FISHGEN2: Genotyping of Minor Fish Fauna of Conservation Interest in South Tyrol's Main Watercourses and Water Bodies.
(ADP) Updating the Genetic Status of Populations of Various 'Minor' Fish Fauna Taxa.
Managing fish fauna in public waters is indisputably important for two main reasons: first, the conservation of endemic taxa, those at risk of extinction, or those crucial for the functioning of communities and ecosystems; second, the sustainable administration of fishing activities. Many management efforts and dedicated resources are therefore focused on species or taxa of primary importance for conservation (as listed in the Habitat Directive annexes and IUCN Red Lists) or those that are a primary target for the fishing community. The most striking example in the Alpine region is the marble trout, which undoubtedly receives the maximum effort—both in terms of activities and finances—for its management.
However, adequate attention, albeit on a smaller scale, should also be given to species and taxa of more limited interest for fishing or those considered at lower risk. This is often due to a real lack of adequate knowledge rather than an actual healthy state of the populations. These populations play a fundamental role in ecosystems, a role that deserves to be protected through appropriate management practices and enhanced through relevant research and study activities.