Endangered Species Guide

Endangered Fish
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Endangered Fish

It's hard to say how fish are faring as a whole, as only 10 percent of the nearly 30,000 known fish species have been evaluated for inclusion in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Tellingly, nearly half those surveyed are now considered threatened or endangered.

Overfishing is likely the leading cause of fish declines, followed closely by habitat loss and pollution. Some of the most unique fish species in the world are facing imminent extinction, including the ancient coelacanth and the bizarre smalltooth sawfish. Learn about them here.

If you do eat fish, find out which popular seafood choices have less of an impact on the system, and which ones to avoid by using our Consumer Guide to Overfishing.

Andean Catfish
Like many catfish species, the Andean catfish has barbels around the mouth that contain taste buds that help the animal find food at night.

Angel Shark
Angel sharks are large, ray-like fish that spend most of their time hiding in the mud and silt of the ocean floor.

Borneo Shark
The Borneo shark is extremely rare and known by only a few specimens. It lives in the shallow coastal waters of the South Pacific Ocean.

Coelacanth
The coelacanth is referred to as a living fossil, because it is the only remaining species of a group of fish species that died out millions of years ago.

Lost River Sucker
The Lost River sucker is a long-lived fish, sometimes reaching an age of 40 years or more.
Mekong Freshwater Stingray
The Mekong freshwater stingray is one of the world's largest fish.

Mekong Giant Catfish
The Mekong giant catfish is a freshwater fish that grows to be very large — about as large as a grizzly bear in some cases.

Nassau Grouper
The Nassau grouper is found in the western Atlantic Ocean, Florida Keys, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea.

Russian Sturgeon
The Russian sturgeon is a large, bony fish that can reach a length of more than 6 feet.

Smalltooth Sawfish
The smalltooth sawfish is a long, sleek fish that occurs in shallow coastal and estuarine waters.

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