Asia, a crucial region for migratory species, is witnessing their alarming decline. A major United Nations report released this year warned that one in five of the world’s migratory species protected under a global convention are at risk of extinction. The threat is particularly severe for fish. Nearly all – a staggering 97% – of the fish listed under the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals are facing complete disappearance.
A stark example is the Mekong giant catfish (Pangasianodon gigas), one of the world’s largest freshwater species and a living legend of the Mekong River. Each year the fish undertakes a remarkable migration, when between October and December they journey from lakes downstream in Vietnam, swimming upstream to spawn in Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand. Only a recent report by the World Wide Fund for Nature points to a drastic decline in the number of Mekong giant catfish attributed to several factors, including habitat destruction, unsustainable practices, invasive species, climate change, and dams for electricity generation.
Continuing on our journey down the Mekong River, from north to south, we land in Chiang Khong, northern Thailand, where this Mekong giant catfish was caught in 2005. It stills holds the title of largest freshwater fish, weighing 293 kgs (646 lbs).
Photo by Suthep Kritsanavarin pic.twitter.com/98wA4f8mGv— Mekong Wonders (@mekongwonders) December 1, 2020
In February, Samarkand in Uzbekistan hosted the 14th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP14), which saw the release of the State of the World’s Migratory Species report. The declining number of these is staggering. Since 1970, it is estimated that populations have shrunk by 60%. Migratory species also comprise the bulk of the International Union for Conservation of Nature “Red List” of species under threat – 622 out of 1,011.
Migratory birds face particular danger. Millions rely each year on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, a critical route that extends across nearly two dozen countries, from the Russian Far East and Alaska via Southeast Asia to Australia and New Zealand. But rapid development in many Asian countries has led to a grim 42% decline in migratory bird populations across the region.
In China, urbanisation and expanding agriculture have fragmented and degraded wetlands, which had been crucial resting and feeding grounds for these birds. Poyang Lake, a vital stopover site for waterbirds, illustrates the problem, where the construction of a sluice wall dramatically reduced water levels, leaving birds with nowhere to rest and refuel.
Southeast Asia faces a similar challenge. Coastal wetlands and mangrove forests are sacrificed for aquaculture, urban sprawl, and agriculture. Indonesia’s east coast of Sumatra, a haven for migratory birds, has lost well-over 80 per cent of its mangrove cover.
Local communities often possess generations of knowledge about the regional ecosystem and can be powerful stewards for sustainable resource management.
The warnings are stark. The Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris), Siamese crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis), and Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) all face major threats due to human actions. Habitat degradation and disrupted migration routes are jeopardising their survival.
To address these issues and truly protect Asia’s rich biodiversity, a multi-pronged approach is required. Protecting Asia’s rich biodiversity requires four things: strong cooperation across borders, sufficient funding, active participation by local communities, and clear accountability.
Fortunately, strong examples of cross-border cooperation already exist, demonstrating its effectiveness. The ASEAN Heritage Parks (AHP) Program promotes collaboration among 10 countries in preserving 57 protected areas composed of more than 11 million hectares of protected areas, on land and at sea. Furthermore, the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership involves 18 countries coordinating conservation efforts for migratory waterbirds across 145 sites.
Funding is key to protecting biodiversity, and the launch last year of the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF) is a positive step, with pledges from Canada (CAN$200 million) and the United Kingdom (£10 million). It has set out urgent actions to complete by 2030 and ambitious goals for 2050 and Asia should contribute generously to the fight due to its exceptional biodiversity and the escalating threats the region faces.
Local communities often possess generations of knowledge about the regional ecosystem and can be powerful stewards for sustainable resource management. Offering financial rewards can give them even more incentive to protect the environment. Vietnam’s Payment for Watershed Services program is a great example. Launched two decades ago, it pays communities that manage forests with money from those who benefit, such as hydropower plants, and shows the value of market-based solutions for conservation.
However, to truly unlock the full potential of community-based conservation, Asia needs to establish a transparent and accountable funding mechanism. This carries the potential to bypass bureaucratic hurdles and weed out corrupt practices, with progress measured by tangible indicators including restored habitat and evident biodiversity.
