Patterns of Freshwater Fish Vulnerability in European Rivers

ABSTRACT European rivers are home to more than 600 native freshwater‐dependent fish species, with nearly half of them raising some level of conservation concern. Tackling this decline requires prioritising efforts towards the most vulnerable communities, at a spatial scale aligned with river restoration. This study investigated fish vulnerability in European sub‐catchments considering the most recent IUCN assessment and species richness. Overall, the most vulnerable fish communities are mainly found in the Mediterranean and Anatolian bioregions. Future studies should address how these vulnerability patterns can be associated with the current pressures acting on rivers to draw effective measures for freshwater fish conservation.