Migratory fishes are threatened across the globe because their free-flowing river homes are under pressure. In Asia, Africa and South America there are proposals for more than 3,500 new large hydropower dams. In Europe, there is a plan to install around 2,800 new hydropower stations in the pristine rivers of the Balkans. And despite efforts to protect native waterways, an alarming number of migratory fish species are on the decline.

Jeremy Wade, host of the River Monsters (Animal Planet) TV series said: “Originally, our disruption of fishes lives was through ignorance, but we no longer have that excuse. For the sake of our fish, and our rivers, and ultimately ourselves, it’s time to help the fish swim free”.

Today we are called to action.

More and more, water managers are taking action to create open rivers without impacting safety or access to freshwater. In the USA, 1,400 dams have been removed over the last 30 years. Similar initiatives have led to dam removals in South Africa, Japan, and Australia. In Europe, the Dam Removal Europe initiative has catalysed knowledge exchange and network growth to better facilitate and support dam removal projects. Now, barrier removal projects in Spain, Switzerland, France and Finland, are currently underway. In spring 2019, the French government will initiate the biggest removal in European history by taking down the obsolete 35m high Vezins Dam.

"With the cost of renewable solar and wind energy plunging, the world no longer needs so many new hydropower dams, which will block fish migration routes and devastate fish stocks, undermining food security and sustainable economic opportunities for countless communities across the world,” said Stuart Orr, WWF Leader, Freshwater Practice.

However, these combined actions are still small-scale compared to the world-wide problem. Still, at least 50% of the flow of rivers in the world is artificially manipulated or fragmented. And only 64 out of 177 rivers (longer than 1000km) are free-flowing. In an effort to show how rivers are a critical resource that sustains us and support our livelihoods, From Sea to Source 2.0 serves as a crucial resource in the ongoing fight to protect and preserve the enormous value of our waterways. It is a practical guide to tackling the threat of dams and promoting the protection and restoration of fish migration in rivers worldwide. It tells the inspiring stories, hard lessons learned and great successes from nearly every continent dealing with river management issues.