Saving ASAP fishes: a radically collaborative approach

10/10/2025

16:00 - 17:00

IUCN Asia Pavilion

Scaling Up Resilient Conservation Action

Why attend

Impactful action for Southeast Asia’s most threatened freshwater fishes needs a radically collaborative approach. We’ll hear from experts catalysing profound positive change through a joined approach, with international initiatives and locally-led NGOs working together to save freshwater species.

Session Description

Freshwater fish are at the sharp end of the biodiversity crisis, with 1/3 threatened with extinction. In Southeast Asia there are 90 CR freshwater fishes. The IUCN SSC Asian Species Action Partnership works with Mandai Nature, SHOAL, and partners to catalyse urgent action. In 2024, ASAP and SHOAL granted a fund for catalysing conservation for ASAP fishes to locally led grassroots NGOs. Projects are already showing exciting results. We'll hear about these projects from ASAP Director Nerissa Chao, SHOAL SEA Program Coordinator Nathaniel Ng, IUCN Asia Regional Coordinator Alex McWilliam, and Sheherazade, Co-Executive Director of Progres, a female-led NGO which empowers local communities to conserve Sulawesi’s biodiversity. The target audience will be those interested in community-based conservation and freshwater species and how collaboration can advance action for overlooked species.