The report Global Assessment of Migratory Freshwater Fish, released during the 15th United Nations Conference on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (COP15) in Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, identified 325 species in need of international conservation efforts.

The study indicated that, of this total, 55 species are found in Latin America. The Amazon Basin was designated a priority area for conservation under the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS).

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“The report includes a case study involving 20 Amazonian species. It shows that the Amazon Basin is being severely affected, and we must also factor in climate change. The Amazon has faced episodes of extreme drought, which have a massive impact on this resource,” said Rita Mesquita, National Secretary of Biodiversity at the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change.

Data from the global report also point to a silent crisis beneath the water, showing a decline of about 81 percent in migratory freshwater fish populations worldwide since 1970.

The construction of dams, pollution from plastics and other substances, and overfishing are some of the threats identified in the study, all exacerbated by climate change, which drives the degradation and fragmentation of their habitats. As rivers become drier and more disconnected, species are unable to migrate in search of food or to reproduce.

“All of this places immense pressure on these species, which form the economic foundation for people living in the Amazon and rely on them as a source of protein in their diet. This affects not only the Brazilian Amazon but also all populations living along the rivers,” warns Carlos Durigan, a researcher at the Amazon Environmental Research Institute.

Brazilian delegation

According to Secretary Rita Mesquita, the Brazilian delegation at COP15 has been working with proposals to reverse the decline of migratory species passing through Brazilian territory. One example is the Regional Action Plan for Migratory Catfish of the Amazon, developed in cooperation with Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela between 2024 and 2025.

“These species travel 11,000 kilometers to their breeding and mating grounds, covering an impressive distance to reach maturity. What we do in Brazil doesn’t matter if it isn’t mirrored in other countries,” emphasizes Mesquita.

Brazil also supports the inclusion of the species commonly known as pintado, or surubim-pintado (Pseudoplatystoma corruscans), found in the La Plata Basin, in Annex II of the UN convention, which lists species under pressure. Annex I lists species at risk of extinction.

“There are many more species that should be included in the convention but aren’t; the report itself confirms this. Brazil, for example, is about to release its list of species threatened with extinction. This update reflects changes in the vulnerability status of some species, raising concern and highlighting the need to strengthen conservation efforts,” concludes Mesquita.