Sturgeon Ban in Danube

The good news is that theriverine states in Eastern Europe are nowdoing the things necessary to preserve sturgeon stocks.

I expect that in time thesturgeon will become an important source of farmed fish.  The methodology was worked out just before theUSSRcollapsed and about now would be a good time to get serious.

Importantly, it specializes in afood niche that does not detract from other fisheries at all.

I also think non migratory Russiansturgeon is especially suited to Canadian boreal forest lake fisheries alongwith a nonmigratory Coho salmon stock recently developed.  A selective fall harvest combined with winterfeeding for the Coho should produce a sustainable high volume fisherythroughout Canada’smassive lake system quite sufficient to millions of tons of fish for the globalmarket.

In the meantime another commonsfishery is now coming under control.

WWF welcomes first Bulgariaban on Danube sturgeon fishing

by Staff Writers

Sofia (AFP) May 2, 2011

http://www.seeddaily.com/reports/WWF_welcomes_first_Bulgaria_ban_on_Danube_sturgeon_fishing_999.html

The environmental group WWF welcomed on Monday Bulgaria'sban on catching sturgeon in the Danube, as thespecies faces extinction due to overfishing for its caviar.

The WWF welcomed the one-year ban, imposed in March, as "a greatstep" to help save the species.

"Danube sturgeons, the ancient migratory fish thatare today teetering on the brink of extinction due to overfishing because oftheir valuable caviar, have new hope for survival," it said in a statement.

The ban was the first restriction on sturgeon fishing on the Bulgarianside of the Danube, and the country'sFisheries and Aquaculture Agency has said it plans to impose a furtherfive-year ban in 2012.

Neighbouring Romaniaalready imposed a 10-year moratorium on sturgeon catching in April 2006.

But this one-sided ban could not have any impact if fishermen acrossthe river in Bulgariawere still catching sturgeons, the WWF said.

The Black Sea is the second largest sturgeon fishery in the world afterthe Caspian Sea, and the Danube upstream isone of the most important spawning habitats for giant Belugasturgeons.

The ancient fish, which outlasted the dinosaurs, has been criticallyendangered by overfishing for its caviar, which can cost over 6,000 euros(8,900 dollars) per kilogramme, the WWF said.