News & Features
Keep up to date on the latest news from the Freshwater Biological Association, on our mission to drive positive action and make measurable impact on the ground through our science-based projects, species recovery programmes and citizen science activities.
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FBA Voice is the monthly newsletter of the Freshwater Biological Association
Latest FBA News
Conservation programme releases 5000 freshwater mussels in effort to save species from extinction
This week the FBA reached a crucial milestone in our efforts to save the freshwater pearl mussel from extinction in England. On 23 July 2025 in the River Kent (Cumbria), we released our 5000th juvenile mussel from our conservation breeding programme, the Freshwater Pearl Mussel Ark, boosting the population in the River Kent from fewer than 10 individuals to over 100.
A new LIFE R4ever Kent flume in preparation for freshwater pearl mussel release
This summer, the first 1000 juvenile freshwater pearl mussels will be released into the River Kent as part of the LIFE R4ever Kent project. In preparation for this, all mussels must be tagged and placed into a flume system to prepare them for conditions they will experience in the River Kent.