Biology and Conservation of the European Sturgeon Acipenser sturio L. 1758Biology and Conservation of the European Sturgeon Acipenser sturio L. 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. Brief introduction to sturgeon with a special focus on the European sturgeon, Acipenser sturio L. 1758 / P. Williot ... [et al.] Cytogenetics as a tool for an exploration of A. sturio status within sturgeons / Francesco Fontana Discrimination of Acipenser sturio, Acipenser oxyrinchus and Acipenser naccarii by morphology of bones and osteometry / Nathalie Desse-Berset Morphological distinction between juvenile stages of the European sturgeon Acipenser sturio and the Atlantic sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus / Sven Wuertz ... [et al.] Ontogeny of the European sturgeon, Acipenser sturio / Frank Kirschbaum and Patrick Williot An overview on geographical distribution from past descriptions / Géraldine Lassalle, M. Béguer, and E. Rochard Ancient sturgeon populations in France through archaeozoological remains, from prehistoric time until the eighteenth century / Nathalie Desse-Berset Palaeogeographic patterns of A. sturio / Olivier Chassaing ... [et al.] Sturgeon in Iberia from past to present / Arne Ludwig, Arturo Morales-Muñiz, and Eufrasia Roselló-Izquierdo Biological cycles and migrations of Acipenser sturio / M.L. Acolas ... [et al.] Habitat, movements and feeding of juvenile European sturgeon (Acipenser sturio) in Gironde Estuary / Laurent Brosse, Catherine Taverny, and Mario Lepage Characteristics of the reproductive cycle of wild Acipenser sturio / Patrick Williot ... [et al.] Sturgeon fishing, landings, and caviar production during the twentieth century in the Garonne Basin and the coastal sea / Gérard Castelnaud 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 / J. Gessner, S. Spratte, and F. Kirschbaum History of the sturgeon in the Baltic Sea and Lake Ladoga / Ryszard Kolman, Andrzej Kapusta, and Jacek Morzuch The historical and contemporary status of the European sturgeon, Acipenser sturio L., in Italy / Paolo Bronzi ... [et al.] European sturgeon, Acipenser sturio in Georgia / Ryszard Kolman Present legal status of the European sturgeon Acipenser sturio / E. Rochard Iconography of the European sturgeon in France / Nathalie Desse-Berset and Patrick Williot Historic overview of the European sturgeon Acipenser sturio in France : surveys, regulations, reasons for the decline, conservation, and analysis / Patrick Williot and Gérard Castelnaud Restoration of the European sturgeon Acipenser sturio in Germany / Frank Kirschbaum ... [et al.] Fishery by-catch of European sturgeon in the Bay of Biscay / M. Lepage and E. Rochard Age assessment in European sturgeon / Philippe Jatteau ... [et al.] Tagging European and Atlantic sturgeons in Europe / Philippe Jatteau ... [et al.] Mass marking in European sturgeon / Philippe Jatteau and Aude Lochet Sex determination and staging of gonads / Patrick Williot Reproduction of wild brood fish from Garonne Basin / Patrick Williot ... [et al.] Preliminary results on larval rearing the European sturgeon, Acipenser sturio / P. Williot ... [et al.] Post-release monitoring techniques / M.L. Acolas ... [et al.] Modelling the future of stocked fish / E. Rochard and Patrick Lambert Building a brood stock of Acipenser sturio in France / Patrick Williot ... [et al.] Reproduction of the cultured brood fish / Patrick Williot and Patrick Chèvre Recent progress in larval rearing of the European sturgeon, Acipenser sturio / Patrick Chèvre ... [et al.] Genetic variability of cultured European sturgeon Acipenser sturio / Ralph Tiedemann ... [et al.] Sperm cryopreservation in sturgeon with a special focus on A. sturio / Ákos Horváth, Patrick Chèvre, and Béla Urbányi How non-governmental stakeholders have contributed to the conservation programme in France / Didier Moreau Why, how and results from an awareness campaign within marine professional fishermen for the protection of large migratory fish, the European sturgeon Acipenser sturio / Nicolas Michelet 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 / Patrick Williot and Frank Kirschbaum Conservation and restoration of Acipenser oxyrinchus in the USA / John Waldman Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) fishery management in the St. Lawrence Estuary, Québec, Canada / Guy Verreault and Guy Trencia Remediation of Atlantic sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus in the Oder River : background and first results / Jörn Gessner ... [et al.] The past and future of sturgeons in Poland : the genetic approach / Ana Stanković Re-establishing the Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus Mitchill) in Poland / Ryszard Kolman, Andrzej Kapusta, and Arkadiusz Duda Population conservation requires improved understanding of in situ life histories / M.L. Acolas, J. Gessner, and E. Rochard Potential effects of forthcoming climate change and biological introductions on the restoration of the European sturgeon / Géraldine Lassalle, M. Béguer, and E. Rochard Population viability analysis of the European sturgeon (Acipenser sturio L.) from the Gironde Estuary system / Ivan Jarić ... [et al.] One alternative to germ cells cryopreservation : cryobanking of somatic cells in sturgeon / Catherine Labbe ... [et al.] Some ex-situ-related approaches for assessing the biological variability of Acipenser sturio / Patrick Williot What is the future for the European sturgeon? / Patrick Williot ... [et al.]