European Red List Of Freshwater Fishes

"IUCN Species Programme; IUCN Regional Office for Europe; IUCN Species Survival Commission."

Two events have recently improved the prospects of protecting fish and their environment in Switzerland: the acceptance of a new Federal Water Protection Law in the plebiscite of May 17th 1992, and the new Federal Legislation on Fisheries, in force since January 1st 1994. With this legal framework, the possibilities for protection of nature and landscape have now considerably improved in Switzerland. The most important aims of the Federal Law on Water Protection are to safeguard the natural habitats of the native flora and fauna and water as the habitat of aquatic organisms. This includes not only the preservation or restoration of water quality in lakes and rivers, but also, in rivers used for hydroelectricity, irrigation or as industrial or other water supplies, the maintenance of sufficient water to fulfill the minimal requirements for fish. However, good quality water in sufficient quan tities alone is not enough to guarantee the survival of fish. Intact fish habitats comprise various phYsical structures including plenty of hiding places, hunting grounds, reproduction and nursery areas within suitable distances from each other. This third aspect of conservation and restoration of aquatic habitats is a central point in the new Federal Law on Fisheries. Whereas the former versions of this law were more concerned with fishery regulations, the recent legislation defines new areas of responsibility for the federal and the cantonal governments.

"The European Red List is a review of the conservation status of c. 6,000 European species (mammals, reptiles, amphibians, freshwater fishes, butterflies, dragonflies, and selected groups of beetles, molluscs, and vascular plants) according to IUCN regional Red Listing guidelines. It identifies those species that are threatened with extinction at the regional level - in order that appropriate conservation action can be taken to improve their status. This publication summarises results for Europe's 151 native species of terrestrial and freshwater reptiles. Approximately one fifth of these species are threatened with extinction at the European level as a result of threats including habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation, pollution, overhasting, and deliberate persecution." -Ed.

The Eastern Mediterranean region supports just over 4.4% of the global human population yet contains only 1.1% of its renewable water resources, which are under constant threat from the impacts of unsustainable water withdrawal, dam development and climate change. This IUCN report and accompanying dataset represents a major advance in the provision of information to help incorporate biodiversity needs into water development planning processes within an Integrated River Basin Management framework. This volume includes species information compiled for each river and lake sub-basin and incorporates information from the assessment conducted by IUCN's Global Species Programme, in collaboration with its partners, of the status and distribution of all described species of freshwater fishes, molluscs, odonates, and plants from across the Eastern Mediterranean with existing information for species of freshwater dependent amphibians, birds, crustaceans, and mammals. This work represents the most comprehensive assessment yet of freshwater biodiversity at the species level for this part of the world.

Britain hosts a diversity of freshwater environments, from torrential hill streams and lowland rivers to lakes and reservoirs, ponds and canals, and ditches and estuaries. Britain's Freshwater Fishes covers more than 50 species of freshwater and brackish fish found in these waters. This beautifully illustrated guide features in-the-hand and in-the-water photographs throughout, and accessible and informative overviews of topics such as fish biology and life cycles. Detailed species accounts describe key identification features, with information on status, size and weight, habitat, ecology, and conservation. The book also includes a glossary and suggestions for further reading. This easy-to-use field guide will be invaluable to anyone interested in Britain's freshwater fish life, from naturalists and academics to students and anglers. Covers all of Britain's freshwater fishes Features beautiful photos throughout Includes detailed information on more than 50 species, the places they inhabit, and their roles in Britain's ecosystems Attractively designed and easy to use