30 sturgeons in the House of the Sea: Saving the Danube by 2030!

30 sturgeons in the House of the Sea: Saving the Danube by 2030!

In the heart of Vienna, in House of the Sea, 30 new sturgeons recently arrived at Fritz-Grünbaum-Platz 1. These fascinating fish are part of an ambitious project coordinated by the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (Boku) in Währing with the aim of releasing over a million sturgeons back into the Danube by 2030. The sturgeons come from the international species conservation project “LIFE-Boat4Sturgeon” and were bred in spring 2024.

The main focus is on the new residents in the sturgeon aquarium producing offspring as mother animals. Larger sturgeons that previously lived in the aquarium were brought onto the MS Negrelli. This is a converted cargo ship that now serves as a floating research laboratory and acts as a place of care for the fish that will later be released into the wild. The responsibility for such a project is great, and that House of the Sea would also like to raise awareness of the protection of endangered species and the importance of ecological balance in the rivers.

The Danube basin and its significance

For this purpose, an impressive 13,000 liter aquarium on the 6th floor of the house was converted into a Danube basin. This is used to raise sturgeon young in order to maintain the sturgeon population in the Danube in the long term. As part of the LIFE-Boat4Sturgeon project, over 1.5 million young fish are to be released into the Danube region by 2030. The focus here is on four species of sturgeon in particular: Sterlet, Waxdick, Sternhausen and Hausen, all of which are among the most threatened animal groups in the world.

The project manager Thomas Friedrich emphasizes the need for cooperation between all those involved: “Together we ensure that the sturgeon species not only survive, but also return to our waters.” While the meeting of different institutions from Austria and neighboring European countries such as Bavaria, Hungary, Slovenia, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovakia and Ukraine was previously a challenge for many, this project shows that a lot can be achieved with good cooperation.

Challenges and risks

Sturgeons face numerous threats. Habitat loss, blocked migration routes and illegal fishing are just some of the major challenges facing the projects. The project is supported by both EU LIFE program as well as from many local fishing organizations. Managing director Hans Köppen emphasizes that the House of the Sea is not just a zoo, but also functions as an education and information center that attracts more than 900,000 visitors annually to raise awareness of species and nature conservation.

The sturgeons in the House of the Sea are not only a new sight for visitors, but also an important component in international species protection. Every contribution and every awareness is needed to preserve the diversity in our waters and to leave intact nature to future generations.