Africa’s forgotten fishes: A silent crisis beneath the waters

At first glance, Africa’s wetlands - its shimmering lakes and winding rivers - appear to teem with life. But beneath the surface, a quieter story unfolds. One of urgency, fragility, and silent loss.

A new report released Thursday by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), aptly titled ‘Africa’s Forgotten Fishes’ reveals that the continent’s freshwater fish—over 3,281 species strong—are in dire straits. These species, though often overlooked, form the beating heart of Africa’s aquatic ecosystems, yet more than a quarter of them now face the threat of extinction.

Out of 3,320 freshwater fish species assessed, a staggering 714—or 26%—are officially threatened with extinction. And that figure may very well be an underestimation, as data gaps leave room for a potentially bleaker reality.

Freshwater fish are not just slippery creatures in murky waters—they are lifelines. They feed tens of millions, sustain livelihoods, power local economies, and nourish cultures passed down through generations.

Twelve African countries produce over 100,000 tonnes of wild freshwater fish every year. Kenya sits tenth on that list, having harvested over 123,000 tonnes in 2022 alone. But behind those numbers swims a deeper crisis—climate change and destructive human activity are gnawing away at the habitats that sustain this critical resource.

“Africa is a global hotspot of freshwater fish diversity, home to over 3,200 species—but it’s also a hotspot of risk,” says Eric Oyare, WWF Africa’s Freshwater Lead. “When these fish disappear, we lose much more than species: we lose food and nutrition security, livelihoods, ecosystem balance, and adaptive capacities to climate change. These declines are a red flag for the broader health of Africa’s freshwater ecosystems, which are the very life support systems for people and nature.”

The report shines a particularly sobering light on Lake Victoria—once a jewel of biodiversity, boasting an estimated 600 unique cichlid species, many found nowhere else on Earth.

Following the introduction of Nile perch and other human-driven pressures, as many as 200 of these species may now be extinct. This, according to scientists, could be the single largest vertebrate extinction event of the modern era.

In Kenya, one species—the Pangani haplo (Ctenochromis pectoralis)—is already officially classified as extinct.

The threats are varied and intertwined: invasive species, overfishing, habitat degradation from agriculture and deforestation, industrial pollution, and the unchecked spread of lakeside settlements.

“The disappearance of freshwater fish is not just a biodiversity crisis,” says Machaya Chomba, Africa Freshwater Protection Manager at The Nature Conservancy. “It’s a direct threat to food, livelihoods, and cultural identity for millions across Africa. These species are the backbone of local economies and daily life. To protect them, we must restore and reconnect the rivers and wetlands that sustain both nature and people.”

And yet, there is hope—if we act swiftly and decisively.

Many African nations, including Kenya, have already committed to restoring and protecting 30% of their inland waters by 2030 under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Kenya is also among 20 African nations that have joined the Freshwater Challenge—the world’s largest initiative aimed at restoring degraded wetlands and rivers.

The report outlines a six-point Emergency Recovery Plan for freshwater fish. Among the recommendations: restoring natural river flows, improving water quality, protecting critical habitats and species, ending unsustainable resource use, tackling invasive species, and removing obsolete barriers to ensure rivers can flow freely.

Back home, the implications are hitting hardest at the grassroots. Along the shores of Lake Victoria, dwindling fish stocks are driving up prices and placing affordable protein further out of reach for Kenya’s poorest communities.

From July 23rd to 31st, Zimbabwe will host the 15th Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar COP15). The gathering will bring together governments, scientists, and conservationists to confront the threats facing freshwater ecosystems head-on and chart a more sustainable future.

It will be a pivotal moment for Africa—a chance to ensure its rivers, lakes, and wetlands are no longer forgotten, and that the people who depend on them are heard, seen, and protected.