FaunaHub

Animal group · Fish

Endangered fish

Threatened fish in this selection are dominated by sharks, rays, and sawfish, alongside sturgeon, eels, and reef species. Several are slow-growing and late-maturing, which makes them especially sensitive to fishing pressure.

Each record shows its IUCN category and links to authoritative sources, with NOAA Fisheries used for many marine species.

40 records in this view · last reviewed

Many threatened fish are sharks and rays affected by fishing pressure. NOAA Fisheries is a primary source for the marine species below.

Data limitations

  • These are educational summaries, not the official assessment. Conservation status can change as new science and threats emerge.
  • We show the global IUCN Red List category. National and local status can differ from the global category.
  • Each record shows a last-verified date and a data-confidence flag so you can see how current and how checked it is.
  • Always verify the current status on the official IUCN Red List and the relevant national wildlife authority. FaunaHub does not replace conservation authorities.

Dataset last reviewed: Full data methodology →

Fish records

Showing 40 of 40 records

  • Angelshark

    Squatina squatina

    Last verified
    Verified

    Sources: IUCN Red List, FishBase

    Index record onlySource review pending

  • Beluga Sturgeon

    Huso huso

    Last verified
    Verified

    Source of beluga caviar; heavily affected by overfishing.

    Sources: IUCN Red List, Animal Diversity Web

    Index record onlySource review pending

  • Bowmouth Guitarfish

    Rhina ancylostoma

    Last verified
    Verified

    Sources: IUCN Red List, FishBase

    Index record onlySource review pending

  • Chinese Sturgeon

    Acipenser sinensis

    Last verified
    Verified

    Sources: IUCN Red List, FishBase

    Index record onlySource review pending

  • European Eel

    Anguilla anguilla

    Last verified
    Verified

    Sources: IUCN Red List, Animal Diversity Web

    Index record onlySource review pending

  • Giant Sea Bass

    Stereolepis gigas

    Last verified
    Verified

    Sources: IUCN Red List, FishBase

    Index record onlySource review pending

  • Great Hammerhead

    Sphyrna mokarran

    Last verified
    Verified

    Sources: IUCN Red List, Animal Diversity Web

    Index record onlySource review pending

  • Green Sawfish

    Pristis zijsron

    Last verified
    Verified

    Sources: IUCN Red List, FishBase

    Index record onlySource review pending

  • Largetooth Sawfish

    Pristis pristis

    Last verified
    Verified

    Sources: IUCN Red List, NOAA Fisheries

    Index record onlySource review pending

  • Mekong Giant Catfish

    Pangasianodon gigas

    Last verified
    Verified

    Sources: IUCN Red List, FishBase

    Index record onlySource review pending

  • Nassau Grouper

    Epinephelus striatus

    Last verified
    Verified

    Sources: IUCN Red List, NOAA Fisheries, FishBase

    Index record onlySource review pending

  • Oceanic Whitetip Shark

    Carcharhinus longimanus

    Last verified
    Verified

    Sources: IUCN Red List, NOAA Fisheries, Animal Diversity Web

    Index record onlySource review pending

  • Russian Sturgeon

    Acipenser gueldenstaedtii

    Last verified
    Verified

    Sources: IUCN Red List, FishBase

    Index record onlySource review pending

  • Sand Tiger Shark

    Carcharias taurus

    Last verified
    Verified

    Sources: IUCN Red List, FishBase

    Index record onlySource review pending

  • Scalloped Hammerhead

    Sphyrna lewini

    Last verified
    Verified

    Sources: IUCN Red List, NOAA Fisheries, Animal Diversity Web

    Index record onlySource review pending

  • Smalltooth Sawfish

    Pristis pectinata

    Last verified
    Verified

    Sources: IUCN Red List, NOAA Fisheries, Animal Diversity Web

    Index record onlySource review pending

  • West Indian Ocean Coelacanth

    Latimeria chalumnae

    Last verified
    Verified

    A deep-water 'living fossil' lineage once thought extinct until rediscovery in 1938.

