List of endangered fishes

In September 2016, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listed 643 endangered fish species.[1] Of all evaluated fish species, 4.2% are listed as endangered. The IUCN also lists ten fish subspecies as endangered.

6 extinct in the wild fish species (0.04%)455 critically endangered fish species (3.0%)643 endangered fish species (4.2%)1245 vulnerable fish species (8.2%)548 near threatened fish species (3.6%)9131 least concern fish species (60%)3191 data deficient fish species (21%)
Fish species (IUCN, 2016-2)
  • 15,219 extant species have been evaluated
  • 12,028 of those are fully assessed[a]
  • 9679 are not threatened at present[b]
  • 2343 to 5534 are threatened[c]
  • 71 to 158 are extinct or extinct in the wild:
    • 65 extinct (EX) species[d]
    • 6 extinct in the wild (EW)
    • 87 possibly extinct [CR(PE)]
    • 0 possibly extinct in the wild [CR(PEW)]

  1. ^ excludes data deficient evaluations.
  2. ^ NT, LR/cd, LC.
  3. ^ Threatened comprises CR, EN and VU. Upper estimate additionally includes DD.
  4. ^ Chart omits extinct (EX) species
Endangered (EN) species are considered to be facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild.

Of the subpopulations of fishes evaluated by the IUCN, 24 species subpopulations have been assessed as endangered.

For a species to be considered endangered by the IUCN it must meet certain quantitative criteria which are designed to classify taxa facing "a very high risk of extinction". An even higher risk is faced by critically endangered species, which meet the quantitative criteria for endangered species. Critically endangered fishes are listed separately. There are 1098 fish species which are endangered or critically endangered.

Additionally 3191 fish species (21% of those evaluated) are listed as data deficient, meaning there is insufficient information for a full assessment of conservation status. As these species typically have small distributions and/or populations, they are intrinsically likely to be threatened, according to the IUCN.[2] While the category of data deficient indicates that no assessment of extinction risk has been made for the taxa, the IUCN notes that it may be appropriate to give them "the same degree of attention as threatened taxa, at least until their status can be assessed".[3]

This is a complete list of endangered fish species and subspecies evaluated by the IUCN. Species and subspecies which have endangered subpopulations (or stocks) are indicated.

Cartilaginous fishes

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Chondrichthyes includes sharks, rays, skates, and saw-fish. There are 124 cartilaginous fishes classified as endangered by the IUCN.[4]

Prickly sharks

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Carpet sharks

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Ground sharks

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Mackerel sharks

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Dogfishes

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Angel sharks

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Species

Skates

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Rays

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Sawfish and guitarfish

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Torpedo rays

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Ray-finned fishes

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Subpopulations

  • Squatina guggenheim (1 subpopulation)

Mackerel sharks

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Subpopulations

Rays and skates

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Ground sharks

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Species

Subpopulations

Carpet sharks

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Squaliformes

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Species

Subpopulations

Lampreys

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Ray-finned fishes

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There are 592 species, ten subspecies, and three subpopulations of ray-finned fish assessed as endangered.

Salmoniformes

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Species

Subpopulations

Silversides

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Toothcarps

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There are 65 species and nine subspecies of toothcarp assessed as endangered.

Pupfish

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Species

Subspecies

Nothobranchiids

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Species

Subspecies

Poeciliids

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Other toothcarp species

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Cypriniformes

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Cypriniformes includes carps, minnows, loaches and relatives. There are 245 species in the order Cypriniformes assessed as endangered.

Ellopostomatids

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Hillstream loaches

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True loaches

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Cyprinids

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Psilorhynchids

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Suckers

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Osmeriformes

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Includes freshwater smelts and allies.

Species

Subspecies

Catfishes

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Perciformes

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There are 133 species and one subpopulation in the order Perciformes assessed as endangered.

Cichlids

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Percids

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Epinephelids

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Gobies

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Other Perciformes

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Species

Subpopulations

  • Swordfish (Xiphias gladius) (1 subpopulation)

Osteoglossiformes

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Characiformes

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Tetraodontiformes

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Other ray-finned fishes

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Species

Subpopulations

Hagfishes

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "IUCN Red List version 2016-2". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). Archived from the original on 27 June 2014. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  2. ^ "Limitations of the Data". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). Archived from the original on 7 October 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  3. ^ "2001 Categories & Criteria (version 3.1)". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). Archived from the original on 8 October 2008. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  4. ^ "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species". Archived from the original on 2020-02-13. Retrieved 2022-04-20.