IFM 57th Annual Conference - Connected Waters

Call for Papers

Closing date for submissions – 26^th June 2026

OVERVIEW

Britain’s freshwater fish are a vital part of our natural heritage and an important measure of the health of our rivers, lakes and wetlands. From upland streams and chalk rivers to lowland watercourses and still waters, native fish populations reflect the condition and connectivity of the environments they depend on. Many species face significant pressures, including habitat degradation, barriers to migration, declining water quality, invasive non-native species and climate change. At the same time, advances in conservation science, restoration practice and policy present real opportunities for progress.

The 57^th IFM Annual Conference will place freshwater fish firmly at the centre of discussion. It will consider the status of native species, showcase practical approaches to conservation and recovery and examine the ecological, regulatory and financial frameworks needed to support long-term improvement. Contributions that address wider freshwater biodiversity are welcome where they help inform the management, conservation or recovery of fish populations and habitats.

We welcome submissions from researchers, practitioners, fisheries managers, regulators and policymakers working across the freshwater sector. If your work contributes to the evidence base, practice or policy of freshwater fish conservation, we encourage you to submit an abstract

THEMES AND SUBJECTS

We welcome abstracts addressing any of the themes below. Submissions may focus on any freshwater habitat or geographic setting. Interdisciplinary and cross-sector contributions are welcome where they strengthen the evidence base or practice of freshwater fish management, conservation and recovery.

1. Status and recovery of threatened freshwater fish

Contributions may address the status of native species in decline, conservation priorities, captive breeding, translocation, reintroduction and the practical challenges of achieving recovery.

2. River and wetland restoration: what works?

We welcome evidence from restoration at reach, site and catchment scale, with particular emphasis on outcomes for fish populations and habitats. Submissions may consider monitoring, success measures, realistic timescales and lessons that can be transferred between rivers, wetlands and regions.

3. Invasive and non-native species

Topics may include the effects of invasive and non-native species on freshwater fish and habitats, together with practical management responses. Relevant examples include signal crayfish, non-native fish, invasive plants affecting habitat condition, and emerging biosecurity risks.

4. Fish passage and habitat connectivity

Submissions may cover barrier removal, fish pass design, retrofit solutions and methods for assessing outcomes for target species and wider fish communities. Contributions that address strategic, whole-catchment or whole-river approaches to connectivity are particularly encouraged.

5. Climate change and freshwater fish

We welcome papers on thermal stress, altered flow regimes, phenological change and other climate-related pressures affecting fish populations and fisheries management. Submissions may also examine adaptation, resilience and the practical requirements of climate-informed conservation.

6. Environmental DNA and emerging monitoring tools

Relevant topics include eDNA, acoustic telemetry, remote sensing and other methods supporting species detection, population assessment and long-term monitoring. We particularly welcome contributions that show how emerging tools can inform management and decision-making.

7. Policy, funding and the regulatory landscape

Papers may address legislation, species protection frameworks, funding mechanisms, agri-environment schemes and private finance relevant to freshwater fish recovery. We welcome contributions that examine what enables progress in practice and where regulatory or delivery barriers remain.

8. Communicating freshwater fish conservation

Submissions may consider engagement with the public, landowners, anglers, regulators and policymakers, including the role of citizen science and partnerships. We are interested in effective approaches to communicating the value of freshwater fish within wider environmental and land-use agendas.

HOW TO SUBMIT

All abstracts should include the following information:

• Title of the paper
• Authors’ full names with the presenter’s name highlighted
• Affiliation and country of origin for each author and co-author
• Email address of the presenting author
• 100–200 word abstract on the paper’s content
• Preference for an oral or poster presentation

The Steering Group will review all submissions and will aim to ensure a good balance of topics and geographic areas. If requests for oral presentations are oversubscribed, a poster presentation may be offered instead.

All submissions and enquiries should be sent directly to the conference administrator at

[email protected]

No presenting author should submit more than one oral presentation request but may submit multiple poster presentation requests.

Please note presenters will be required to register for the conference.

Closing date for submissions – 26^th June 2026

You can download the call for papers for sharing with friends and colleagues below

IFM 57th Annual Conference Call for Papers