Our group of allies is increasing! Artists raise their voices against the total destruction of Balkan rivers – they want to see them protected, not dammed.
Save the Blue Heart of Europe - A campaign for the protection of Balkan Rivers
Pananian or Italian barbel
© Perica Mustafić
The Italian barbel is listed in Kottelat & Freyhof (2007) and Ćaleta et al. (2015) as endemic to the Adriatic basin. However, it is also reported from northern Anatolia (Dirican & Ḉilek 2012; Turgut et al. 2011). This large-sized (600 mm SL) barbel resides in deeper water of the upper to middle reaches of turbulent rivers (Ćaleta et al. 2015); it moves to shallow riffles to spawn. Listed as endangered in Croatia, largely due to dam construction as well as water pollution and the introduction of alien species – like B. barbus, it is a target of sport fishing.
Approximately 20 hydropower schemes across the Soca, Zrmanja and Krka drainage threaten to eliminate at least 75% of the Balkan range of this species.
- IUCN-Redlist Least Concern
- EUR-HAB-DIR III
- Bern Convention III
- Hydropower Sensitivity Very High
- Balkan Dam Threat * Very High
* The assessment of Balkan Dam Threat is based on the loss of habitat that would occur if all or most of the planned hydropower schemes in the distribution range of the species were to be built. For more precise specification see Fish Study, page 8.
