Urgent Action Needed to Protect Australia’s Freshwater Fish Species from Extinction

A groundbreaking study has revealed that 35 freshwater fish species across Australia are at risk of extinction, including the Kangaroo River perch, which hasn’t been seen in the wild for over 26 years.

Although the species might be officially declared extinct soon, it highlights a broader and urgent issue: Australia's freshwater ecosystems are under threat like never before. Of 241 species of freshwater fish assessed, 88 species were identified as threatened—many of them under 15 cm in length. Key threats include invasive species, climate change, and habitat destruction.

Jess Marsh, an Environment Institute member, a Biodiversity Council councillor and University of Adelaide taxonomist and ecologist, has backed this study, saying that it will help species conservation. "This [study] is important to assess the impacts of threats and also the effectiveness of conservation actions," she said. "Conservation is often heavily skewed towards the cute and the cuddly taxa, with heavy biases against taxa, such as fish, invertebrates and fungi.

One of the most pressing recommendations from the study, led by Dr. Mark Lintermans the University of Canberra, is the need for a national strategy to manage invasive fish, such as trout, redfin, and carp. Recognizing these species as a “key threatening process” would encourage better collaboration across state governments and provide essential funding for conservation actions like captive breeding programs and creating safe refuges for native fish.

Let’s work together to protect Australia’s unique freshwater biodiversity before it’s too late.

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