A new freshwater fish database for Spain

The Iberian Society of Ichthyology has recently launched the Freshwater Fish Database for Spain.  Despite the large number of research and technical studies done on freshwater fishes on the Iberian Peninsula, the resulting data is highly dispersed and not available for public use, or for environmental management or research (a common problem for such data, as we wrote about for the Freshwater Information Platform launch recently)

In response to this difficulty in accessing data, the Society worked to compile information on Iberian freshwater fishes found in research centres, public administrations, and available on the internet in technical reports and scientific publications, among others. This ongoing work has created a database for general public use, a database for the use of environmental managers and an interactive web platform to facilitate access to this information.

The databases integrate information about fish species abundance, habitats, historical evolution, population trends, major threats, conservation actions, human impact (pollution, water extraction among others) and fishing intensity.

Accurate information on species distribution is important in helping environmental managers develop monitoring plans and conservation strategies. Similarly, the historical information on species distribution will help in the scientific analysis of freshwater fish populations.

Read more on the database here

Contact project co-ordinator Filipe Ribero: cartapiscicola@sibic.org