A matter of Life Cycle WORKING TOGETHER A typical life cycle of migrating TO PROTECT URGENCY & STURGEONS showing adverse impacts on the various life cycle phases. Today illegal fishing, W S blockage of migration routes and C S degradation of spawning habitats Hydropower development, • S must be considered as the main poaching, illegal trade A factors for continued decline. V I N G Saving Europe’s Sturgeons E

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Marine by-catch, S Infrastructure, O Due to overharvest and habitat loss sturgeons are considered the most endangered group of IUU eturn to waterway development P R E species on earth! Today eight species of sturgeon still exist on the European continent while spawning ’ site s S their status is highly critical. The Pan-European Sturgeon Action Plan* provides a framework T U

R for urgently needed recovery measures. Sturgeons need to migrate between rivers and seas G

E and are crossing many national borders during their lives, therefore they represent a flagship O N

S species for free flowing rivers and healthy, well managed marine ecosystems. Sturgeon recovery cannot be achieved by single countries, but it is a true European responsibility.

Water abstraction, Pollution, dredging, hydropower, fisheries flood protection It is time for action! Otherwise Europe will lose these species forever WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE according to the Action Plan until 2029

ILLUSTRATIONS: © A. GUBIG 1 Urgently stop the decline of 4 Secure or facilitate sturgeon Land use, remaining populations! migration! alien species By prohibiting sturgeon fishing and By avoiding the building of further stopping poaching migration obstacles in key rivers By reducing bycatch in marine and By identifying existing obstacles and Successful implementation of this Action Plan will not only save the eight species from extinction freshwater establish passage solutions in Europe, but especially the habitat-related measures will help to safeguard other aquatic life 2 Actively safeguard and support 5 Ensure monitoring of sturgeon populations through ex situ populations through scientifically too. Thus the Plan contributes to the implementation of international conventions such as the designed programmes! Convention on Biological Diversity, Bern, Bonn or Ramsar Convention and EU Directives such as programmes! By establishing captive ex situ stocks to 6 Eliminate illegal trade of all sturgeon

the Habitats Directive, Water Framework Directive or Marine Framework Directive. W secure genetic diversity products! W By implementing scientifically monitored By increasing enforcement of existing F regulations and stronger prosecutions . reproduction and release programmes

A matter of urgency: eight species of sturgeon are found in Europe, of these 7 are P

A By ensuring regional coherence of By raising awareness of all actors along currently considered as critically endangered by IUCN, representing the highest threat N the trade chain D these programmes across river and

category before a species is considered as extinct in the wild. The clock is ticking! A marine basins

. 7 Secure adequate funding and O

R 3 Identify, protect and restore regulations to enable implementation G

W sturgeon habitats! of Action Plan! CONTACTS: • Jörn Gessner, WSCS By identifying existing critical habitats 8 Increase support from actors and S and ensuring legal protection stakeholders! [email protected] C S By assessing habitat restoration options . 9 Monitor and evaluate the Beate Striebel, WWF I N and implementing pilot actions implementation of the Action Plan! [email protected] F O * https://rm.coe.int/pan-european-action-plan-for-sturgeons/16808e84f3 Numerous research and pilot activities in many countries have Examples of sturgeon recovery measures in Europe prepared the ground for stepping BALTIC SEA up effective common action. AUSTRIA RUSSIA Baltic Sturgeon Sterlet Russian Sturgeon, Regional Action Plan adopted in 2019 National Action Plan planned; Stellate, , Sterlet GERMANY focusing on joint habitat, bycatch, Stocking and monitoring ongoing Stocking ongoing in the European Sturgeon ex situ and release measures tributaries to the Sea of Azov Reintroduction ongoing in River Elbe based upon National Action Plan and for Baltic Sturgeon in Oder River GEORGIA Russian Sturgeon, Stellate, Beluga NETHERLANDS Monitoring ongoing and European Sturgeon creation of a protected area in Rioni River Reintroduction planned, National Action Plan in preparation, habitat restoration Only the Lower Danube and in the delta ongoing the Rioni River in Georgia still host self-sustaining populations today. FRANCE European Sturgeon National Action Plan in place; LOWER DANUBE Recovery ongoing in the Gironde and tributaries; Ex situ programme established; Russian Sturgeon, Monitoring in place Stellate, Beluga, Sterlet Danube-wide Action Plan in place; Habitat identification ongoing; Monitoring and stocking Adriatic Sturgeon uncoordinated; Project against illegal fishing National Action Plan in place; Past freshwater habitat Recovery ongoing, but and trade; uncoordinated; Present freshwater habitat Feasibility study for fish Reintroduction of Beluga Marine habitat passage at Iron Gate; planned Ex situ planned Self Reproduction ceased Recovery Recovery Stocking sustaining and recovery ongoing ongoing planned