Empty rivers signal a global crisis as migratory freshwater fish populations have plummeted by 81% over the last five decades, according to a comprehensive UN assessment. This catastrophic decline affects ecosystems worldwide, with species like salmon, sturgeon, and freshwater eels disappearing at unprecedented rates. The report highlights the critical role these fish play in maintaining healthy river systems and supporting human communities that depend on them.

Conservationists and scientists are calling for immediate action through habitat restoration, barrier removal, and sustainable fishing practices