Biomonitoring and Genetic Analysis of Sturgeons in Serbia: A Contribution to Their Conservation

Abstract

While the historical sturgeon catch in Serbia encompassed mainly four species (beluga sturgeon - Huso huso, Russian sturgeon - Acipenser gueldenstaedtii, stellate sturgeon - Acipenser stellatus, and sterlet - A. ruthenus) most of the research, especially since 1956, has been conducted on sterlet. More detailed studies started in 2001 and comprised analyses of contamination levels of heavy metals and other pollutants in sterlet tissues, histopathological analyses and genotoxicity tests. However, there is still a lack of data on sturgeon spawning, nursing and overwintering habitats, and the abundance of sturgeons that migrate for spawning up to the Djerdap II dam is unknown. Although a ban of sturgeon catch was proclaimed in 2006 by Romania, followed by Serbia and Bulgaria, there is still illegal sturgeon fishery in the Lower Danube River, which will require intensification of international cooperation to solve this problem efficiently.