Exciting news for the CASTOR Project! We are thrilled to see the Evrotas Chub (Squalius keadicus) featured as the IUCN/SSC Freshwater Fish Specialist Group’s “Fish of the Month” for March 2026.

https://freshwaterfish.org/fish-of-the-month-january-2025/https://lnkd.in/gFDNGWWS

It is considered among the oldest freshwater fish lineages in Europe – dating back to the Miocene – this Greek endemic is a true living relict. However, habitat fragmentation and water scarcity pose severe threats to its survival. Our team is hard at work implementing vital conservation strategies, from nature-based fish passages and ex situ breeding to the creation of beaver dam analogues designed to retain water during the harsh dry seasons.

Protecting the Evrotas Chub and the Evrotas Minnow (Pelasgus laconicus) is about more than just two species – it’s about preserving the evolutionary history and ecological integrity of the Evrotas River basin.