Quel avenir pour les Barbus ?

According to the current scientific knowledge, over 60 species of fishes of the genus Barbus are living in Europe and the neighbouring regions (North Africa, Near and Middle East). Several of these species (or subspecies and local populations) are effectively or potentially threatened by human activities : water pollution, damming of rivers impeding upstream spawning migrations, lost or physical alteration of key-habitats (spawning and nursery grounds, residence and feeding habitats of juveniles and adults) caused by hydraulic works (canalization, gravel dredging, deepening), flow reduction and drying up of streams (specially in Mediterranean areas), fishery overexploitation, predation by introduced exotic species, negative consequences (hybridization, interspecific competition) of barbel species or populations transfers and of certain stocking practices with reared fish. This paper briefly evokes two main topics : i) the biological characteristics (autoecological requirements, life-history traits, behavioural ecology) that make most Barbus so vulnerable to environmental modifications by man activities and ii) the tools which are available and efficient to ensure a long term conservation of Barbus species and populations : legal measures to protect endangered species and their habitats (sanctuaries, E.E.C. special zones of protection), rehabilitation of aquatic habitats, regulation of fishery exploitation, rearing in captivity and stocking.