📋 Tender Overview
Start Date: 01/09/2022
End Date: 31/12/2027
Total Eligible Budget: 1,128,011 €
EU Contribution: 846,007 €
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The history of sturgeon in the Baltic Sea has been particularly tragic. This extraordinary fish species, widely known for its impressive size and black caviar, was destroyed here in the last century. The main reasons for this were the deterioration of the quality of spawning rivers through migratory barriers and water pollution and overfishing. The last specimen of natural origin was caught in 1996 in Estonian waters. Baltic sturgeon is included in a list of the priority species in Annex II for the EU Habitats Directive, marked with an asterisk. The issue of the restoration of the Baltic sturgeon population began to be addressed decades ago. The development of the HELCOM Action Plan for the Protection and Recovery of Baltic sturgeon and the adoption of the Plan in March 2019 is an important step in recovery of the sturgeon population in the Baltic Sea. In case of the extinct species, the re-introduction together with the elimination of the adverse factors, is the only way for the re-establishment of the viable population of A. oxyrinchus in Baltic Sea region. This project will initiate the recovery of the sturgeon population in the North-Eastern area of the Baltic Sea. The introduction of juvenile sturgeons into the River Narva and River Pärnu, the most important historical sturgeon spawning rivers in the region, will be launched. The most important preconditions for the efficiency and sustainability of the project are met, as the main risk factors have been suppressed – the conditions of the spawning rivers have been significantly improved and fishing for this species is strictly prohibited. There are very good prospects for the successful implementation of this ambitious project, as significant preparations have been made for it. There are very good prospects for the successful implementation of this ambitious project, as significant preparations have been made for it.
