Wednesday January 7, 2026
Phys —
Many migratory species such as birds, bats, whales, and fish cross national borders to complete their lifecycle and need internationally coordinated action to protect them. The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) is an environmental treaty of the United Nations that entered into force in 1983 to meet such needs.
With 133 Parties, including 132 countries and the European Union, CMS provides a global framework for coordinating international cooperation to enhance the conservation of threatened transboundary migratory species listed on Appendices I and II. Although CMS Appendices I & II cover more than 1,100 species, freshwater fishes are vastly underrepresented. Only 23 freshwater fish species are included in the CMS Appendices. Nineteen of these are Acipenseriformes (sturgeons and paddlefishes).