Future prospects for the freshwater fish fauna of the north Mediterranean region Original Research Article

The fresh waters of the north Mediterranean region possess a unique and diverse ichthyofauna with 229 endemic fish taxa in 13 families. With diverse threats to wetlands in the area and their increasing mismanagement many fishes are under threat and several taxa have become extinct in recent years. Following workshop discussions among specialists, a series of proposals is now put forward which is designed to reverse this trend. Within these proposals is the concept that clean water is desirable for both people and fish and that acceptable compromises must be the way to share this vital resource in the future. Managing water resources in the Mediterranean region is clearly going to be a key feature in the future development of this area and major issues must be resolved soon to avoid serious conflicts over water use in the 21st century.