Educational aquatic biology platformSpecies • habitat • feeding • reproduction • conservation
Conservation science

Fish Conservation Status

Learn how global conservation categories work and why local populations, national laws and global assessments are not identical.

Least Concern

Relatively low immediate extinction risk under the IUCN framework.

Near Threatened

Close to threatened thresholds or likely to qualify soon.

Vulnerable

High risk of extinction in the wild under IUCN criteria.

Endangered

Very high risk of extinction in the wild.

Critically Endangered

Extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.

Extinct in the Wild

Known only from captivity/cultivation or outside historical natural range.

Extinct

No reasonable doubt remains that the last individual has died under the framework.

Data Deficient

Insufficient information to assess extinction risk.

Not Evaluated

Not yet assessed under the relevant framework.

Habitat protection

Protect rivers, wetlands, mangroves, seagrass, reefs and migration corridors.

Sustainable fisheries

Catch limits, gear rules, closures and protected areas can reduce pressure when data support them.

Pollution reduction

Reducing contaminants and nutrient loading protects fish and food webs.

Law enforcement

Protected species and regulated trade require effective monitoring.

Source priority: IUCN Red List for global conservation category, then national fisheries/wildlife authorities for legal status and population-specific information.
Database examples

Species to watch