Volga shad
Alosa volgensis
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
The Volga shad faces severe population decline primarily due to dam construction along the Volga River system, which blocks critical spawning migrations and fragments remaining habitat. Overfishing in both marine and freshwater environments has further reduced breeding populations, while water pollution from industrial and agricultural sources degrades water quality in essential nursery areas. Climate change is altering water temperatures and flow patterns, disrupting the species' complex life cycle that depends on precise environmental cues for successful reproduction.
Habitat
The Volga shad is an anadromous species that spends most of its adult life in the Caspian Sea but migrates up the Volga River and its tributaries to spawn in freshwater. It requires clean, well-oxygenated river systems with gravel beds for successful reproduction and depends on unobstructed migration corridors between marine and freshwater environments.
Other threatened species in Clupeidae
Threatened in Russia
Frequently asked questions
Why is Volga shad classified as Endangered?
Where does Volga shad live?
What are the main threats to Volga shad?
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