Opportunities to better integrate inland fish and fisheries in multilateral environmental agreements

Abigail J. Lynch; Devin Bartley; T. Douglas Beard Jr; Gabriel Borba; Steven J. Cooke; Ian G. Cowx; Vittoria Elliott; Holly Embke; Edith Gondwe; Zeb Hogan; Jonathan G. Low; Jamie C. Madden; Sui Phang; Emma D. Rice; Nicholas Sievert; Gretchen L. Stokes; Leonard Akwany; Edward H. Allison; Robert Arlinghaus; Robert Arthur; Vidyadhar Atkore; Mahatub Khan Badhon; Claudio Baigun; Jill L. Brooks; Leandro Castello; Somvilay Chanthalounnavong; Seila Chea; Soksan Chhorn; Michael S. Cooperman; Kim Crisafi; James Dalton; V Doughty; Jason Earl; Wasseem Emam; Rebecca Flitcroft; Daria Gundermann; Henry H. Hansen; Ian Harrison; Kathy Hughes; Külli Kangur; Ted Lawrence; Roman Lyach; Bonnie J.E. Myers; Muruganandam Muthiah; Nguyen Thi Kim Quyen; Vivian M. Nguyen; Elizabeth A. Nyboer; Julian D. Olden; Craig Paukert; Morgan L. Piczak; Yasmín Quintana; Vu Dang Ha Quyen; Shehu Latunji Akintola; Roshani Shrestha; Sokmoly Uon; Sophorn Uy; Cassie M. VanWynen

doi:10.1016/j.envsci.2025.104089

Treesearch

Opportunities to better integrate inland fish and fisheries in multilateral environmental agreements

Formally Refereed

Authors:

Abigail J. Lynch, Devin Bartley, T. Douglas Beard Jr, Gabriel Borba, Steven J. Cooke, Ian G. Cowx, Vittoria Elliott, Holly Embke, Edith Gondwe, Zeb Hogan, Jonathan G. Low, Jamie C. Madden, Sui Phang, Emma D. Rice, Nicholas Sievert, Gretchen L. Stokes, Leonard Akwany, Edward H. Allison, Robert Arlinghaus, Robert Arthur, Vidyadhar Atkore, Mahatub Khan Badhon, Claudio Baigun, Jill L. Brooks, Leandro Castello, Somvilay Chanthalounnavong, Seila Chea, Soksan Chhorn, Michael S. Cooperman, Kim Crisafi, James Dalton, V Doughty, Jason Earl, Wasseem Emam, Rebecca Flitcroft, Daria Gundermann, Henry H. Hansen, Ian Harrison, Kathy Hughes, Külli Kangur, Ted Lawrence, Roman Lyach, Bonnie J.E. Myers, Muruganandam Muthiah, Nguyen Thi Kim Quyen, Vivian M. Nguyen, Elizabeth A. Nyboer, Julian D. Olden, Craig Paukert, Morgan L. Piczak, Yasmín Quintana, Vu Dang Ha Quyen, Shehu Latunji Akintola, Roshani Shrestha, Sokmoly Uon, Sophorn Uy, Cassie M. VanWynen

Year:

2025

Type:

Scientific Journal

Station:

Pacific Northwest Research Station

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2025.104089

Source:

Environmental Science & Policy. 171: 104089.

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Abstract

Inland fish and fisheries are globally important to environmental function and human services, yet their persistent lack of recognition in global agreements, especially multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs), may hinder progress towards biodiversity conservation and human well-being. The connection between inland fish, fisheries, and their ecosystems means that addressing the needs of fish directly offers opportunities to meet multiple global commitments and provide indicators of progress towards many global goals. In this perspective, we highlight opportunities to better integrate inland fish and fisheries into MEAs, specifically the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), Convention on Wetlands (commonly known as the Ramsar Convention), Convention on Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS), Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and World Heritage Convention (WHC). Greater attention on inland fish and fisheries through MEAs could help ensure more holistic planning, investment, and conservation of these important fish and fisheries, their biodiversity, the essential resources they provision, and the environments they inhabit.

Keywords

Freshwater, wetland, governance, aquatic, conservation, fish

Citation

Lynch, Abigail J.; Bartley, Devin; Beard Jr, T. Douglas; Borba, Gabriel; Cooke, Steven J.; Cowx, Ian G.; Elliott, Vittoria; Embke, Holly; Gondwe, Edith; Hogan, Zeb; Low, Jonathan G.; Madden, Jamie C.; Phang, Sui; Rice, Emma D.; Sievert, Nicholas; Stokes, Gretchen L.; Akwany, Leonard; Allison, Edward H.; Arlinghaus, Robert; Arthur, Robert; Atkore, Vidyadhar; Badhon, Mahatub Khan; Baigun, Claudio; Brooks, Jill L.; Castello, Leandro; Chanthalounnavong, Somvilay; Chea, Seila; Chhorn, Soksan; Cooperman, Michael S.; Crisafi, Kim; Dalton, James; Doughty, V; Earl, Jason; Emam, Wasseem; Flitcroft, Rebecca; Gundermann, Daria; Hansen, Henry H.; Harrison, Ian; Hughes, Kathy; Kangur, Külli; Lawrence, Ted; Lyach, Roman; Myers, Bonnie J.E.; Muthiah, Muruganandam; Thi Kim Quyen, Nguyen; Nguyen, Vivian M.; Nyboer, Elizabeth A.; Olden, Julian D.; Paukert, Craig; Piczak, Morgan L.; Quintana, Yasmín; Quyen, Vu Dang Ha; Akintola, Shehu Latunji; Shrestha, Roshani; Uon, Sokmoly; Uy, Sophorn; VanWynen, Cassie M. 2025. Opportunities to better integrate inland fish and fisheries in multilateral environmental agreements. Environmental Science & Policy. 171: 104089. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2025.104089.