LIFE Boat to rescue four Danube sturgeon species from extinction
Abstract
The overall main objective is to secure the Danubian genepool of the four surviving Danube sturgeon species, I.e. Russian sturgeon (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii), Sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus), stellate sturgeon (Acipenser stellatus) and beluga sturgeon (Huso huso) from extinction by ex situ actions. This includes keeping genetically diverse broodstock in captivity, sound mating schemes and reproduction, as well as state of the art rearing and releases of juveniles into the wild. To achieve the main objective, it is necessary to: - establish genetically diverse captive broodstocks of mature animals in at least two locations (AT and HU) which are kept over the long-term. - artificially reproduce broodstock and rear offspring by implementing the state of the art methodologies regarding imprinting and fitness for survival which was developed and successfully proofed in “LIFE-Sterlet”. - release genetically sound and diverse juveniles of all four species in AT, SK, HU, SLO, BG and RO to strengthen current populations on the brink of extinction. - establish the “LIFE Boat 4 sturgeons”, a floating rearing station in the centre of the city of Vienna (AT) to keep and reproduce broodstock and rear juveniles, a back- up facility for broodstock keeping and reproduction on the Koros River (HU) and a small satellite riverside rearing container on the banks of the Mura (SLO) to rear juveniles according to the "LIFE-Sterlet" project. - provide long-term access for stakeholders to genetically proven Danubian sturgeon broodstock and juveniles for conservation issues in the Danube River Basin. - provide a long-term database and manual for ex situ actions and monitoring in sturgeon conservation for the whole Danube Region and other European catchments. - raise awareness of the broad public and relevant stakeholders for the imminent danger of extinction of the sturgeons and the need of healthy river ecosystems for viable migratory fish populations such as sturgeons.
sturgeon Danube live genebank ex situ sterlet
Publikationen
Project staff
Thomas Friedrich
Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Thomas Friedrich
thomas.friedrich@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-81244
Project Leader
15.08.2022 - 14.08.2029
Thomas Ernst Karl Bauer
Dipl.-Ing. Thomas Ernst Karl Bauer
thomas-ernst.bauer@boku.ac.at
Project Staff
15.08.2022 - 14.08.2029
Heidrun Ulrike Eichhorn
Heidrun Ulrike Eichhorn MSc.
heidrun.eichhorn@boku.ac.at
Project Staff
15.08.2022 - 14.08.2029
Thomas Hein
Univ.Prof. Dr. Thomas Hein
thomas.hein@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-81201, 81229
Project Staff
15.08.2022 - 14.08.2029
Thomas Kaufmann
Dipl.-Ing. Dr.nat.techn. Thomas Kaufmann
thomas.kaufmann@boku.ac.at
Project Staff
15.08.2022 - 14.08.2029
Stefan Schmutz
Univ.Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr.nat.techn. Stefan Schmutz
stefan.schmutz@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-81202
Project Staff
15.08.2022 - 14.08.2029