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RiversEl Niño seen disrupting fish migration patternsSpeciesScientists Discover Mysterious New Fish in the Red Sea – and Have Never Seen It AgainOceanEye to eye with Britain's hidden sharks at SharkAdemy - OceanographicRiversIn October, biologists surveying a New York harbor for invasive fish pulled up a bright yellow one. It wasn't an invasive species at allOceanShedd Aquarium Sends Shark Eggs to Bolster Wild PopulationsSpeciesA rare fish has been found in Lake Ontario, North America, whose entire body is golden. It is a nati..OceanThe Great Sea Reef Is Fiji’s Wildest Dive, and a New Frontier for ConservationOceanEckerd College professor contributes to designating Biscayne Bay an Important Shark and Ray AreaSpeciesRio Verde Grande Survey Identifies Fifty-Three Fish Species Facing Flow ReductionsFisheriesAdams River Salmon Run in Thompson-NicolaRiversEl Niño seen disrupting fish migration patternsSpeciesScientists Discover Mysterious New Fish in the Red Sea – and Have Never Seen It AgainOceanEye to eye with Britain's hidden sharks at SharkAdemy - OceanographicRiversIn October, biologists surveying a New York harbor for invasive fish pulled up a bright yellow one. It wasn't an invasive species at allOceanShedd Aquarium Sends Shark Eggs to Bolster Wild PopulationsSpeciesA rare fish has been found in Lake Ontario, North America, whose entire body is golden. It is a nati..OceanThe Great Sea Reef Is Fiji’s Wildest Dive, and a New Frontier for ConservationOceanEckerd College professor contributes to designating Biscayne Bay an Important Shark and Ray AreaSpeciesRio Verde Grande Survey Identifies Fifty-Three Fish Species Facing Flow ReductionsFisheriesAdams River Salmon Run in Thompson-Nicola
EveryFish

Least concern

Widespread and not thought to be at risk. 286 fish on EveryFish so far.

Least Concern is the IUCN Red List category for species that have been assessed and are not close to qualifying as threatened. They are usually widespread and abundant. Many important food fish are in this category, including hilsa, rohu, skipjack tuna and Atlantic herring. Least Concern describes a species as a whole, worldwide; it does not mean that every local stock is healthy or well managed.

Common, not always safe

A fish can be Least Concern globally while particular populations are in trouble. Hilsa is widespread across the Bay of Bengal and its rivers, but its runs up the Ganges collapsed after the Farakka Barrage. Rohu and catla are abundant because they are farmed in huge numbers, while wild river stocks have declined. Herring stocks have crashed and recovered in different seas over the past century. Fisheries are managed stock by stock, so local assessments matter as much as the global category.

Back from the brink

Some fish have moved into Least Concern after recovering. The Atlantic bluefin tuna was listed as Endangered in 2011 after decades of overfishing; strict quotas set by the Atlantic tuna commission, ICCAT, and better enforcement let stocks recover, and in 2021 it was reassessed as Least Concern. Yellowfin tuna was moved from Near Threatened to Least Concern in the same update, though scientists warn that yellowfin in the Indian Ocean is still overfished.

Famous least concern fish

IlishLeast Concern globally, though local runs have fallenRohuAbundant thanks to farmingCatlaWidespread in farms and riversIndian mackerelA common schooling fish of the Indo-PacificSkipjack tunaThe most caught tunaAtlantic bluefin tunaMoved from Endangered to Least Concern in 2021Yellowfin tunaMoved to Least Concern in 2021Atlantic herringWidespread in the North Atlantic

