An initiative by fishermen in Bulgaria to preserve Black Sea sturgeon has been a real success, culminating in the award on 31st October – the International Day of the Black Sea – to skipper Steliyan Nikolov for his outstanding contribution to conservation of this endangered species.
Behind the Sturgeon Saviour initiative are seafood company Black Sea Catch, and the foundation it has set up, For Our Sea. Twelve Bulgarian fishing vessels and their crews have participated in this effort, with some impressive results.
‘The project aims to make examples of responsible, sustainable fishing in the Black Sea more visible – and to demonstrate the role of commercial fishing as a factor in the conservation of Black Sea ecosystems,’ said Dimitar Dimitrov, chairman of the For Our Sea Foundation.
‘Sturgeon Saviour clearly demonstrates that the professional fishing community takes responsibility for the conservation of biodiversity in the Black Sea.’
More than 170 sturgeons have been returned unharmed to the water over the period of a year, and valuable data collected on sturgeon species, sizes and catch locations is being shared with the scientific community and NGOs. This provides data on the population status and sturgeon migration routes in the Black Sea.
Black Sea Catch and the For Our Sea Foundation stated at outset of this project that catching just one fish of the endangered and protected species can fetch a price of than BGN 5,000. However, there is no lack of positive examples of sturgeon released by fishermen.
‘The fishing community is clearly demonstrating its willingness to take appropriate measures to preserve the biodiversity of the Black Sea,’ Dimitar Dimitrov said, commenting that the organisers appeal to all fishermen’s associations and skippers of Black Sea fishing vessels to join next year’s campaign by contacting representatives of Black Sea Catch and For Our Sea Foundation.
‘The efforts of the entire fishing community are needed to conserve the species and ensure its sustainable recovery,’ he said.
All of the fishermen participating in the initiative send in evidence – including video footage – of sturgeon released back into the sea, and the location, weight and size of each fish is recorded so that the information can be used to track the status of the species.
At the end of the first year of the project, on 31st October, International Black Sea Day, skipper Steliyan Nikolov was awarded the title Sturgeon Saviour 2024 for his outstanding contribution to the conservation of the species.
‘We are extremely impressed by the energy and enthusiasm with which the responsible fishermen of the Black Sea have participated in the project. We are honoured to continue this initiative and to make visible the efforts of the fishing community to protect the resources of our sea,’ said Georgi Gavazov, Manager of Black Sea Catch.
‘Through the Sturgeon Saviour project, we have collected valuable scientific information about sturgeon in the Black Sea, which will support the work of all institutions and organisations involved in their conservation,’ Dimitar Dimitrov added.
‘We are happy that the potential of the Black Sea commercial fishing industry to work side by side with the scientific community and conservation organisations is beginning to be realised.’
