Sturgeon

About Sturgeon:

• It is among the most endangered fish species globally.
• These species have been around since the age of the dinosaurs.
• Distribution: These northern hemisphere fishes can be found in large river systems, lakes, coastal waters and inner seas throughout Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, other European countries and North America.
• Since 1998, international trade in all species of sturgeons has been regulated under CITES owing to concerns over the impact of unsustainable harvesting of and illegal trade in sturgeon populations in the wild.
• Threats: Sturgeons are heavily exploited globally for their roe/eggs (caviar) and meat. This has led to a steep decline in populations worldwide.

Highlights of the report

• Of the six sturgeon species formerly native to the Danube river, two — the European sturgeon (Acipenser sturio) and the ship sturgeon (A. nudiventris) — are considered locally extinct.
• The four sturgeon species in the Danube Basin are listed as Threatened by the IUCN Red List. 
• The stellate sturgeon (A. stellatus), the Russian sturgeon (A. gueldenstaedtii) and beluga (Huso huso) are Critically Endangered; 
• While the sterlet (A. ruthenus) was recently raised to a higher threat category and has been listed as Endangered since 2022,”
• The Lower Danube Basin is among the last European regions with self-reproducing sturgeon populations.