After three days of intense debates, scientific results, best practice projects, failures from the past and further planned researches, the biggest conference in the last 30 years regarding the sturgeons has reached the finish line winning hope for the future.

It can be done! If we act now, determined, the species still have a chance and our grandsons may see not only pictures of them.

We shall increase the awareness of the general public and in particular fishermen to the sturgeon cause by simultaneous actions in the Upper, Middle, and Lower Danube.

In order to ensure the success of recovery initiatives on sturgeons stocks, concerted actions of all parties at the Black Sea are also required, such as:

• -         Determination of stock assessment methods
• -         Improving & enhancing breeding grounds
• -         Preserving their natural habitats
• -         Restocking programmes along the coastal sea zones

An immediate need is to prolong a long-term fishing ban and to strengthen enforcement in the Danube and the Black Sea region.

Special deliberation was held upon protection from further losses of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, such as poaching and by-catch. Underlining that fishing bans and conservation efforts have to be maintained on a long-term basis due to the late maturity of sturgeons and the resulting long life cycles.

There is also a need to improve for:

• -         Constitutional capacity
• -         Danube Fisheries Commissions
• -         Systematic data and compensation measures for fishermen
• -         Market control on the demand
• -         Coordination between countries

Of course, all the above-mentioned actions need funds, and here is the good news: there are funds!

The financial side, for all the planning and researches, is well received by the European Commission, as long as we mitigate unproductive directions and we propose coherent projects.

Another good news is that we, THE MEASURE TEAM, can be proud of our project results so far, because it was well mentioned as a best practice in terms of data analysis and implementation, in front of all the assisting audience.

We shall keep up the good work!