During a workshop in Vienna, initiated by the International Association for Danube Research (IAD) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), a task-force for the conservation of sturgeons in the Danube River Basin and adjacent areas of the Black Sea was established on January 20th 2012.

The aim of this task-force is to coordinate and foster the implementation of the Action Plan for Danube River Sturgeons adopted under the Bern Convention in 2005. Ultimately, the decline of these flagship fish species must be stopped to prevent extinction.

The Danube River Sturgeon Task Force consists of key experts and representatives of governmental and research institutions as well as NGOs involved in sturgeon conservation in the Danube River and its tributaries, among them the International Commission for the Protection of Danube River (ICPDR) and the Priority Area Coordinator for Biodiversity of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region. All members pledged to keep their networks informed on and involved in activities.

Participants of the Vienna meeting and founders of the Danube River Sturgeon task force.

Current leader and contact for inquiries about the Danube Sturgeon Task Force is:

Dr. Cristina Sandu
Institute of Biology Bucharest, Romanian Academy
Splaiul Independentei no. 296 sect.6
RO-060031 Bucharest, Romania
e-mail: sanducri@yahoo.com