Amazonian countries approve action plan to conserve migratory catfish


By Dr. Tim Sandle
DIGITAL JOURNAL
May 7, 2026


Catfish are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Public Domain image, CC3.0.

Large migratory catfish, such as piramutaba (Brachyplatystoma vaillantii), travel up to 11,000 km round trip between the Andes and the Atlantic, connecting ecosystems and countries and act as sentinels of the health of Amazonian rivers. In particular, the Andean Amazon plays a key role in the reproduction of migratory catfish.

At COP15 of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), Parties have unanimously adopted the Regional Action Plan for Amazonian Migratory Catfish, marking a new milestone for the conservation of these species.

This resolution was proposed by the Government of Brazil to CMS and received strong support from the delegations of Amazonian countries that are Parties—Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru—as well as from the European Union. It was also supported by Venezuela, a non-Party country within the range of the species.

This approval builds on the process initiated at CMS COP14, where dorado (Brachyplatystoma rousseauxii) and piramutaba (Brachyplatystoma vaillantii) were included in Appendix II of CMS, and enables the definition of concrete, coordinated actions at the scale of the Amazon Basin.


Catfish are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Catfish are named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat’s whiskers. Many catfish have a maximum length of under 12 centimetres.

“Incorporating river connectivity into planning strengthens biodiversity conservation and contributes to the well-being of the populations that depend on these rivers,” says Rita Mesquita, Secretary of Biodiversity at Brazil’s Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change, in research note.

Large migratory catfish travel up to 11,000 km round trip between the Andes and the Atlantic. These species connect ecosystems and countries and act as sentinels of the health of Amazonian rivers. Their conservation depends on maintaining connected corridors across Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru and is key to sustaining the livelihoods of millions of people who depend on fisheries in the Amazon.

The new plan establishes a common roadmap to conserve habitats and migratory corridors, strengthen scientific, Indigenous, and local knowledge, and promote sustainable fisheries practices, in a context of increasing pressures on river connectivity. Within this framework, it identifies three priority actions for the next 12 months:

1) conserve habitats and connectivity of Amazonian rivers;

2) strengthen scientific, Indigenous, and local knowledge;

3) promote sustainable value chains linked to fisheries management.

Certain Amazon catfish species, particularly large migratory “Goliath” catfish like the dorado/gilded catfish (Brachyplatystoma rousseauxii), are considered threatened or vulnerable due to rapid population declines. The new measures outlined will help to address the risk that the fish population faces.