US: Collapse in migratory fish populations threatens health of millions and critical freshwater ecosystems

Published 2024년 5월 21일

Tridge summary

Global populations of migratory freshwater fish species have declined by 81% from 1970 to 2020, threatening food security, livelihoods, and ecosystems. Major threats include habitat loss, over-exploitation, pollution, and climate change. Conservation efforts like habitat restoration and dam removals show promise, particularly in Europe and the U.S. The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and initiatives like the Freshwater Challenge aim to restore degraded rivers to support these fish populations. WWF-US has joined the America the Beautiful Freshwater Challenge Partnership, emphasizing the need for better monitoring, international cooperation, and public engagement. Global initiatives and events like World Fish Migration Day are raising awareness and driving action to protect freshwater biodiversity.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

Populations of migratory freshwater fish species—including salmon, trout, eel, and sturgeon—continue to decline across the globe. This decline risks the food security and livelihoods of millions of people, the survival of countless other species, and the health and resilience of rivers, lakes and wetlands.This news is supported by a global study published today by the World Fish Migration Foundation, ZSL, IUCN, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Wetlands International and WWF.Published ahead of World Fish Migration Day on May 25, the new Living Planet Index (LPI) report on freshwater migratory fishes reveals a staggering 81% collapse in monitored population sizes on average between 1970 to 2020, including catastrophic declines of 91% in Latin America and the Caribbean and 75% in Europe.Habitat loss and degradation—including fragmentation of rivers by dams and other barriers and conversion of wetlands for agriculture—account for half of the threats to migratory fishes, followed by ...

Source: Phys