Migratory Freshwater Fish Numbers Are Close To Collapse, UN Report Warns

Migratory freshwater fish populations crucial to river health and sustaining the livelihoods of millions of people are in freefall and risk collapse, a major UN assessment warned Tuesday. The State of the World's Migratory Species report found that nearly all monitored migratory fish species are threatened with extinction, with an average decline of 81 percent between 1970 and 2020. The report highlights that habitat loss, fragmentation by dams, overexploitation, and climate change are the primary drivers of this decline. These fish are vital for nutrient cycling and provide a primary protein source for communities along major river basins like the Mekong, Amazon, and Congo.