On October 15th, NIFS announced that it released around 2,000 fry (around 5cm) of black shinner – designated as Class I Endangered Wildlife in 2005 - into the Geumgang river with the participation of 100 (Geumsan-gun) county people including elementary, middle, and high school students. 

Black shinner is Korean endemic freshwater species, found in only several regions including Geumgang river. Its habitat is the bottom of clean upstream and midstream covered with gravels.

In particular, black shinner - the flagship species in Geumgang river – has a unique ecological behavior of brood parasitism that it lays its eggs where the Korean aucha perch (Kkeokji) spawns. 

The fish population has been largely decling attributable to continuous habitat destruction, limited habitats, and its unique spawning behavior. 

The fish is hardly found even in Mangyeonggang river (Jeonbuk-do) where it used to be found and partly found in Ungcheoncheon (Boryeong, Chungcheongnam-do) where it was restored through the 2012 project after Regionally Extinct, RE. However, the number of population is still so low that it is hard to be found in the wild habitat, requiring to put the species under immediate protection. 

The event to release black shinner this time was proceeded with the cooperation between NIFS, Geumsan-gun, and Chungcheongnamdo Geumsan Office of Education. In the event, the county students had a time to learn about black shinner, including its features, spawning behavior, etc.