The International Conference "Conservation of Danube Sturgeons - a challenge or a burden" 

The International Conference "Conservation of Danube Sturgeons - a challenge or a burden"  was jointly organized by “Dunarea de Jos” University of Galati(Research and Development Center for Sturgeon, Aquatic Habitats and Biodiversity), the DSTF(Danube Sturgeon Task Force), the Romanian Ministry of Water and Forests, the Romanian Ministry of Environment, NAFA(Romanian National Agency for Fisheries and Aquaculture), WSCS(World Sturgeon Conservation Society) and WWF(World Wide Fund for Nature) and took place under the patronage of the Romanian Presidency of the EUSDR(EU Strategy for the Danube Region) and the Romanian Academy, held on28-30 October in Galati facilitating exchange on sturgeon conservation issues among representatives from the Danube Basin and the Black Sea countries.

The 120 conference participants represented fisheries, water and environmental administrations, the scientific community and civil society from Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Moldova,Ukraine, Georgia, Turkey, Croatia, Slovenia,Austria, Germany, Switzerland, France, Italy,Belgium, Denmark, Canadaand the European Commission.

The Galati Declaration (www.sturgeon.ugal.ro), adopted by the participants on October 30^th, puts forward key messages to decision makers from all relevant institutions and other stakeholders as a basis for shaping future actions and the way forward to saving sturgeons from extinction. “It is intended to initiate new and stronger collaborations between specialists and officials from the Danube and Black Sea countries to increase the understanding and to improve the Danube Sturgeons status in Danube and Black Sea Basin” stated organizer Tudor Ionescu of Galati University.