Freshwater Fish are Floundering

A charter boat heads out early on a fishing trip on Lake Michigan near Grand Haven. (Image credit: Sue Nichols, Michigan State University)

Michigan State University contributed these images to Live Science's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.

Freshwater fish are a delicacy, and a critical food source, the world over. And yet, from rivers in the United States to lakes in Africa, fisheries may be collapsing and data tracking the situation are woefully inaccurate. Now, nations are coming together to address the problem before it becomes a crisis. Read more about the issue in "Freshwater Fish are Disappearing: Where is the Global Response?" and see images from fisheries around the globe in the gallery that follows.

Fish team at the Sengsawang hatchery in Laos. (Credit: Beth Beard, Global Inland Fisheries Conference.)

Fishing at dusk

A man fishes from a boat on the Mekong River in Laos. (Credit: Beth Beard, Global Inland Fisheries Conference.)

Shopping

A woman makes a selection from a vendor of sweet fish in Ueno Park, Toyko. (Credit: Beth Beard, Global Inland Fisheries Conference.)

Collecting fish

Employees collect coho salmon at the Chiwawa River hatchery near Wenatchee, Wash. (Credit: Bonneville Power Authority.)

Net fishing

Fish caught by nets off dug-out boats in the tributaries off the Amazon River in Peru, near Iquitos. (Credit: Sue Nichols, Michigan State University.)

Freshest of fresh

Women in a market in Iquitos sort through fresh catch from the Amazon River. (Credit: Sue Nichols, Michigan State University.)

For sport

A charter boat heads out early on a fishing trip on Lake Michigan near Grand Haven. (Credit: Sue Nichols, Michigan State University.)

Fish farming

Fish farming on the Ngum River, a tributary of the Mekong River in Laos. (Credit: Beth Beard, Global Inland Fisheries Conference.)

Fly fishing

A woman settles a cast on the north branch of the Au Sable River in Lovells, Mich. (Credit: Sue Nichols, Michigan State University.)

Follow all of the Expert Voices issues and debates — and become part of the discussion — on Facebook, Twitter and Google+. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. This version of the article was originally published on LiveScience.com.

For the science geek in everyone, Live Science offers a fascinating window into the natural and technological world, delivering comprehensive and compelling news and analysis on everything from dinosaur discoveries, archaeological finds and amazing animals to health, innovation and wearable technology. We aim to empower and inspire our readers with the tools needed to understand the world and appreciate its everyday awe.