Endangered Fish

It's hard to say how fish are faring as a whole, as only 10 percent of the nearly 30,000 known fish species have been evaluated for inclusion in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Tellingly, nearly half those surveyed are now considered threatened or endangered. Overfishing is likely the leading cause of fish declines, followed closely by habitat loss and pollution. Some of the most unique fish species in the world are facing imminent extinction, including the ancient coelacanth and the bizarre smalltooth sawfish.

COELACANTH (Latimeria chalumnae)

The coelacanth is referred to as a living fossil because it is the only remaining species of a group of fish species that died out millions of years ago. It is found in the deep coastal waters of eastern Africa, where rocky shores are battered by strong oceanic currents. It is a large fish, growing to a length of about 6 feet, and it moves along the rocky slopes with the help of fleshy pectoral fins. Populations of this species are thought to be critically low.

IUCN Status: Critically Endangered

Major Threat: Accidental capture by fishing operations

Habitat: Volcanic and rocky slopes in deep coastal waters

Location: Eastern Africa

Diet: Cuttlefish, squid, snipe eels, small sharks and other fish

LOST RIVER SUCKER (Deltistes luxatus)

The Lost River sucker is a large fish found in the freshwater ecosystems of California and Oregon. It is a long-lived fish, sometimes reaching an age of 40 years or more. Its primary home is in lakes, but it migrates to rivers and streams to breed. The Lost River sucker is threatened by overfishing and by the damming of rivers and the draining of wetlands.

IUCN Status: Endangered

USFWS Status: Endangered

Major Threats: Overfishing, damming of rivers and draining of wetlands

Habitat: Lakes, rivers and streams

Location: California and Oregon

Diet: Mainly detritus; also midge larvae, amphipods and zooplankton

MEKONG GIANT CATFISH (Pangasianodon gigas) The Mekong giant catfish is a freshwater fish that grows to be very large — about as large as a grizzly bear in some cases. This enormous fish was historically found throughout the Mekong River, which is the 12th longest river in the world. The waterway spans about 2,983 miles (4,800 kilometers) from its headwaters in the Tibetan Plateau throughout much of Southeast Asia. Currently, Mekong giant catfish populations are in rapid decline, primarily due to dams, overfishing and pollution.

IUCN Status: Critically Endangered

Major Threats: Dams, overfishing and pollution

Habitat: Rivers

Location: Lower half of the Mekong River

Diet: Aquatic plants and algae

NASSAU GROUPER (Epinephelus striatus)

The Nassau grouper is a large, predatory coral reef fish that is found in the western Atlantic Ocean, Florida Keys, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. It has a habit of visiting cleaning stations on coral reefs, where wrasse fish pick parasites out of its mouth and gills. It also camouflages itself in order to ambush prey. The Nassau grouper is in serious decline due to fishing and loss of coral reef habitat.

IUCN Status: Endangered

Major Threat: Fishing and habitat loss

Habitat: Coral reefs

Location: Western Atlantic Ocean, Florida Keys, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea

Diet: Mainly other fish and crabs

RUSSIAN STURGEON (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii)

The Russian sturgeon is a large, bony fish that can reach a length of more than 6 feet. It lives in salt water and travels upriver to spawn, which makes it vulnerable to habitat loss on multiple fronts, including hydroelectric dams that create barriers to spawning grounds, pollution in both its freshwater and saltwater homes, and being heavily fished for its meat and eggs, which are used to make caviar.

IUCN Status: Endangered

Major Threat: Overfishing, pollution and habitat loss

Habitat: Seas and large rivers

Location: Black Sea, Caspian Sea and adjacent river systems

Diet: Mainly mollusks

SMALLTOOTH SAWFISH (Pristis pectinata)

Like sharks, skates and rays, sawfish have skeletons made of cartilage rather than bone. The smalltooth sawfish is a long, sleek fish that occurs in shallow coastal and estuarine waters in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans as well as the Gulf of Mexico. It also has a long, flattened snout lined with rows of teeth that it uses to locate and subdue prey. In addition to facing the threat of hunting, pollution and habitat loss, it is extremely vulnerable to being caught in fishing lines. IUCN Status: Critically Endangered

USFWS Status: Endangered

Major Threats: Hunting, pollution, habitat loss and being caught in fishing lines

Habitat: Shallow coastal and estuarine waters

Location: Altantic and Pacific oceans and the Gulf of Mexico

Diet: Mainly fish and some crustaceans

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