UK News Third of freshwater fish threatened by extinction with habitats in 'catastrophic decline'

Nearly a third of fish living in rivers and lakes around the world are facing extinction as their habitats are in "catastrophic decline", a report has warned.

© PA Salmon leap up the weir at Hexham in Northumberland

Freshwater species, which make up more than half of the world's fish species, are central to the livelihoods of 60 million people and the diets of many others.

Some 30% of the 10,336 fish assessed by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species are at risk of extinction, according to a report from 16 organisations including WWF and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL).

© PA These fields in Norfolk have been rewilded to protect freshwater species

Populations of migratory freshwater fish have fallen by 76% since 1970, while 80 species have been declared extinct.

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"These fish communities are like miners' canaries," Dr Joy says. "They have a strong message for us - our freshwater ecosystems are in dire straits and more than half of our native freshwater fish species are classed as being at risk of extinction . "These fish are long-lived species and their demise is indicative of long-term declines in the condition of their habitats . "The causes are the intensification of agriculture and increased urbanisation eading to increases in sediment and nutrients inputs into rivers and treams. These changes are revealed in the chemical measures monitored nationally by NIWA

NEW STUDY: Many Australian freshwater fish face imminent extinction . A new paper by some of Australia's foremost freshwater fish researchers has identified the 2 2 species most at risk of extinction . The paper, based in part on the work of ASFB's Threatened Fishes Committee, also makes eight recommendations (summarised below) for conserving these species. 1. Management actions are urgently required, even for species not yet formally described, and should not wait for such description. 2. Conservation actions should not be delayed until the species under consideration are

Burbot and sturgeon are already extinct in the UK, the European eel is critically endangered and salmon have seen significant declines since the 1960s.

Much of the decline in the UK has been driven by the poor state of habitats, with none of England's rivers meeting "chemical standards" for water quality last year.

© PA Salmon have seen significant declines since the 1960s

This is thought to be a result of agricultural pollution, dams and sewage, WWF said.

Globally, similar habitats face threats such as destruction, dams on free-flowing rivers, too much water being taken for agriculture, and pollution.

Fish are also threatened by destructive fishing practices, overfishing, the impacts of climate change, wildlife crime, mining for sand in their habitats and the introduction of non-native species.

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Fresh waters are experiencing declines in biodiversity far greater than those in the most affected terrestrial ecosystems [1], [2]. Dam construction has dramatically increased habitat fragmentation and degradation in freshwaters, which is likely to have incurred a large unredeemed extinction debt [3]. However, this debt is not work in other habitats , such as tropical forests [4], [5], [6]. A fundamental, yet unanswered question for conservation biology is how rapidly freshwater species disappear from river fragments and which factors influence the extinction of freshwater species in habitat patches.

Extinction risks of the Adelie penguin are being reported because of climate change. The Adelie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) species is declining and data analysis done on the breeding colonies is used to estimate and project future habitat and population sustainability in relation to warming sea The Adelie penguins are a circumpolar species, used to the ranges of Antarctic climate, and experiencing population decline . Climate model projections predict sanctuary for the species past 2099. The observed population is similarly proportional to the species-wide population (one- third of the

WWF has urged the UK government to support an emergency recovery plan for freshwater wildlife which has been drawn up by a global team of scientists.

The plan would include measures such as reducing pollution, ending overfishing, controlling invasive species and allowing rivers to flow more naturally.

Dave Tickner, chief adviser on freshwater at WWF, said: "Freshwater habitats are some of the most vibrant on earth, but - as this report shows - they are in catastrophic decline around the world.

"Nature is in freefall and the UK is no exception: wildlife struggles to survive, let alone thrive, in our polluted waters."

A Defra spokesperson said: "We remain committed to working closely with water companies, farmers and the fishing industry to restore healthy fish stocks and habitats both through domestic action and international working."