Endemic handfish species threatened with extinction

Handfishes are small, benthic marine fishes found only in south-eastern Australia. Half of the 14 known species are categorized as threatened (facing a high risk of extinction) on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species. Of the remaining species, five are considered Data Deficient, one is listed as Extinct, and only one does not qualify for a threatened or Near Threatened category. Handfishes inhabit a range of habitats and depths, and ongoing threats for all species are generally centered around habitat loss and degradation, and climate change. Susceptibility to environmental threats is exacerbated by life history characteristics that limit their dispersal capability. Conservation effort for handfishes currently focuses only on the three Critically Endangered species, Spotted (Brachionichthys hirsutus), Ziebell’s (Brachiopsilus ziebelli), and Red (Thymichthys politus), yet recent assessments may mean effort needs to be expanded to the species listed as Endangered and Data Deficient. Current conservation measures for all handfishes need to first focus on finding and monitoring remnant populations, and then better understanding and mitigating threats.