CAN ARTIFICIALLY BREED STURGEONS SURVIVE IN LOWER DANUBE?
APOSTOLOU A.1, STEFANOV T.2, TSEKOV A.3, VELKOV B.1, KOEV V.4, MARGARITOVA B.5, MIHOV S.5
1 - Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
2 - National Museum of Natural History, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
3 - University of Plovdiv “Paisii Hilendarski”, department of Ecology
4 - Persina Nature Park
5 - WWF-Bulgaria
*Corresponding author: apostolosfish@abv.bg
Keywords: conservation species, sturgeons, stocking, recapture, lower Danube
Abstract: Black Sea sturgeon stocks are rapidly decreasing during the last decades; this decline resulted from over exploitation and environmental degradation. Mainly because of their high economic value, they were and are fishes of high public interest. Their long and complex life cycles (in freshwater, brackish, and marine habitats) require global conservation programs spanning across several ecosystems of different nations. The protective measures for the conservation of the most endangered species include mainly fishing regulations, habitat restoration, juvenile stocking. Recently, registrations of reintroduced sturgeons in lower Danube and Black Sea prove that introductions are effective, at least partially.