List of critically endangered fishes

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
Critically endangered (CR) species face an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.

As of July 2017, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listed 1,000 critically endangered fish species, including 87 which are tagged as possibly extinct.[1][2] Of all evaluated fish species, 3.0% are listed as critically endangered. The IUCN also lists four fish subspecies as critically endangered.

Of the subpopulations of fish evaluated by the IUCN, 20 species subpopulations and one subspecies subpopulation have been assessed as 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.[3] While the category 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".[4]

This is a complete list of critically endangered fish species and subspecies evaluated by the IUCN. Species considered possibly extinct by the IUCN are marked as such. Species and subspecies which have critically endangered subpopulations (or stocks) are indicated.

  1. ^ "IUCN Red List version 2016-2". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  2. ^ "Table 9: Possibly Extinct and Possibly Extinct in the Wild Species (IUCN Red List version 20162)". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  3. ^ "Limitations of the Data". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  4. ^ "2001 Categories & Criteria (version 3.1)". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). Retrieved 11 January 2016.