Emerging conservation initiatives for lampreys: Research challenges and opportunities

Lampreys worldwide face multiple anthropogenic stressors. Several species are ‘at-risk’ listed, yet abundance data for most remain insufficient to adequately assess conservation status. Lamprey population declines largely due habitat degradation and fragmentation, pollution, exploitation. Conservation priorities include: quantification of trends distribution; identification Evolutionarily Significant Units; improved water quality habitat; barrier removal or effective mitigation; ecologically-sensitive river flow management hydropower planning; mitigation climate change impacts. There is urgent need ecological demographics species, particularly those in the Southern Hemisphere, Caspian Sea region, Mexico. Irrigation damming already extensive, rapidly expanding (e.g. Chile), while water-stressed regions (Mexico, California, Chile, Australia, Iberia) may be further impacted by change-induced alteration increased temperatures. Barrier should benefit lampreys increasing available habitat. However, fishways vary effectiveness often inadequate, but present research opportunities encompassing ecohydraulics, biotelemetry engineering. Environmental DNA permits rapid assessment lamprey distribution within catchments, especially if improvements distinguishing genetically similar groups possible. Marine environments play a critical role dynamics “black box” anadromous biology. Studying juvenile ecology substantial challenge priority. Some examples monitoring parasitic feeding-phase through trawl surveys fisheries bycatch, telemetry movements, examining chemical tracers marine use. Knowledge transfer between sea control programme native-lamprey biologists remains crucial developing management.