    Sources: IUCN Red List, Animal Diversity Web

    Index record onlySource review pending

  • American Eel

    Anguilla rostrata

    Last verified
    Verified

    Sources: IUCN Red List, FishBase

    Index record onlySource review pending

  • Banggai Cardinalfish

    Pterapogon kauderni

    Last verified
    Verified

    Sources: IUCN Red List, FishBase

    Index record onlySource review pending

  • Basking Shark

    Cetorhinus maximus

    Last verified
    Verified

    Sources: IUCN Red List, FishBase

    Index record onlySource review pending

  • Dwarf Sawfish

    Pristis clavata

    Last verified
    Verified

    Sources: IUCN Red List, FishBase

    Index record onlySource review pending

  • Giant Freshwater Stingray

    Urogymnus polylepis

    Last verified
    Verified

    Sources: IUCN Red List, FishBase

    Index record onlySource review pending

  • Giant Manta Ray

    Mobula birostris

    Last verified
    Verified

    Sources: IUCN Red List, NOAA Fisheries, Animal Diversity Web

    Index record onlySource review pending

  • Humphead Wrasse

    Cheilinus undulatus

    Last verified
    Verified

    Also called the Napoleon wrasse; a large, slow-growing reef fish.

    Sources: IUCN Red List, FishBase

    Index record onlySource review pending

  • Japanese Eel

    Anguilla japonica

    Last verified
    Verified

    Sources: IUCN Red List, FishBase

    Index record onlySource review pending

  • Knysna Seahorse

    Hippocampus capensis

    Last verified
    Verified

    Sources: IUCN Red List, FishBase

    Index record onlySource review pending

  • Shortfin Mako

    Isurus oxyrinchus

    Last verified
    Verified

    Sources: IUCN Red List, NOAA Fisheries, Animal Diversity Web

    Index record onlySource review pending

  • Southern Bluefin Tuna

    Thunnus maccoyii

    Last verified
    Verified

    Sources: IUCN Red List, FishBase

    Index record onlySource review pending

  • Whale Shark

    Rhincodon typus

    Population trend
    Decreasing
    Last verified
    Verified

    Sources: IUCN Red List, Animal Diversity Web

    Detailed FaunaHub profile →Partial review

  • Atlantic Goliath Grouper

    Epinephelus itajara

    Last verified
    Verified

    Down-listed from Critically Endangered to Vulnerable in 2018.

    Sources: IUCN Red List, FishBase

    Index record onlySource review pending

  • Bigeye Tuna

    Thunnus obesus

    Last verified
    Verified

    Sources: IUCN Red List, FishBase

    Index record onlySource review pending

  • Bumphead Parrotfish

    Bolbometopon muricatum

    Last verified
    Verified

    Sources: IUCN Red List, FishBase

    Index record onlySource review pending

  • Great White Shark

    Carcharodon carcharias

    Population trend
    Trend unknown
    Last verified
    Verified

    Sources: IUCN Red List, NOAA Fisheries, Animal Diversity Web

    Detailed FaunaHub profile →Partial review

  • Indonesian Coelacanth

    Latimeria menadoensis

    Last verified
    Verified

    Sources: IUCN Red List, FishBase

    Index record onlySource review pending

  • Lined Seahorse

    Hippocampus erectus

    Last verified
    Verified

    Sources: IUCN Red List, Animal Diversity Web

    See FaunaHub animal profile →Source review pending

  • Porbeagle

    Lamna nasus

    Last verified
    Verified

    Sources: IUCN Red List, FishBase

    Index record onlySource review pending

  • Reef Manta Ray

    Mobula alfredi

    Last verified
    Verified

    Sources: IUCN Red List, Animal Diversity Web

    Index record onlySource review pending

  • Shortnose Sturgeon

    Acipenser brevirostrum

    Last verified
    Verified

    Sources: IUCN Red List, NOAA Fisheries, FishBase

    Index record onlySource review pending

  • Sterlet

    Acipenser ruthenus

    Last verified
    Verified

    Sources: IUCN Red List, FishBase

    Index record onlySource review pending

  • Chinese Paddlefish

    Psephurus gladius

    Last verified
    Verified

    Declared Extinct by the IUCN in 2022; one of the largest freshwater fish.

    Sources: IUCN Red List, FishBase

    Index record onlySource review pending

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are so many sharks threatened?
Sharks grow slowly, mature late, and produce few young, so populations recover slowly from overfishing and bycatch. Several hammerheads and the oceanic whitetip are assessed as Critically Endangered.
Is the great white shark endangered?
The great white shark is globally assessed as Vulnerable. It is protected in many countries, but global population trends remain a concern. Always check the current IUCN assessment for the latest category.
Is this every endangered fish?
No. This is a curated educational selection. The complete, current list is maintained on the official IUCN Red List.

Last updated: