Each sturgeon represents hope for the survival of these endangered species
Some 1,000 baby sturgeon of the sandpiper (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii) and sturgeon (Acipenser stellatus) species were released last week into the River Danube in Romania.
The project is part of a series of activities that aim to reduce threats to sturgeons, endangered fish in the Lower Danube and Black Sea basin area, as a result of illegal fishing and trade in caviar and sturgeon meat products, but also the interruption of migration routes and the destruction of the habitats of these species.
The February 25 launch was part of the LIFEBoat 4 Sturgeons project (“LIFEBoat for the rescue of 4 species of Danube sturgeons threatened with extinction”) project carried out by the WWF-Romania Association (World Wide Fund for Nature) in partnership with the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna (beneficiary), the Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forests, Regions and Water Management, Community of Vienna, WWF Ukraine, WWF Bulgaria, Revivo, MATE and Plant Science and Biodiversity Centre SAS in the period 2022-2030.
Each specimen has special identification markings.
“With today’s launch in the Danube, each of the 1000 baby sturgeons (represent), our hopes for the survival of these precious species. The LIFEBoat 4 Sturgeons project is a large one, which impresses by concentrating the efforts of specialists and authorities from the participating countries. All to increase the chances of sturgeons to continue to remain among the oldest species on the planet that have survived time”, said Cristina Munteanu, National Sturgeon Project Coordinator, WWF-Romania (World Wide Fund for Nature).
The event was supported by Romanian authorities, through the presence of representatives of ANPA, Environmental Guard, Mehedinti MPA, ANANP, Romanian Police and Border Police.
“Events like this one today, when we launched 1000 baby sturgeons in the race for the survival of the species, have an extremely important significance. I remind everyone that every effort counts when the goal is to save from extinction extremely valuable species, present on our planet since the time of the dinosaurs.” said Barbara Bendandi, Director of Conservation WWF-Romania (World Wide Fund for Nature).
LIFEBoat 4 Sturgeons aimed to establish a live gene bank for the four species of sturgeons (sturgeon, sturgeon, sturgeon, sturgeon) remaining in the Danube basin and to strengthen their populations by populations with chicks from the farms specially developed within the project.
