Sturgeon and paddlefish research focuses on low risk species and largely disregards endangered species

Abstract

Sturgeons and paddlefish are among the most commercially valuable groups of fishes and include both low risk and highly endangered species. However, a recent bibliometric study on sturgeon and paddlefish research revealed that disproportionately little attention has been paid to those species that are endangered or face a high probability of extinction. With the exception of European sturgeon Acipenser sturio, all of the 8 species that are highly threatened with extinction or functionally extinct, were each addressed in less than 1% of the publications dealing with sturgeons or paddlefishes. Information on the biology and sensitive life-cycle phases of threatened sturgeon and paddlefish species, as well as knowl- edge of their interactions with their respective habi- tats, is especially deficient or lacking, thus rendering the planning and execution of protection measures even more difficult. We argue that a more stringent focus has to be placed upon conservation research and management for vulnerable species and popula- tions that are threatened with a high risk of extinc- tion. This also makes it a necessity to overcome the apparent lack of commitment which has been ob - served in some regions to developing and/ or imple- menting effective and concerted re gional actions which address sturgeon and paddlefish rehabilitation.