SHOAL

24/06/2026

TOMORROW!

Join the third and final free webinar ::

💻 CONSERVATION AND POLICY FOR SPRINGS
🗓️ Thursday 25 June, 3-5pm BST

We'll be joined by four expert voices from the world of freshwater to shine a spotlight on springs, which may be small in size, but are among the most extraordinary and irreplaceable freshwater ecosystems on Earth💧

👉 Sanot Adhikari
CEO, Alliance for Environment, Chairperson, the Youth Alliance For Environment (YAE) Environment, Nepal

👉 John Simaika
Senior Researcher, International Water Management Institute (IWMI)

👉 Joseph Holway
Assistant Director, Spring Stewardship Institute

👉 Nelida Barajas
Executive Director, CEDO Centro Intercultural de Estudios de Desiertos y Océanos

Register here 👇
https://us06web.zoom.us/.../reg.../WN_gSg4cVS4Sw-243l5SwhLWQ

24/06/2026

The 24-hour hotline helping save the world’s biggest freshwater fish 📱 🐟

The ‘megafish’ living in southeast Asia’s Mekong River once faced extinction. A new rapid response system is helping reverse their dire outlook.

The ‘megafish’ living in southeast Asia’s Mekong River once faced extinction. A new rapid response system is helping reverse their dire outlook.

22/06/2026

THIS THURSDAY!

Join the third and final free hashtag webinar ::

💻 CONSERVATION AND POLICY FOR SPRINGS
🗓️ Thursday 25 June, 3-5pm BST

We'll be joined by four expert voices from the world of freshwater to shine a spotlight on springs, which may be small in size, but are among the most extraordinary and irreplaceable freshwater ecosystems on Earth💧

👉 Sanot Adhikari
CEO, for Environment, Chairperson, the Youth Alliance For Environment (YAE) Environment, Nepal

👉 John Simaika
Senior Researcher, International Water Management Institute (IWMI)

👉 Joseph Holway
Assistant Director, Spring Stewardship Institute

👉 Nelida Barajas
Executive Director, CEDO Centro Intercultural de Estudios de Desiertos y Océanos

Register here 👇
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_gSg4cVS4Sw-243l5SwhLWQ

19/06/2026

At the start of this month, more than 30 freshwater fish conservationists, aquarium and zoo professionals, researchers, and taxonomists from around the world gathered at the Albuquerque BioPark in New Mexico, USA for the first Global Freshwater Fish Ex Situ Conservation Assessment (ECA) Workshop.

The workshop was a landmark! A major milestone in efforts to strategically harness ex situ interventions to prevent freshwater fish extinctions. It was also the first event at which members of the SHOAL Alliance of Zoos and Aquaria have come together in person to participate in and contribute to global freshwater fish conservation planning.

Read Chouly Ou and Nathaniel S.R. NG's summary of this important workshop on the SHOAL blog 👉 https://shoal.org/global-ex-situ-workshop/

Saint Louis Zoo ZSL Indianapolis Zoo Georgia Aquarium U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Conservation Fisheries Shedd Aquarium Copenhagen Zoo San Diego Zoo

The Forgotten Frontlines of Freshwater Conservation: Why Springs Are the Quiet Center of the Freshwater World

17/06/2026

📢 JOIN OUR WEBINAR NEXT WEEK! 📢

Join the third and final free hashtag webinar ::

💻 CONSERVATION AND POLICY FOR SPRINGS
🗓️ Thursday 25 June, 3-5pm BST

We'll be joined by four expert voices from the world of hashtag to shine a spotlight on springs, which may be small in size, but are among the most extraordinary and irreplaceable freshwater ecosystems on Earth💧

👉 Sanot Adhikari
CEO, for Environment, Chairperson, the Youth Alliance For Environment (YAE) Environment, Nepal

👉 John Simaika
Senior Researcher, International Water Management Institute (IWMI)

👉 Joseph Holway
Assistant Director, Spring Stewardship Institute

👉 Nelida Barajas
Executive Director, CEDO Centro Intercultural de Estudios de Desiertos y Océanos

Register here 👇
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_gSg4cVS4Sw-243l5SwhLWQ

15/06/2026

🇵🇬 Exciting new project in the field!

Our partners at the New Guinea Binatang Research Centre are currently exploring areas of the watershed around the Lower Sepik River in Papua New Guinea as they try to rediscover the Spinach Pipefish.

The team have already completed surveys at four villages, and are continuing at two more. According to New Guinea Binatang Research Centre, 'community consultations have provided valuable information, with several local residents reporting sightings of the species in small clear-water inland creeks, known locally as "bush tais"'.

'Overall, the survey has generated promising leads regarding the species' distribution and habitat. Further investigations will focus on verifying local reports and documenting the species in identified habitats.'

The search continues! 👀

11/06/2026

Have you ever heard a good story that's almost too outrageous to be believed?

The Joba Mena is a small fish in a remote part of Madagascar. Brian Zimmerman and his team have made it their mission to save it from extinction. Now, filmmaker Asher Flatt is producing A Fish Out Of Water to tell this remarkable story.

Watch the crowdfunding film below 👇

and support the filmKickstarter here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/239689244/fish-out-of-water-1/description

05/06/2026

GLOBAL FRESHWATER FISH EX SITU CONSERVATION ASSESSMENT WORKSHOP ‼️

The team are coming to the end of an incredibly busy and productive week developing a global priority list for freshwater fish species whose overall recovery strategy would significantly benefit from ex situ conservation.

💧 ⁠five working groups
💧 each group assesses 60 species for direct ex situ conservation roles
💧 experts make recommendations based on benefits, feasibility and risk scores

A total of 300 freshwater fish species are being assessed, with ex situ recommendations confirmed for each. This framework will hone the focus for the ex situ programmes of our partners and members of the SHOAL Alliance of Zoos and Aquaria 👉 https://shoal.org/shoal-alliance-zoos-aquaria/

04/06/2026

Fish Out of Water is a documentary following the extraordinary story of Brian Zimmerman and the Mangarahara Cichlid (Joba Mena in Malagasy), a species brought back from the brink of extinction in the remote north of Madagascar. But the fish isn't safe yet. And neither is the river.

Filmmaker Asher Flatt is heading to Madagascar to film the next chapter.

Help Asher make this film a reality by contributing to the fundraising campaign, launching VERY soon 👀 🐟

Kickstarter
👉 https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/239689244/fish-out-of-water-1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTY_PQqxFXg

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

04/06/2026

Join International RiverFoundation for next week’s satellite event and discover real-world freshwater biodiversity solutions in action.

Register here to secure your spot 👉 https://bit.ly/42tCdyi

We’ll be joined by a panel of case study speakers from across the world, sharing the challenges, lessons learnt, current action and future opportunities within their freshwater ecosystems of focus.

Join us to hear inspiring real-world solutions, discover emerging innovations and be part of the collective effort to restore and protect our rivers for life. Let’s turn the tide on freshwater biodiversity loss!

We’re proud to participate in the delivery this satellite event in collaboration with Wetlands International and International RiverFoundation

Thank you to event sponsors AmaWaterways and Suntory