Lamprey Conservation - A Global Perspective

Many lamprey populations around the world are either in decline or their status is unknown. Global threats to lampreys include habitat degradation, passage issues, overharvest, nonnative species, and targeted poisoning. These threats subsequently restrict their range, reduce abundance, and result in fragmented distribution. Conservation of lampreys is hampered because many aspects of their life history have not been studied and their total range is still unknown. In response to this challenge, a query of scientists actively working on lamprey conservation was conducted to illuminate the various actions occurring in countries where lampreys are known to occur. The results of the conservation efforts are summarized demonstrating the variety of actions being taken to both reduce threats to lampreys and to further protective management. Sharing methods to conserve lampreys worldwide and communicating the need for data on their life history, status, and threats will further protection of these fascinating species.