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EveryFish

Least concern

Widespread and not thought to be at risk. 126 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

RohuAbundant thanks to farming

Still to be written: Ilish, Catla, Indian mackerel, Skipjack tuna, Atlantic bluefin tuna, Yellowfin tuna, Atlantic herring.

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
WorldRegal blue tang Bright blue reef fish with a yellow tail and black markings.Reef fish · Coral reefs 🇧🇷 Brazil and 1 moreFrench angelfish A slow-growing Caribbean reef fish known for its sponge diet.Reef fish · Coasts and shelves · 1799 WorldBlue-spotted grouper A widely distributed Indo-Pacific grouper known for its blue spots and invasive impact in Hawaii.Other · Coasts and shelves 🇦🇺 AustraliaGiant moray A large Indo-Pacific eel known for its size and role in reef ecosystems.Eel · Coral reefs WorldPotato grouper Large Indo-Pacific reef grouper with dark blotches.Perch-like · Coral reefs · 1959 WorldQueen parrotfish A colourful reef fish that turns coral into sandReef fish · Coasts and shelves WorldParrotfish Reef-dwelling wrasses with beak-like teeth that grind coral into sand.Reef fish · Coasts and shelves WorldLionfish Venomous marine fish of the genus Pterois known for striking stripes and invasive spread.Ray · Coral reefs · 1900 WorldMoray eel A global family of elongated marine eels known for their powerful jaws and patterned skin.Eel · Coasts and shelves WorldGoatfish Benthic fish with chin barbels found in tropical and temperate waters worldwide.Other · Coasts and shelves · 1758 WorldBigeye trevally A large marine fish found in tropical oceans, known for its nocturnal hunting and distinctive dark dorsal fin.Other · Coasts and shelves · 1825 🇮🇳 India and 4 moreReef stonefish A highly venomous marine fish known for its rock-like camouflage and potent toxins.Other · Coasts and shelves · 1801 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 2 moreRed lionfish Venomous coral reef fish native to the Indo-Pacific and invasive in the Atlantic.Reef fish · Coral reefs · 1758

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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