Vulnerable

Big, slow and caught

Many Vulnerable fish are large, slow-growing species that are easily overfished, such as the great white and bull sharks, the reef manta ray and the ocean sunfish, which is caught as bycatch in drift nets and longlines. The Atlantic cod was listed in 1996 after the collapse of its north-west Atlantic stocks. The common carp, invasive in many places, is listed as Vulnerable in its native range in the rivers around the Black and Caspian Seas, where wild populations have declined.

Indian fish at risk

The silver pomfret, Maharashtra's state fish, is listed as Vulnerable, with landings falling along India's west coast. The boal, a large river catfish of South Asia, the spotted seahorse and the mrigal carp of the south are also Vulnerable. The Siamese fighting fish is Vulnerable in the wild in Thailand and nearby countries, though it is bred by the millions for the aquarium trade, which shows how a common pet can be a rare wild animal.

Famous vulnerable fish

Great white sharkVulnerable worldwideOcean sunfishCaught as bycatch in many fisheriesBull sharkVulnerable since 2021Reef manta raySlow-breeding and much fishedSiamese fighting fishRare in the wild, common in tanks

Further reading

• IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
• Vulnerable species (Wikipedia)