Ebook: Biology and Conservation of the European SturgeonAcipenser sturioL. 1758: The Reunion of the European and Atlantic Sturgeons

The book aims at synthesizing our current knowledge of Acipenser sturio and its management. This species, one of the most widespread sturgeon species all over Western Europe ranging from the Black Sea to the Baltic, is now on the verge of extinction. Major aspects of its biology and management, including mismanagement, are provided in a historic perspective. Similarly, the changes in the restoration programs (in situ and ex situ) initiated in France and Germany are presented. As the species occurred in sympatry with Acipenser oxyrinchus in Germany and Poland and very recently in France as well, a brief outlook on restoration-management programs of A. oxyrinchus are also provided for both North America and Northern European countries, namely Germany and Poland. As conservation-restoration actions go beyond scientific issues, non-governmental stakeholders and marine professional fishermen’s organizations have also been asked to contribute, and the key role of a French-German cooperation plan is underlined. A part of the book is devoted to perspectives. Illustrations of the European sturgeon, mainly in photographs, but also in stamps and paintings, are presented.

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The book aims at synthesizing our current knowledge of Acipenser sturio and its management. This species, one of the most widespread sturgeon species all over Western Europe ranging from the Black Sea to the Baltic, is now on the verge of extinction. Major aspects of its biology and management, including mismanagement, are provided in a historic perspective. Similarly, the changes in the restoration programs (in situ and ex situ) initiated in France and Germany are presented. As the species occurred in sympatry with Acipenser oxyrinchus in Germany and Poland and very recently in France as well, a brief outlook on restoration-management programs of A. oxyrinchus are also provided for both North America and Northern European countries, namely Germany and Poland. As conservation-restoration actions go beyond scientific issues, non-governmental stakeholders and marine professional fishermen’s organizations have also been asked to contribute, and the key role of a French-German cooperation plan is underlined. A part of the book is devoted to perspectives. Illustrations of the European sturgeon, mainly in photographs, but also in stamps and paintings, are presented.

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The book aims at synthesizing our current knowledge of Acipenser sturio and its management. This species, one of the most widespread sturgeon species all over Western Europe ranging from the Black Sea to the Baltic, is now on the verge of extinction. Major aspects of its biology and management, including mismanagement, are provided in a historic perspective. Similarly, the changes in the restoration programs (in situ and ex situ) initiated in France and Germany are presented. As the species occurred in sympatry with Acipenser oxyrinchus in Germany and Poland and very recently in France as well, a brief outlook on restoration-management programs of A. oxyrinchus are also provided for both North America and Northern European countries, namely Germany and Poland. As conservation-restoration actions go beyond scientific issues, non-governmental stakeholders and marine professional fishermen’s organizations have also been asked to contribute, and the key role of a French-German cooperation plan is underlined. A part of the book is devoted to perspectives. Illustrations of the European sturgeon, mainly in photographs, but also in stamps and paintings, are presented.

Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xxviii
Front Matter....Pages 1-1
Brief Introduction to Sturgeon with a Special Focus on the European Sturgeon, Acipenser sturio L. 1758....Pages 3-11
Cytogenetics as a Tool for an Exploration of A. sturio Status Within Sturgeons....Pages 13-21
Discrimination of Acipenser sturio, Acipenser oxyrinchus and Acipenser naccarii by Morphology of Bones and Osteometry....Pages 23-51
An Overview on Geographical Distribution from Past Descriptions....Pages 53-64
Ancient Sturgeon Populations in France Through Archaeozoological Remains, from Prehistoric Time Until the Eighteenth Century....Pages 65-80
Sturgeon in Iberia from Past to Present....Pages 81-90
Habitat, Movements and Feeding of Juvenile European Sturgeon (Acipenser sturio) in Gironde Estuary....Pages 91-115
Sturgeon Fishing, Landings, and Caviar Production During the Twentieth Century in the Garonne Basin and the Coastal Sea....Pages 117-129
Historic Overview on the Status of the European Sturgeon (Acipenser sturio) and Its Fishery in the North Sea and Its Tributaries with a Focus on German Waters....Pages 131-146
History of the Sturgeon in the Baltic Sea and Lake Ladoga....Pages 147-152
The Historical and Contemporary Status of the European Sturgeon, Acipenser sturio L., in Italy....Pages 153-163
European Sturgeon, Acipenser sturio in Georgia....Pages 165-175
Front Matter....Pages 177-193
Iconography of the European Sturgeon in France....Pages 195-219
Front Matter....Pages 221-226
Historic Overview of the European Sturgeon Acipenser sturio in France: Surveys, Regulations, Reasons for the Decline, Conservation, and Analysis....Pages 227-241
Front Matter....Pages 243-250
Restoration of the European Sturgeon Acipenser sturio in Germany....Pages 251-255
Fishery By-Catch of European Sturgeon in the Bay of Biscay....Pages 257-257
Age Assessment in European Sturgeon....Pages 259-282
Tagging European and Atlantic Sturgeons in Europe....Pages 283-283
Mass Marking in European Sturgeon....Pages 285-307
Sex Determination and Staging of Gonads....Pages 283-283
Reproduction of Wild Brood Fish from Garonne Basin....Pages 309-333
Post-release Monitoring Techniques....Pages 335-342
Modelling the Future of Stocked Fish....Pages 343-348
Building a Brood Stock of Acipenser sturio in France....Pages 349-355
Reproduction of the Cultured Brood Fish....Pages 357-367
How Non-governmental Stakeholders Have Contributed to the Conservation Programme in France....Pages 369-382
The French–German Cooperation: The Key Issue for the Success of the Preservation and Restoration of the European Sturgeon, Acipenser sturio, and Its Significance for Other Sturgeon Issues....Pages 383-394
Front Matter....Pages 395-405
Conservation and Restoration of Acipenser oxyrinchus in the USA....Pages 407-415
Atlantic Sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) Fishery Management in the St. Lawrence Estuary, Quebec, Canada....Pages 417-423
Front Matter....Pages 425-438
Remediation of Atlantic Sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus in the Oder River: Background and First Results....Pages 439-448
The Past and Future of Sturgeons in Poland: The Genetic Approach....Pages 449-453
Re-establishing the Atlantic Sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus Mitchill) in Poland....Pages 455-464
Front Matter....Pages 465-475
Population Conservation Requires Improved Understanding of In Situ Life Histories....Pages 477-487
Potential Effects of Forthcoming Climate Change and Biological Introductions on the Restoration of the European Sturgeon....Pages 489-498
Population Viability Analysis of the European Sturgeon (Acipenser sturio L.) from the Gironde Estuary System....Pages 499-513
One Alternative to Germ Cells Cryopreservation: Cryobanking of Somatic Cells in Sturgeon....Pages 515-515
Front Matter....Pages 517-526
What Is the Future for the European Sturgeon?....Pages 527-538
Back Matter....Pages 515-515
....Pages 539-559