IUCN Anguillid Specialist Sub-Group Matthew Gollock IUCN • International Union for Conservation of Nature • “A neutral forum for governments, NGOs, scientists, business and local communities to find pragmatic solutions to conservation and development challenges” • Mission - “influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and biodiversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable." • More than 1,200 member organizations including 200+ government and 900+ non-government organizations which aim to influence international environmental conventions, policies and laws. IUCN SSC • The IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) is a science-based network of more than 7,500 volunteer experts from almost every country of the world, all working together towards achieving the vision of, “A world that values and conserves present levels of biodiversity.“ • IUCN SSC/WI Freshwater Fish Specialist Group ‘To achieve conservation and sustainable freshwater fishes and their habitats’ • Anguillid Specialist Sub-Group use of Objectives of the ASSG • Eel status  Serve as an expert body for Anguillid species • Research  Stimulate and promote scientific research  Identify knowledge gaps • Conservation  Advocate conservation in national strategies for eels  Promote and encourage sustained population monitoring  Promote appropriate mitigation measures to threats  Support CITES, at the national and international level. • Communication  Act as a forum for communication / knowledge transfer. • Advocacy Red List criteria • 15 of 19 will be assessed against Red List criteria Assessment Workshop • 15 of 19 will be assessed against Red List criteria – Population decline – Geographic range – Small population size • Data collected from a range of sources. – Significantly more for temperate species. – Tropical species appear to be poorly studied. Assessment Workshop • Locked in a windowless room for 5 days with only ZSL sandwiches for sustenance: – No organisational representation. – IUCN Red List experts from FW Biodiversity team • Assess collected data against the criteria: – 10 will be new assessments. – 5 will be revisions / updates. • Peer review • Submitted to IUCN for approval and publication. Anguilla anguilla • Last assessed in 2010. •‘Critically Endangered’ at present. – Based on >80% population decline over 3 generations (60 yrs in this case). – Inferred from recruitment / landings. •???????? Clarifications • An appearance on the Red List does not automatically mean endangered. • The Red List is not a politically or campaignmotivated initiative. • IUCN is a conservation organisation and as such advice / assessments will apply the precautionary principle. Acknowledgements • Gordon MacGregor Reid, Kati Csatadi and Suzanne Turnock • All the ASSG members • All who have submitted data for the assessment workshops • Environment Agency and Fishmongers Hall • David Jacoby Graham Swift - Waterland