. 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 Morphological Distinction Between Juvenile Stages of the European Sturgeon Acipenser sturio and the Atlantic Sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus ....Pages 53-64 Ontogeny of the European Sturgeon, Acipenser sturio ....Pages 65-80 An Overview on Geographical Distribution from Past Descriptions....Pages 81-90 Ancient Sturgeon Populations in France Through Archaeozoological Remains, from Prehistoric Time Until the Eighteenth Century....Pages 91-115 Palaeogeographic Patterns of A. sturio ....Pages 117-129 Sturgeon in Iberia from Past to Present....Pages 131-146 Biological Cycles and Migrations of Acipenser sturio ....Pages 147-152 Habitat, Movements and Feeding of Juvenile European Sturgeon ( Acipenser sturio ) in Gironde Estuary....Pages 153-163 Characteristics of the Reproductive Cycle of Wild Acipenser sturio ....Pages 165-175 Sturgeon Fishing, Landings, and Caviar Production During the Twentieth Century in the Garonne Basin and the Coastal Sea....Pages 177-193 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 195-219 History of the Sturgeon in the Baltic Sea and Lake Ladoga....Pages 221-226 The Historical and Contemporary Status of the European Sturgeon, Acipenser sturio L., in Italy....Pages 227-241 European Sturgeon, Acipenser sturio in Georgia....Pages 243-250 Present Legal Status of the European Sturgeon Acipenser sturio ....Pages 251-255 Front Matter....Pages 257-257 Iconography of the European Sturgeon in France....Pages 259-282 Front Matter....Pages 283-283 Historic Overview of the European Sturgeon Acipenser sturio in France: Surveys, Regulations, Reasons for the Decline, Conservation, and Analysis....Pages 285-307 Front Matter....Pages 283-283 Restoration of the European Sturgeon Acipenser sturio in Germany....Pages 309-333 Fishery By-Catch of European Sturgeon in the Bay of Biscay....Pages 335-342 Age Assessment in European Sturgeon....Pages 343-348 Tagging European and Atlantic Sturgeons in Europe....Pages 349-355 Mass Marking in European Sturgeon....Pages 357-367 Sex Determination and Staging of Gonads....Pages 369-382 Reproduction of Wild Brood Fish from Garonne Basin....Pages 383-394 Preliminary Results on Larval Rearing the European Sturgeon, Acipenser sturio ....Pages 395-405 Post-release Monitoring Techniques....Pages 407-415 Modelling the Future of Stocked Fish....Pages 417-423 Building a Brood Stock of Acipenser sturio in France....Pages 425-438 Reproduction of the Cultured Brood Fish....Pages 439-448 Recent Progress in Larval Rearing of the European Sturgeon, Acipenser sturio ....Pages 449-453 Genetic Variability of Cultured European Sturgeon Acipenser sturio ....Pages 455-464 Sperm Cryopreservation in Sturgeon with a Special Focus on A. sturio ....Pages 465-475 How Non-governmental Stakeholders Have Contributed to the Conservation Programme in France....Pages 477-487 Why, How and Results from an Awareness Campaign Within Marine Professional Fishermen for the Protection of Large Migratory Fish, the European Sturgeon Acipenser sturio ....Pages 489-498 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 499-513 Front Matter....Pages 515-515 Conservation and Restoration of Acipenser oxyrinchus in the USA....Pages 517-526 Atlantic Sturgeon ( Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus ) Fishery Management in the St. Lawrence Estuary, Québec, Canada....Pages 527-538 Front Matter....Pages 515-515 Remediation of Atlantic Sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus in the Oder River: Background and First Results....Pages 539-559 The Past and Future of Sturgeons in Poland: The Genetic Approach....Pages 561-571 Re-establishing the Atlantic Sturgeon ( Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus Mitchill) in Poland....Pages 573-581 Front Matter....Pages 583-583 Population Conservation Requires Improved Understanding of In Situ Life Histories....Pages 585-592 Potential Effects of Forthcoming Climate Change and Biological Introductions on the Restoration of the European Sturgeon....Pages 593-601 Population Viability Analysis of the European Sturgeon ( Acipenser sturio L.) from the Gironde Estuary System....Pages 603-619 One Alternative to Germ Cells Cryopreservation: Cryobanking of Somatic Cells in Sturgeon....Pages 621-633 Some Ex-Situ-Related Approaches for Assessing the Biological Variability of Acipenser sturio ....Pages 635-646 Front Matter....Pages 647-647 What Is the Future for the European Sturgeon?....Pages 649-661 Back Matter....Pages 663-668