Development of sturgeon catches in German and adjacent waters since 1980

The data of sturgeon catches in German and adjacent waters since 1980 have been collected from the major river systems and coastal waters in Germany and neighbouring countries. Over the past 10 years records on catches of exotic sturgeon species increasingly occur in the commercial and recreational fisheries, including the following species: Acipenser baerii, A. gueldenstaedtii as well as hybrids from different parental species such as H. huso x A. ruthenus, A. baerii x A. ruthenus. A total of 227 records are reported, including data on their distribution. Accidental or deliberate introductions of sturgeons have been mediated by aquaculture and/or petfish-industries. Their occurrence is discussed in relation to plans for the re-establishing of the native A. sturio.