The report, Saving Sturgeons, highlights the main threats that the species are facing around the world. Although they outlived the dinosaurs, today up to 23 of all 27 sturgeon and paddlefish species are on the verge of global extinction according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The IUCN considers sturgeons the most threatened group of species on Earth.
“The causes of such a dramatic situation are overfishing and the human alteration of rivers. Physical barriers like dams block migration and disrupt the natural flow of rivers, which is critical for spawning. River channelization, straightening and navigation are also part of the problem.
The report highlights the need to work in four areas to protect the species: addressing overfishing, identifying and protecting key habitats, doing conservation stocking and raising public awareness of the enormous cultural, commercial and ecological value of sturgeons.”
To access the report click
here.
To access the news click
here.
Photo courtesy: ‘Great River Fishing Adventures’
Photo: In 2012 a huge white sturgeon weighing an estimated 500 kg (1,100 pounds) and measuring 3.78 cm (12 feet, 4 inches) was caught and released on the Fraser River (Canada) by a tourist angler from England. It is believed to be the biggest freshwater fish ever caught on rod and reel in North America. The fish could be more than 100 years old.