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Mohamed bin Zayed Species project number 162514588

Survey and Research on the Natural Habitat in the Southwest of the Black Sea the Criticall Endangered Anadromous Sturgeon Species

Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation (Project No. 162514588) - Beluga sturgeon - Awarded $13,500 on January 19, 2017

The Research and Development Centre for Sturgeon, Aquatic Habitat and Biodiversity from "Dunărea de Jos" University of Galati has the the main mission to conducting studies and scientific research of the anadromous sturgeon species, aquatic habitats, biodiversity and the environmental protection, whose results lead to concrete and sustainable measures for sturgeon species conservation and their biodiversity. The main objective of the center is to promote fundamental research of sturgeon species and biodiversity of aquatic habitats , the exchange of ideas and to valorisation the experience of all specialists in this area and related areas, that will contribute to a better knowledge of the sturgeon species.

This project named ”Survey and Research on the Natural Habitat from the Norththwest of the Black Sea, of the Criticall Endangered Anadromous Sturgeon Species”,funded by The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund was implemented between 15.01.2017 and 01.11.2017 and had the following main objectives:

  • first objective of this project was to determine the presence and abundance of young wild sturgeon from species H. Huso, A. Stellatus and A. Gueldenstaedtii, at the mouth of the Danube River into the Black Sea in the Sf. Gheorghe area by scientific fishing with stationary gillnet in a two distinct periods June and September.
  • second objective was to research on the health of young wild sturgeon from all three critically endangered species , at the mouth of the Danube River into the Black Sea in the Sf. Gheorghe area, by analyzing the stomach contents, the abundance of food in this habitat and specific biometric and development analyzes
  • third objective Evaluation the adaptability in the wild of the young sturgeon released experimentally in Danube, in 2013 and 2015 in the Danube River in a regional project implemented by our University.
  • fourth objective was the statistical analysis of scientific data obtained by scientific fishing and determination of the conservation status of the young sturgeon
  • last objective is the dissemination of results in a interactive documentary movie for children, in a brochures with project results for naÈ›ional and international authorities and through a scientific paper published in an international journal.

To be able to complete the project objectives, we have initiated two scientific fishing campaigns, at Sf. Gheorghe at the month of Danube River,from 18 June to 18 july and from 18 September to 18 Octomber.Also, during this year, we have monitored the accidental catches of juvenile sturgeon in the Danube River, in the Galati area.The first registered wild juvenile of beluga sturgeon (about 2 months old, was on 10 june and he had a total length of 17 mm and weight of 15 grams.

.In the scientific fishing campaign from Sf. Gheorghe at the month of Danube River, I've been fishing with three boats with professional fishermen, 1 month and 20 days effective fishing. We have captured, in the sea, a total of 118 sturgeon specimens, from all three species, of which 32 specimens eas taged with CWT,released in the Danube in 2015. In total we have chached 23 specimens of Beluga Sturgeon,30 Russian Sturgeon and 65 of Stellate Sturgeon. Of which, mark with CWT were all the specimens of Russian Sturgeon was taged with CWT and only two of Stellate Sturgeon. The taged specimens of Russian Sturgeon were experimentally released in the Danubein 2015 by ours university, with average weight of 197 grams, and after two years in the wild they reached an average weight of 3046 grams, the one it means a very good growth, about 15 times.

The first wild juvenile of Beluga, we captured the sea on 08 July, about 28 days after we captured it in Galati and with a double weight. The last wild juvenile of Beluga was captured on 17 August, in the Danube, Galati area and he had a total length of 33 mm and weight of 260 gramsIn-Situ photos and media can be found on the Research Center page


 




Project document