Bern Convention

Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats

This case concerns the conservation status of the Rhone streber (Zingel asper), which is endemic to the Rhone basin covering France and parts of Switzerland.

According to the complainants ProNatura, WWF, and France Nature Environnement, the Rhone streber is critically endangered due to the excess of minerals and nutrients from agriculture and spills of sewage treatment plants which pollute the river, the straightening of the river, and fragmentation hydropeaking caused by hydropower plants.

An on-the spot-appraisal (OSA) carried out in 2013 concluded that the Rhone streber population has decreased in most of the Rhone basin sites and the population in the Jura loop of the Doubs has reached a critical level and could become extinct in the coming years.

The Standing Committee recommended that Switzerland and France improve and ensure implementation of necessary measures for the maintenance or restoration of the species at a favourable conservation status; as well as to strengthen control of all pollutant emissions and discharges - including those resulting from farm activities - into the Doubs and Loue waters; and it recommended that Switzerland re-establish the connectivity among critical habitats for the Rhône streber. Cross-border coordination is also a key feature of this case.

 Key Timeline

• 2011 - Case registration
• 2013 - OSA and Recommendation No. 169

 Other international organisations involved

• N/A

 Documents

 Complaint form

OSA report and recommendation

Regular reports to the Bureau and/or Standing Committee

Please note that all reports received by a Party during one calendar year are included in one single report for that year. Some older reports are not available in digital form.

Other information / documents