# 1 f E d vil Authors in this issue (see Authors Index) The articles in this publication were presented at the Symposium on Conservation of the Atlantic Sturgeon A~$~enser sturio in Europe, whose Organising and Scientific Committees are listed below, along with its sponsors Organising Committee: Sponsors (alphabetical order): Convener Complutense University of Madrid Prof. Benigno Elvira (Universidad Complutense de Madrid) l)rp;rrlment uf Animal Biolo~y 1, Faculty of Biology, Conq~lutrnsc Univrrsity of Madrid, Madrid, Spain Department of Conservation, Ministry of Members Environmental Affairs (Dirección General de Dr Ana Almodóvar Conservación, Ministerio de Medio Ambiente) IMIA, Madrid licgionnl Covc~~~rnent, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain Department of Higher Education and Scientific Prof. Carlos Granado-Lorencio Research, Ministry of Education and Culture l>q~a~~nwn~ of I’lant Biology and Ecology, Paculty of Biolohy, (Dirección General de Enseñanza Superior Uniwrsily (16 Srvillc, Scvillc, Spain e Investigación Científica, Ministerio de Educación Prof. Carlos Fernández-Delgado y Cultura) Dcpartnm~t of Animal Bi«loby, l~aculty of Sciences, University of Córdoba, G’xdoba, Spain Department of the Environment, Andalusian Regional Scientific Committee: Government (Consejería de Medio Ambiente, Junta de Andalucía) Members Dr Vüdim J. Birstein Department of the Environment, Ministry Sturgwn Conscrvation Intcmational, New York, USA of Environmental Affairs (Secretaría General de Medio Dr Jörn Gessner Ambiente, Ministerio de Medio Ambiente) Soricly lo Savo thc Sturgrm ~cipe7f.w slurio L. ev., c/o Institute uf I:wshwatcr Iscology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Gcrmany EMASESA (Empresa Municipal de Abastecimiento Dr Juraj Holcík y Saneamiento de Aguas de Sevilla, S.A.) Institutc o(’ %oology, Slovak Acadcmy of Scicnccs, Bratislava, Slowh I<cpubli< Dr Mario Lepage IberoMab Network, MaB, Unesco (Red Iberoamericana Agcdra, Saint-Andri? dc Cubzac, France de Comités y Reservas de la Biosfera, MaB, Unesco) Dr Eric Rochard Crnl;l~r<~r,c<~stas, 1:l-ancc Pescaviar S.L. Society to Save the Sturgeon Acipenser sturio L. (Gesellschaft zur Rettung des Störs Acipenser sturio L.) Spanish Committee for the Man & Biosphere Programme, MaB, Unesco (Comité Español del Programa El Hombre y la Biosfera, MaB, Unesco) Spanish Institute of Oceanography (Instituto Español de Oceanografía, IEO) Spanish Limnological Association (Asociación Española de Limnología, AEL) Spanish National Parks, Ministry of Environmental Affairs (Parques Nacionales de España, Ministerio de Medio Ambiente) University of Seville (Universidad de Sevilla) , Bol. Inst. Esp. Oceanogr. 16 (1-4). 2000: 7-8 BOLETÍN. INSTITUTO ESPAÑOL DE OCEANOGRAFÍA ISSN: 0074-0195 © Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación, 2000 PREFACE ‘... the play, I remember, pleas’d not the million, ’twas caviary to the general.’ Hamlet’s speech to the players, act 2, scene 2. Sturgeons are an ancient group of animals, and are among the most valuable commercial fishes. Unfortunately, nowadays sturgeons the world over are greatly depleted in numbers due to overfishing, damming of rivers, and pollution. The current scientific and technical interest in sturgeons is evident, and several meetings and books testify to this concern. Some highlights of this recent interest are the ‘First International Symposium on Sturgeon’ held in Bordeaux (France) in 1989, the ‘International Symposium on Sturgeons’ in Moscow in 1993, the ‘International Conference on Sturgeon Biodiversity and Conservation’ in New York City in 1994, and the ‘3rd International Symposium on Sturgeon’ in Piacenza (Italy) in 1997. This series of meetings will continue at the next ‘4th International Symposium on Sturgeon’ to be held in Oshkosh, Wisconsin (USA) in 2001. The Atlantic sturgeon Acipenser sturio L., 1758 was formerly a commer- cially important species, both for its flesh and for its ripe eggs (caviar), but due to a combination of factors it is becoming increasingly uncommon. Consequently, the Atlantic sturgeon is today a rare fish; the world popu- lation of A. sturio is so depleted that this species is threatened with ex- tinction. The 2000 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species considers it ‘Critically Endangered - CR A2d’, and it has been placed on the lists of endangered species by several European countries. The Atlantic sturgeon is also protected by international conventions, e.g. Washington, Bern, Bonn, Barcelona, and by the Habitats Directive of the European Union. In July 1994 ‘The Society to Save the Sturgeon Acipenser sturio L. (Gesellschaft zur Rettung des Störs Acipenser sturio L.)’ was founded at the Senckenberg Institute in Frankfurt. The main goals of the Society are to unite researchers and private groups involved in