Genetic screening and transfer of sturgeon broodstock for ex situ conservation
Abstract
While two out of six Danube sturgeon species are already locally extinct, the status of the three remaining anandromous species requires immediate ex situ conservation actions to preserve the remaining genetic diversity. These ex situ actions must maintain an autochtonous genetic diverse broodstock, operating under the state of the art for reproduction and husbandry methods for releases of juveniles and must be jointly managed and available to all catchment states for conservation purposes. Currently no centralized broodstock in captive genebanks are available and conservation is partially depending on the goodwill of single farmers. BOKU-IHG, together with partners in UA, RO, BG, HU, SI and SK submitted the LIFE-Boat 4 Sturgeons to EU`s LIFE Programme in 2021 to enlarge and establish the required infrastructure, lay the foundation for the broodstock, and release juveniles to support populations of beluga, Russian and stellate sturgeons in the Danube. A decision on the project is expected mid- 2022. Meanwhile, highly valuable wild fish (F0) and their offspring (F1) from reproductions from 2008-2014 are present in several Romanian caviar farms. These fish are at risk of being slaughtered for caviar in the near future, with their genotypes ultimately being lost for conservation. This proposal suggests a genetic screening of fish present in these farms, investigating their lineage, pedigree and sex to ultimately select rare genotypes to be included in a centralized broodstock by BOKU-IHG in AT for reproduction and release of offspring. Secondly a share of these animals should be tagged and released to the Danube in Romania as a demonstration action and to maintain their genotypes in the wild as well. While a clear focus is on the Lower Danube and Black Sea, the broodstock may also be used for re-introduction in the Middle Danube as well as in the case of beluga sturgeon also in the Adriatic Basin in the mid-term.
keywords sturgeon ex situ Danube live genebank
Publikationen
Project staff
Thomas Friedrich
Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Thomas Friedrich
thomas.friedrich@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-81244
Project Leader
01.01.2023 - 31.12.2024
Rebecca Ann Tibbetts
Rebecca Ann Tibbetts
rebecca.tibbetts@boku.ac.at
Project Staff
01.01.2023 - 31.12.2024
BOKU partners
External partners
THE UNIVERSITY OF PADUA
Leonardo Congiu
partner