Minderoo and IUCN to accelerate ocean conservation with cutting-edge eDNA tools

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ is the world’s most trusted and widely used source for assessing species extinction risk, helping to guide conservation efforts and decision-making across the globe.

However, gaps in information have left many species undetected, data deficient or lacking protection. The Minderoo-IUCN collaboration, focusing on fishes, will harness cutting-edge eDNA technology to overcome these limitations, ensuring faster, more comprehensive and science-driven species assessments.

eDNA works by capturing the ‘genetic breadcrumbs’ that all species leave behind as they move through the ocean. In just a few litres of seawater eDNA technology can capture and read all DNA present. The power of eDNA is that it can rapidly build an inventory of species present in the area where a sample is taken – this includes identifying threatened species that are important to the IUCN Red List.  

“For The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species to provide even better information on the state of biodiversity it is important that we look to adopt new and emerging technologies. Improved use of high-quality environmental DNA records offers IUCN and partners a clear opportunity to access cutting edge data for a wide range of threatened species - many of which remain very poorly known using traditional survey techniques,” said Neil Cox, Manager of the IUCN-CI (Conservation International) Biodiversity Assessment Unit.

The partnership, which will be launched at the 2025 Australian and New Zealand Environmental DNA Conference in Wellington, marks the first step towards bringing eDNA and the IUCN Red List framework together. Over the next year, leading global scientists will participate in collaborative workshops and Red List species assessments to refine how eDNA can inform monitoring of biodiversity decline and extinction risk.

Dr Matthew Fraser, who oversees Minderoo’s Research, Biodiversity & Ecology work, said eDNA was poised to transform global conservation efforts.

“With nature in crisis, this collaboration will provide the tools to fast-track information on threatened species and enhance conservation decision-making,” Dr Fraser said. “The unified goal of the partnership is to strengthen the push towards a nature positive future.”

In 2025 the Minderoo-IUCN partnership will assess more than 600 Australian and New Zealand marine fish species using eDNA and other evidence. It is anticipated that the approach pioneered using fish data will soon apply to many other threatened species, especially those that are data deficient.

Findings from the partnership will be shared at the IUCN World Conservation Congress – the world’s most significant nature conservation event – to be held in Abu Dhabi in October 2025.

Notes to editors

On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the IUCN Red List, IUCN and the Red List Partners have launched a global social media campaign to raise awareness and funds to accelerate species assessments and reassessments. The campaign will culminate at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi, in October 2025. Learn more about the campaign.