Who We Are
The Freshwater Biological Association (FBA) is a Non Governmental Organisation and charitable trust dedicated to understanding and conserving freshwaters across the globe.
Our work is addressing the big challenges facing our freshwaters.
FBA has been shaping and driving science to inform sustainable management of fresh waters for almost 100 years.
Freshwaters sustaining people and nature
Our innovative work on species recovery, such as the freshwater pearl mussel programme, is supporting one of the most endangered freshwater invertebrates in Europe.
We deliver citizen science projects that enable hundreds of people to participate in vital freshwater research and analysis.
We are the custodians of internationally important scientific collections and historical datasets that provide vital information to freshwater scientists around the world.
“Freshwater aquatic ecosystems face immense threats from pressures such as pollution, habitat destruction and invasive species. These threats are exacerbated by the climate emergency”.
– Simon Johnson, FBA Executive Director
Responding to the climate crisis
Climate change is putting unprecedented pressure on our environment and its biodiversity.
Freshwaters are at critically high risk from climate change and although freshwater ecosystems host 10 times the biodiversity per area than the land or sea, they are often overlooked.
Freshwater vertebrate populations are declining at a rate almost double that of those on land and in the sea.
What’s more, as our climate changes, many parts of the world are suffering from a lack of freshwater combined with rising levels of water pollution.
There has never been a more urgent need for the Freshwater Biological Association.
Working to reverse the decline in freshwater biodiversity
Our goal is to increase understanding, learning and participation in freshwater ecology.
Our work is driven by our ambition to enhance the protection of these fragile freshwater ecosystems.
We are independent of government, we work to inspire change, influence policy and champion the value of freshwater science with key decision
“Freshwater ecosystems must no longer be an afterthought. They are the planet’s most essential support for life – human and beyond”.
– Simon Johnson, FBA Executive Director
