Stimulating sturgeon conservation and rehabilitation measures in Turkey: an overview on major projects (2006-2009)

Abstract

The aim of this report is to provide an overview of the current status of efforts on the potential rehabilitation of sturgeon populations in Turkish waters, describing the structure and the outcome of projects carried out since 2006 and identifying the strategic needs for sturgeon conservation measures at a national level. It is well known that there were six sturgeon species occurring around Turkish Black Sea coasts while entering the rivers, mainly Kizilirmak, Yesilirmak, Sakarya and Coruh Rivers for spawning. Anadromous sturgeon species have been strictly protected throughout Turkey since 1997. Conservation and management measurements have been implemented since 1970s. However, this was apparently with little success as stocks continued to decline and habitats deteriorated further, threatening the stocks with extinction. At the same time the needs for survival are not well documented. A project was initiated on 30 January 2006, consisting of seven-work packages including studies on population structure, reproduction, habitat assessment, genetic variability between and within stocks and the development of protective management strategies and plans. The work covered the Turkish Black Sea coastline and the rovers Yesilirmak, Kizilirmak, Coruh and Sakarya. Actively sampled and / or accidentally caught specimens have been tagged by T-bars and released after measurements and tissue sampling for genetic analyses. In addition, broodstocks of Russian sturgeon (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii), Beluga (Huso huso), and stellate (A. stellatus) are being built by rearing fish at the Central Fisheries Research (Yomra, Trabzon, Turkey) Institute. Reproduction studies have mainly focused on sperm collection, cryopreservation and induced spawning as well as on larval rearing.