Further reading

GroupSharkRayCarpCatfishSalmonidHerringCodTunaPerch-likeCichlidReef fishEelFlatfishLivebearerAncientOther
WaterRivers and lakesEstuaries and mangrovesCoasts and shelvesCoral reefsOpen oceanDeep seaPolar and cold seasCaves and springsBetween sea and river
UseFood fishFarmedAquarium fishSport fishingCulture and faithVenomous or dangerousInvasiveScience and research
OrderBest knownA to ZOldest firstNewest firstBy size
🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreMuskellunge Large freshwater predatory fish native to North America and the largest member of the pike family.Other · Rivers and lakes 🇨🇦 Canada and 1 moreArctic grayling A cold-water salmon relative with a large, colourful dorsal fin.Salmonid · Rivers and lakes · 1776 🇿🇦 South Africa and 4 moreSmallmouth yellowfish A hardy sport fish native to South Africa's Orange-Vaal river system.Carp · Rivers and lakes North AmericaAtlantic croaker Noisy marine fish of the western Atlantic coastOther · Coasts and shelves 🇺🇸 United States and 2 moreChannel catfish A widespread North American freshwater catfish, prized for food and sport.Catfish · Rivers and lakes · 1819 🇷🇺 Russia and 4 moreNorthern pike A large freshwater ambush predator found across the Northern Hemisphere.Other · Rivers and lakes · 1758 🇮🇳 India and 3 moreTrout barb A slender carp living in fresh waters near the Bay of BengalCarp · Rivers and lakes 🇷🇺 Russia and 3 moreChum salmon A Pacific salmon species known for its large size and wide distribution across the North Pacific.Salmonid · Rivers and lakes · 1836 🇧🇩 Bangladesh and 2 morePangas catfish Large shark catfish from South Asian rivers and estuaries.Catfish · Rivers and lakes · 1822 🇮🇳 India and 1 moreBata A slow-moving freshwater carp native to India and Bangladesh.Carp · Rivers and lakes 🇸🇪 Sweden and 3 moreIde A freshwater cyprinid native to Europe and Asia, widely kept in ornamental ponds.Carp · Rivers and lakes · 1758 🇨🇳 China and 2 moreAmur catfish Large freshwater catfish native to East AsiaCatfish · Rivers and lakes 🇮🇳 India and 4 moreRohu A large silver carp from South Asian rivers, farmed for food and prized as a game fish.Carp · Rivers and lakes WorldNile perch Large freshwater predator native to Africa, now invasive in many lakes.Other · Rivers and lakes 🇺🇸 United States and 3 moreSockeye salmon Anadromous Pacific salmon known for red spawning colour and zooplankton diet.Salmonid · Rivers and lakes · 1792 🇧🇷 Brazil and 4 moreRedtail catfish A large South American catfish known for its red tail and popularity in the aquarium trade.Catfish · Rivers and lakes 🇺🇸 United States and 2 moreLongnose gar A primitive ray-finned fish with a long snout and armored scales found in North America.Other · Rivers and lakes · 1758 🇺🇸 United States and 2 moreGar Ancient armored fish with lung-like swim bladders found in North American waters.Ancient · Rivers and lakes · 1758 🇧🇼 Botswana and 1 moreAfrican tigerfish Predatory freshwater fish known for sharp teeth and leaping hunting behaviour.Other · Rivers and lakes · 1861 🇰🇪 Kenya and 4 moreRipon barbel A large freshwater cyprinid from East African lakes and rivers.Carp · Rivers and lakes · 1900 🇺🇸 United States and 4 moreLargemouth bass A large freshwater predator native to North America, prized by anglers and invasive in many regions.Other · Rivers and lakes · 1802 🇺🇸 United StatesSpotted bass A North American freshwater fish known for dark spots below its lateral line.Other · Rivers and lakes 🇺🇸 United States and 2 morePumpkinseed A small freshwater fish native to eastern North America, known for its bright colours and red ear flap.Perch-like · Rivers and lakes · 1793 🇺🇸 United States and 3 moreBlack crappie A spotted freshwater sunfish native to North America, prized by anglers for its sport and table fare.Perch-like · Rivers and lakes · 1856 🇺🇸 United StatesWhite sucker A common North American freshwater cypriniform fish with fleshy lips used for bottom feeding.Other · Rivers and lakes · 1803 🇧🇷 BrazilBanded leporinus A striped freshwater fish from the Amazon kept in home tanks and occasionally caught by anglers.Other · Rivers and lakes 🇺🇸 United States and 2 moreBluegill A common North American sunfish known for its blue gill covers and popularity with anglers.Perch-like · Rivers and lakes · 1854 🇷🇺 Russia and 3 moreBurbot A coldwater freshwater fish with a chin whisker, native to the Northern Hemisphere.Other · Rivers and lakes · 1758 🇺🇸 United States and 2 moreRock bass A small, red-eyed freshwater sunfish native to North America.Perch-like · Rivers and lakes 🇺🇸 United StatesCrappie Two species of North American freshwater sunfish prized by anglers for sport and food.Perch-like · Rivers and lakes 🇺🇸 United StatesWhite bass A silver-striped freshwater fish native to North American rivers and lakes.Other · Rivers and lakes 🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreAlewife A small North American herring that migrates between sea and rivers.Herring · Coasts and shelves 🇺🇸 United States and 2 moreFreshwater drum A hardy North American freshwater fish known for its grunting sound.Other · Rivers and lakes 🇧🇷 Brazil and 3 moreSpeckled peacock bass A large South American cichlid prized for sport and food.Cichlid · Rivers and lakes 🇺🇸 United StatesBrown bullhead A hardy North American catfish known for surviving poor water conditions.Catfish · Rivers and lakes · 1819 🇺🇸 United StatesWhite crappie North American freshwater fish with vertical body barsPerch-like · Rivers and lakes 🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreYellow bullhead A medium-sized North American catfish known for its bright yellow belly and scavenging habits.Catfish · Rivers and lakes · 1819 🇺🇸 United StatesBlack bullhead A small, hardy North American catfish that tolerates poor water conditions and feeds at night.Catfish · Rivers and lakes 🇺🇸 United StatesBlue catfish A large North American catfish known for its size and invasive spread in eastern US waters.Catfish · Rivers and lakes 🇺🇸 United States and 2 moreFlathead catfish A large North American freshwater predator known for its broad head and carnivorous diet.Catfish · Rivers and lakes 🇫🇷 FranceCommon bleak A small, silvery freshwater fish found across Europe and Western Asia.Carp · Rivers and lakes 🇺🇸 United States and 3 moreKokanee salmon A landlocked freshwater form of the sockeye salmon found in North America and Japan.Salmonid · Rivers and lakes 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 3 moreSea trout Anadromous form of brown trout that migrates between sea and rivers.Salmonid · Between sea and river 🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreBrook trout A colorful freshwater char native to eastern North America, known for its spotted pattern and status as a popular game fSalmonid · Rivers and lakes · 1814 WorldBrown trout A widespread salmonid with river, lake and sea forms.Salmonid · Rivers and lakes · 1758 🇺🇸 United StatesCoastal cutthroat trout A Pacific trout with red throat marksSalmonid · Rivers and lakes WorldZander A large freshwater predator fish native to Eurasia, valued for food and sport.Perch-like · Rivers and lakes · 1758 🇳🇴 Norway and 4 moreAtlantic salmon A large anadromous fish found in the northern Atlantic Ocean and its rivers.Salmonid · Rivers and lakes · 1758
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The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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Every Monday: the fish of the day, new pages on EveryFish, and the conferences and anniversaries of the week ahead.