At a glance
- IUCN category
- CR · Critically Endangered
- Animal group
- Fish
- Population trend
- Stable
- Last verified
Conservation overview
The Adriatic sturgeon is a sturgeon native to rivers of the Adriatic basin. It is assessed as Critically Endangered.
It now depends heavily on restocking from captive-bred fish.
Range & habitat
Rivers draining to the Adriatic Sea, especially the Po basin in Italy.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- Dams blocking migration
- Past overfishing
- Habitat change
Why it matters
A regional sturgeon surviving largely through restocking, the Adriatic sturgeon is a flagship for restoring connected, healthy rivers in southern Europe.
Sources
Sources for Adriatic Sturgeon
- IUCN Red List — look up Adriatic Sturgeon (authoritative status)
- FishBase
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the Adriatic sturgeon depend on restocking?
Dams and past overfishing left very few wild-spawning fish, so populations are maintained largely by releasing captive-bred sturgeon into rivers such as the Po.
Why is the Adriatic sturgeon Critically Endangered?
Published assessments cite dams blocking migration, past overfishing, and habitat change. See the IUCN Red List.
Last updated: