Spawning grounds model for neotropical potamodromous fishes: conservation and management implications
Potamodromous fish migrations are vital for South American rivers, yet hydropower threatens spawning routes. This Magdalena basin case study models potential spawning areas, offering early planning tools to protect ecosystems and ensure sustainable fisheries and energy development.
Subject Tags
- Fisheries
- Rivers
- Ecosystem management
Abstract
Freshwater fish migrations are an important natural process. All main river basins in South America have potamodromous fish that migrate upstream to spawn. Therefore, these species withstand fisheries and are socially, economically, and ecologically important. Hydropower dams cause one of the main threats to these fish’s survival. Hydropower is the main source of low-carbon electricity in South America, where the most diverse and endemic riverine fish fauna inhabit. However, hydropower development rarely considers spawning areas or cumulative impacts in fish migratory routes at a macro-basin scale in their environmental impact assessment (EIA) studies. In the present case study conducted in the Magdalena basin in Colombia, a distribution model of potential spawning areas of migratory fish species was developed. The objective of the current research is to demonstrate the potential use of early planning tools at the macro-basin scale to ensure that freshwater ecosystems remain functional in supporting fish migrations.
Citation
López-Casas, S., Rogéliz-Prada, C.A., Atencio-García, V., Moreno-Árias, C., Arenas, D., Rivera-Coley, K. and Jimenez-Segura, L., 2025. Spawning grounds model for neotropical potamodromous fishes: conservation and management implications. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 13, p.1425804.
Media Contacts
-
Carlos A. Rogéliz-Prada
Technical Director, Provide Food and Water
The Nature Conservancy
Email: carlos.rogeliz@tnc.org