the Goodeid Working Group, the IUCN SSC Freshwater Conservation Committee, and Guardianes del río Teuchitlán.
The launch was marked by the “Plan G: Conserving Mexico’s threatened goodeids” webinar, now available to watch online. Catch up here→
SOS: Support Our SHOAL
In December we announced our partnership with a selection of UK aquarium stores, where our brand new range of collectible enamel pins will be available – with donations going towards our SOS: Support Our Shoal campaign.
Designed to bridge the gap between the home aquarium community and impactful conservation of the world’s most threatened freshwater fish, SOS: Support Our Shoal provides a reliable channel for aquarists to direct vital funds to the freshwater species and ecosystems that need them most.
“SOS: Support Our Shoal is a rallying cry to those who care about what is happening to freshwater species and want to be part of the solution. SHOAL provides a reliable platform for the aquarium world to fund conservation projects that really work. This is a landmark time for the aquarium community, and collaborating with us is a demonstration that it is beginning to take conservation seriously.”
You can find the pins at any of our brilliant partner aquarium stores across the UK:
The Fish Barn – Crawley, Sussex
Fish Planet London – Finsbury Park
Friends In Soggy Homes – Leicester
Kings Aquatics – Ebbw Vale, Wales
Lincs Aquatics – Alford, Lincolnshire
Riverside Aquaria – Broxburn, West Lothian
Sweet Knowle Aquatics – Stratford-upon-Avon
The Goldfish Bowl – Oxford
Wharf Aquatics – Pinxton, Nottingham
If you want to support the work SHOAL are doing to conserve freshwater species through action-driven conservation donate here. Don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter The Stream to get all the latest freshwater news straight to your inbox.
