Freshwater FishFreshwater Fish

An Endangered GroupAn Endangered Group

What are freshwater fish?What are freshwater fish?

• They live in freshwater with a They live in freshwater with a salinity of the less than 0.05% salinity of the less than 0.05% such as rivers, lakes and such as rivers, lakes and streamsstreams

• 41% of all known species of fish 41% of all known species of fish are found in freshwaterare found in freshwater

• Their gills are able to diffuse Their gills are able to diffuse water while keeping the salts of water while keeping the salts of the bodily fluids insidethe bodily fluids inside

• Their scales keep water from Their scales keep water from diffusing in through their skindiffusing in through their skin

• They have well developed They have well developed kidneys that enable a lot of kidneys that enable a lot of water to pass through their water to pass through their kidneyskidneys

Why are freshwater fish Why are freshwater fish endangered?endangered?

• Their freshwater habit is Their freshwater habit is being pollutedbeing polluted

• Their breeding sites are Their breeding sites are being cut off by damsbeing cut off by dams

• They are being over-fishedThey are being over-fished

• Human activities such as Human activities such as construction, water construction, water diversion and waterfront diversion and waterfront development are development are disrupting theirs and other disrupting theirs and other animals eco-systemsanimals eco-systems

Why are freshwater fish important Why are freshwater fish important to us?to us?

• Freshwater ecosystems Freshwater ecosystems provide the majority of provide the majority of people’s drinking waterpeople’s drinking water

• These ecosystems are These ecosystems are home to more than 40% of home to more than 40% of the world’s fish speciesthe world’s fish species

• Freshwater fish are Freshwater fish are essential to freshwater essential to freshwater ecosystems balance and ecosystems balance and without them our without them our freshwater resources will freshwater resources will disappeardisappear

Threats to Freshwater FishThreats to Freshwater Fish

• The creation of dams and water-diversion systems The creation of dams and water-diversion systems block migration routes for fish and disrupt their block migration routes for fish and disrupt their habitatshabitats

• Water withdrawal for human use shrinks and degrades Water withdrawal for human use shrinks and degrades habitatshabitats

• Runoff from agricultural and urban areas hurts water Runoff from agricultural and urban areas hurts water qualityquality

• Draining of wetlands for development depletes Draining of wetlands for development depletes habitats.habitats.

• Overexploitation and pollution threaten groundwater Overexploitation and pollution threaten groundwater suppliessupplies

• Invasion of exotic species can harm native animals and Invasion of exotic species can harm native animals and plantsplants

• Global warming may lead to devastating floods and Global warming may lead to devastating floods and droughtsdroughts

SolutionsSolutions

• Restrict the construction of Restrict the construction of damsdams

• Provide incentives for Provide incentives for farming business to reduce farming business to reduce the use of pesticidesthe use of pesticides

• Establish protected Establish protected wetland areaswetland areas

• Regulate water withdrawal Regulate water withdrawal for human usefor human use

What I think…What I think…

Freshwater fish are important to the Freshwater fish are important to the freshwater ecosystem. We need to ensure freshwater ecosystem. We need to ensure their survival by acting on the stated their survival by acting on the stated solutions. If not, freshwater fish will move solutions. If not, freshwater fish will move from being endangered to being extinct.from being endangered to being extinct.

BibliographyBibliography

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freshwater_fishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freshwater_fish

• http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/envirhttp://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/habitats/freshwater-threats.htmlonment/habitats/freshwater-threats.html

• http://www.excellentspirit.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=72:endangered-freshwater-fish&catid=23:kaleb-blog&Itemid=66

The EndThe End

By Allison MulockBy Allison Mulock