About one in five fish species inhabiting Asia’s great waterway, the Mekong River, is at risk of extinction, according to a new report from a coalition of regional and international environmental groups. UCA News reported this on March 5.
The Mekong, one of the largest and most biodiverse rivers in the world, second only to the Amazon and the Congo, is home to some 1,148 recognized species of fish, and millions of people living along the river depend on the health of their fish. waters for their sustenance.
Environmentalists say the Mekong is threatened by factors including dam construction, sand mining, poor fisheries management, habitat loss and the introduction of exotic species.
The report found that 19% of the river’s fish species are at serious risk of extinction due to changing environmental conditions.
“The alarming decline in fish stocks in the Mekong is an urgent signal for action,” warns Lan Mercado, WWF regional director for the Asia-Pacific region.
“We must act now to reverse this catastrophic trend, because the communities and countries through which the Mekong flows cannot afford to lose them.”
The report, compiled with input from 25 regional and international groups, examined the patterns and impacts of impacts on different parts of the 4,900-kilometre-long river, the longest in Southeast Asia, including Cambodia’s Tonle Sap Lake, where, The population is said to have collapsed since 2003. Fishing decreased by 88%.
The authors said 74 fish species are already on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species.
The globally recognized Biodiversity Health Indicator lists 18 endangered species.
“Officially, this means that around 19% of the Mekong’s known fish species are threatened.”says the report.
The report also says publicly available data is minimal because many river species are not well understood and “it is safe to say that the actual number of endangered fish species in the Mekong far exceeds 74.”
The report also says the loss of fish species could worsen deforestation in the region, as millions of people who previously depended on the river would be forced to turn to agriculture.
The Mekong accounts for about 15% of the world’s inland catch.
“It is clear that we are at risk of a new biodiversity crisis in the Mekong River basin. But it’s not too late.””said the director general of the Global Fund for Fish Migration, Hermann Vanningen.
Source: Rossa Primavera
I am Michael Melvin, an experienced news writer with a passion for uncovering stories and bringing them to the public. I have been working in the news industry for over five years now, and my work has been published on multiple websites. As an author at 24 News Reporters, I cover world section of current events stories that are both informative and captivating to read.