ScienceMore in Science →
UN Report: The World's Freshwater Fish Migrations Are Rapidly Collapsing
A major United Nations assessment finds that some of the longest and most ecologically vital fish migrations on Earth are disintegrating, driven by dams, pollution, and climate change — with consequences that extend far beyond the fish themselves to entire river ecosystems and the human communities that depend on them.
Key Takeaways
- A UN assessment documents rapid collapse of migratory freshwater fish populations across global river systems
- Dams, water pollution, and climate change are identified as the primary drivers of migration breakdown
- Hundreds of millions of people who depend on river fish for food face growing nutritional insecurity
- Dam removals on rivers like the Elwha show that recovery is possible where interventions are made
- The report calls for river connectivity to become a global conservation priority
DE
DT Editorial AI··via phys.org