A. sturio conservation, and to develop an international collaborative effort to save this species. The Society has held annual meetings and developed several projects in its area of concern. The international ‘Symposium on Conservation of the Atlantic Sturgeon Acipenser sturio in Europe’ held in September 6-11, 1999 in Madrid and Seville, was organised by the Department of Animal Biology I of Madrid’s Complutense University and the Society to Save the Sturgeon. More than forty delegates from France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, 7 Benigno Elvira Preface Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Ukraine and the USA attended and contributed to the scientific discussions during the Symposium’s sessions. The main objectives of the Symposium were to bring together those concerned with or working on conservation of A. sturio, and to produce a book of proceedings, including an overview of the present knowledge on the subject. It is our pleasure to now present this volume of proceedings, sponsored by the Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO, Spanish Institute of Oceanography), including 26 peer-reviewed articles. This col- lection of papers offers a valuable summary of the state of the art at the end of the 20th century. We would like to express our sincere thanks to all the participants in the international ‘Symposium on Conservation of the Atlantic Sturgeon Acipenser sturio in Europe’, and to the authors, referees and editors of this volume of proceedings, with special thanks to all of the Symposium’s sponsors. Benigno Elvira, Symposium Convener and Contributing Editor 8 Bol. Inst. Esp. Oceanogr. 16 (1-4). 2000: 7-8 Bol. Inst. Esp. Oceanogr. 16 (1-4). 2000: 9-10 BOLETÍN. INSTITUTO ESPAÑOL DE OCEANOGRAFÍA ISSN: 0074-0195 © Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación, 2000 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS The present situation of the Atlantic sturgeon Acipenser sturio L., 1758 within its historical range can be summarised as follows: The status of the species throughout its range is considered highly en- dangered. The only identified reproducing population is the one in France’s Gironde River basin. Restoration attempts have been carried out for the past 20 years. There is serious concern about the future of the species in the wild with regard to the decrease in effective population size and genetic het- erogeneity due to loss of local stocks. The Gironde basin population is considered the only available source for future re-introduction activities. Therefore, the integrity of this popu- lation is vital. Additional material for reproduction could be obtained from individ- uals representing the remains of local populations. More accurate assess- ments on the current situation of these relict populations are necessary to update the species’s present distribution area. Although enhancement of the species’s protection under the laws cur- rently in force is hardly possible, the regulations derived from them are considered very insufficient. Protection measures carried out to date for the sturgeon’s habitat have proved insufficient. Due to the species’s long life cycle, restoration of populations might take many years. Therefore, long-term political commitment is a necessi- ty for its successful restoration. For these reasons, and in keeping with our knowledge of the underly- ing principles, the following actions should be effectuated in order to in- crease protection of the species, both at the population and the individ- ual levels: More intensive international co-operation is essential to restore the species, involving both ex-situ and in-situ measures. Sturgeon’s inclusion in international projects on migratory fish management should be encour- aged. An immediate and effective application of existing regulations to pro- tect the species in international waters is urgently demanded (Bern 9 Conclusions and recommendations Convention). The attempt to increase the protection of the diadromous species by listing it in the Bonn Convention should be supported. Attempts to restore A. sturio in Europe must be integrated into existing and planned programmes on migratory fish management, and more gen- erally into restoration and management plans involving water, the envi- ronment, and biodiversity for drainage basins. The inclusion of A. sturio as an important indicator for the restoration of riverine habitat is recom- mended. To effectively mediate the necessity of the species’s restoration, an in- tensification of public awareness programmes (both locally and interna- tionally) is considered vital to generate social acceptance and increase po- litical pressure. Means for adequate effectuation must be outlined, and an international network be put into place. It is considered vital for future recovery programmes to strictly