New Sturgeon Breeding Station Launched on the Danube in Vienna

A new sturgeon breeding facility has been inaugurated on the Danube River in Vienna, housed within a specially converted ship, the MS Negrelli. Originally designed for transporting stone, the vessel has been repurposed as the LIFE-Boat4Sturgeon, marking it as Europe's first floating sturgeon nursery. This initiative aims to preserve the last four sturgeon species native to the Danube, a fish lineage that has existed for approximately 200 million years.

The project is led by the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) in collaboration with various partners, including the Austrian Federal Ministry for Agriculture, Regions and Tourism, the City of Vienna, and viadonau, the waterway operator. This initiative has a total budget of EUR11.8 million, with 67% of the funding provided by the EU LIFE program.

The ship is docked at a newly established landing site on the Danube Island, featuring 35 breeding tanks. These include a large mother fish tank with a capacity of 110 cubic meters, twelve round tanks, and 22 long flow channels. A sophisticated aquaculture system has been set up with 350 meters of piping to circulate 35 liters of Danube water per second through the breeding setup. Tours of the facility will be available to the public starting this summer.

The objective is to rear around 1.6 million juvenile sturgeons by the year 2030, which will subsequently be released into various sections of the Danube River. This initiative is expected to engage the local community, particularly students, by providing them with direct exposure to the project.

The Austrian Minister of Environment and Water, Norbert Totschnig, emphasized the importance of protecting the Danube's biodiversity, stating that the river serves as a vital habitat, energy source, and natural wonder. He noted that collective efforts are essential to preserve such unique ecosystems, especially when species face extinction.

Additionally, Eva Schulev-Steindl, the rector of BOKU, highlighted the significance of the project in the scientific community, expressing enthusiasm for leading the research efforts tied to LIFE-Boat4Sturgeon. The project is positioned as a crucial step in safeguarding endangered species and ensuring their survival.

For more information, visit the official project website.