Golden catfish migration reveals Amazon River crisis
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Scientists in six Amazonian countries, Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela, are using data from the dorado, a large migratory catfish, to understand and address threats to the region’s rivers.
These fish, which can travel over 11,600 kilometers during their lives, accumulate chemical signatures from the water in their ear bones, providing a historical record of their movements and the health of the rivers they inhabit.
Researchers Ronaldo Barthem and Michael Goulding first demonstrated the dorado’s extensive migrations in the 1990s, noting that younger fish live in eastern rivers while adults journey west. Recent studies, including one led by Marília Hauser of the Federal University of Rondônia, have confirmed that dams disrupt the dorado’s natural migratory patterns, creating isolated populations. Dams alter river flow, sediment transport, and water temperature, harming habitats and endangering the species.
This research has spurred a new environmental action plan among the six countries, aiming to protect the dorado and other migratory fish. The plan emphasizes the importance of coordinating legal frameworks and prioritizing sustainable fishing practices. It also integrates traditional knowledge from local fishing communities, who are actively involved in monitoring and managing dorado populations.
Despite challenges like ongoing dam construction, the goal is to prevent the extinction of the dorado and ensure its continued role in the Amazonian ecosystem and as a food source for millions of people.
