Stellate Sturgeon
CR

Stellate Sturgeon

Acipenser stellatus

DecliningCREUCREU

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starry_sturgeon

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

The starry sturgeon faces severe population decline primarily due to overfishing for its highly valued caviar and meat, with illegal fishing continuing despite protective measures. Dam construction along major rivers has fragmented spawning habitats and blocked migration routes essential for reproduction. Water pollution from agricultural runoff and industrial discharge has degraded water quality in both marine and freshwater environments where the species feeds and spawns.

Threat summary

Habitat

The starry sturgeon inhabits the Caspian, Black, and Azov Sea basins, spending most of its life in brackish and marine waters. It migrates into freshwater rivers including the Volga, Danube, and Dnieper for spawning, requiring clean gravel beds in flowing water for successful reproduction.

Marine oceanic· majorMarine coastal/supratidal· majorWetlands (inland) - Permanent rivers/streams· majorMarine neritic· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protectionHabitat & natural process restorationSpecies managementEx-situ conservationLegislation

Other threatened species in ACIPENSERIDAE

Siberian SturgeonCR

Siberian Sturgeon

Acipenser baerii

Declining
Amu Darya Shovelnose SturgeonCR

Amu Darya Shovelnose Sturgeon

Pseudoscaphirhynchus kaufmanni

Declining
Small Amu-Darya Shovelnose SturgeonCR

Small Amu-Darya Shovelnose Sturgeon

Pseudoscaphirhynchus hermanni

Declining
Chinese SturgeonCR

Chinese Sturgeon

Acipenser sinensis

Declining

Threatened in Austria

VU

Lepiota echinella

Unknown
EN

Lyophyllum deliberatum

Unknown
VU

Large Tree-chernes

Dendrochernes cyrneus

Unknown
Scarce BlackneckCR

Scarce Blackneck

Lygephila craccae

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Stellate Sturgeon classified as Critically Endangered?
Stellate Sturgeon is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. The starry sturgeon faces severe population decline primarily due to overfishing for its highly valued caviar and meat, with illegal fishing continuing despite protective measures. Dam construction along major rivers has fragmented spawning habitats and blocked migration routes essential for reproduction. Water pollution from agricultural runoff and industrial discharge has degraded water quality in both marine and freshwater environments where the species feeds and spawns.
Where does Stellate Sturgeon live?
Stellate Sturgeon occurs in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czechia, and Denmark (plus 12 other countries). Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Stellate Sturgeon?
The main threats to Stellate Sturgeon are 5.1, 5.4, 7.2, and 8.1. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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