Global and European regional assessment: Near Threatened (NT)
EU 27 regional assessment: Near Threatened (NT)

The Albanian Barbel is endemic to southern Albania and western Greece and is a largely benthic species, occurring in rivers and streams at different altitudes and with a diverse range of flow regimes. It has a somewhat restricted range (extent of occurrence (EOO) c. 40,164 km², EU 27 member states c. 31,832 km²), which approaches the threshold for Vulnerable under Criterion B1 (EOO < 20,000 km²). The extent and quality of habitat are estimated to be declining, but the number of locations is unknown and it is unclear whether the extant subpopulations are severely-fragmented. There is no evidence that this species demonstrates extreme fluctuations.

Although no range-wide population trend data exists, significant site-scale declines have occurred within the last 20-30 years, and a suspected ongoing reduction based on declining habitat quality might meet the threshold for Vulnerable under Criterion A2 (≥ 30% over the past 18 years = three generations). As a result of this data uncertainty, Least Concern and Vulnerable are equally plausible Red List categories for the present assessment, and this species is assessed as Near Threatened both globally and for the EU 27 member states.

This species is endemic to southern Albania and western Greece, where its range extends southwards from the Vjosa (el. Aoös/Αώος) River to the Pineios (el. Πηνειός) River in the Peloponnese, including lakes Pamvotida (el. Παμβώτιδα), Amvrakia (el. Αμβρακία) and Trichonida (el. Τριχωνίδα).

The current population trend has not been quantified, but an ongoing reduction which may have reached 30% within the past three generations is suspected as a result of a continued decline in habitat quality. The number of subpopulations is unclear.

Significant declines in abundance have occurred at some locations since the late 20^th century, e.g., Lake Pamvotida and the upper Achelous River, and it is suspected that this pattern is ongoing.

This largely benthic species occurs in rivers and streams at different altitudes and with a diverse range of flow regimes. Many of its habitats are characterised by seasonal variations in discharge, and can be significantly dewatered during summer. Some individuals survive these drought periods in remnant pools which function as refugia. It has also colonised some fluvial accumulation lakes created by dams at locations where there is access to suitable upstream spawning habitat (but see 'Threats').

It feeds mostly on aquatic invertebrates, alongside smaller quantities of organic detritus and plant material. Larger individuals may prey on smaller fishes.

The maximum recorded lifespan is 14 years, and individuals become sexually mature at age 3-4+. The annual reproductive period extends from May to July, and is characterised by the upstream migration of mature adults to spawning sites comprising beds of gravel or other coarse substrata in shallow, fast-flowing water. It is a fractional spawner, and multiple males may attempt to spawn with individual females.

This species is threatened by river regulation and other forms of anthropogenic habitat degradation. In particular, the construction of large dams plus smaller weirs and other barriers throughout its range has severely altered natural flow and sedimentation regimes, blocked migration routes, fragmented subpopulations, and reduced the extent of suitable habitat for all life stages. Hydroelectric dams have created unnatural fluctuations in discharge and water temperature (hydropeaking and thermopeaking) which bring about artificial dewatering of downstream river stretches and loss of stable nursery habitat for juveniles. Furthermore, the combined effect of hydropeaking, dam flushing operations, changes in land use, and the removal of riparian vegetation has increased accumulation of fine sediments at some spawning sites, plausibly impairing the hatching and survival rates of eggs and larvae.

The quality of available habitat has been further diminished by bank stabilisation, channelisation and other efforts to enhance flood protection or exploit water resources for irrigated agriculture. Unregulated water abstraction may constitute a particular threat to this species' upstream spawning and nursery sites, some of which may also have been damaged by the industrial extraction of riverine gravel or other sediments for urban development.

This species is also threatened by diffuse and point source agricultural, domestic and industrial pollution, which has at some locations reduced the extent and quality of habitat due to eutrophication or discharge of toxic substances. Pollution can be particularly impactful when discharge is reduced during the summer, especially in temporal rivers where native fishes are often confined to small refugia (see 'Habitat and Ecology').

Lake Pamvotida has become severely eutrophic since the mid-1980s due to excessive water abstraction for irrigation of crops and discharge of agricultural and domestic sewage from chicken farming and industrial units, with cyanobacteria blooms now common during warmer months of the year. The trophic status of Lake Trichonida is increasing slowly due to discharge of organic pollution from local agriculture, olive oil producers and livestock facilities, plus untreated domestic wastewater from nearby villages. In addition, a number of sites around the lake are used for illegal dumping of solid waste. The surface area of Lake Amvrakia has been significantly reduced due to a combination of drought and drainage of the northern portion of the basin. There is a degree of pollution due to pesticide runoff from surrounding agriculture, but this appears to have reduced since the mid-2000s.

Non-native fish species established within the Western Balkan Barbel's range include Prussian Carp (Carassius gibelio), Common Carp (Cyprinus domestic strain), Topmouth Gudgeon (Pseudorasbora parva), Pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus) and Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), all of which are considered invasive and can exert detrimental pressures on native freshwater fauna through increased competition, predation or habitat degradation.

The negative impact of several threats could plausibly be exacerbated by increasingly rapid climate change in the Mediterranean region.

This species was fished commercially in Lake Pamvotida prior to the crash of the resident stock.

It continues to be exploited in Lake Trichonida, where fishing pressure has gradually reduced since the early 2000s.

Fluvial subpopulations are sometimes targeted by recreational fishers.

This species is included (as Barbus spp.) in Annex V of the European Union Habitats Directive.

In Greece it is nationally protected (as Barbus capito albanicus) under Presidential Degree 67/1981.

It occurs within the boundaries of several protected areas, including a number of sites listed as Ramsar Wetlands of International Importance and/or included in the European Union's Natura 2000 network. In 2023, the entire Vjosa River catchment was designated as Europe's first Wild River National Park.

No specific conservation actions are in place, and it is recommended that future research should focus on understanding this species' current distribution, population trend, life history and response to the identified threats.