Biodiversity

Threatened species

The Action Plan for Australian freshwater fishes

R. Wager and P. Jackson
Environment Australia, June 1993
ISBN 0 6421 6818 0

Appendix 4 – Other Australian threatened fishes listings

1. Australian Society for Fish Biology Threatened Species List (Jackson 1992)

Extinct

Taxa which are no longer found in the wild or in a domesticated state.

Endangered

Taxa which have suffered a population decline over all or most of their range, whether the causes of this decline are known or not, and which are in danger of extinction in the near future. (Special management measures are required if the taxa are to continue to survive.)

Vulnerable

Taxa not presently endangered but which are at risk by having small populations and/or populations which are declining at a rate that would render them endangered in the near future. (Special management measures required to prevent the taxa becoming endangered or extinct.)

Potentially Threatened

Taxa which could become vulnerable or endangered in the near future because they have a relatively large population in a restricted area; or they have small populations in a few areas; or they have been heavily depleted and are continuing to decline; or they are dependent on specific habitat for survival. (Require monitoring.)

Indeterminate

Taxa which are likely to fall into one of the Endangered, Vulnerable or Potentially Threatened categories but for which insufficient data are available to make an assessment. (Require investigation.)

Restricted

Taxa which are not presently in danger but which occur in restricted areas, or which have suffered a long term reduction in distribution and/or abundance and are now uncommon.

Uncertain Status

Taxa whose taxonomy, distribution and/or abundance are uncertain but which are suspected of being Restricted.

2. IUCN Threatened Australian Freshwater Fishes List (IUCN 1990)

Extinct

Species not definitely located in the wild during the past 50 years.

Endangered

Taxa in danger of extinction and whose survival is unlikely if the causal factors continue operating.

Included are taxa whose numbers have been reduced to a critical level or whose habitats have been so drastically reduced that they are deemed to be in immediate danger of extinction. Also included are taxa that may be extinct but have definitely been seen in the wild in the past 50 years.

Vulnerable

Taxa believed likely to move into the 'Endangered' category in the near future if the causal factors continue operating.

Included are taxa of which most or all of the populations are decreasing because of over exploitation, extensive destruction of habitat or other environmental disturbance; taxa with populations that have been seriously depleted and whose ultimate security has not yet been assured; and taxa with populations that are still abundant but are under threat from severe adverse factors throughout their range.

Rare

Taxa with small world populations that are not at present 'Endangered' or 'Vulnerable' but are at risk.

These taxa are usually localised within restricted geographical areas or habitats or are thinly spread over a more extensive range.

Indeterminate

Taxa known to be 'Endangered', 'Vulnerable', or 'Rare' but where there is not enough information to say which of the three categories is appropriate.

Insufficiently Known

Taxa that are suspected, but not definitely known to belong to any of the above categories, because of lack of information.

3. Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council (ANZECC) List of Endangered Vertebrate Fauna (ANZECC 1991)

This listing was first developed by the Council of Nature Conservation Ministers (CONCOM) Working Group on Endangered Species. In 1991 the name of this council was changed to the Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council (ANZECC). The maintenance of this list is now the responsibility of ANZECC Endangered Fauna Network.

Extinct

Species not definitely located in the wild during the past 50 years.

Endangered

Taxa in danger of extinction and whose survival is unlikely if the causal factors continue operating.

Vulnerable

Taxa believed likely to move into the 'Endangered' category in the near future if the causal factors continue operating.

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