Development of a German Action Plan for the restoration of the European sturgeon Acipenser sturio L. - implementing international commitments on a national scale

Since the European sturgeon (Acipenser sturio) is one of the most highly endangered fish species worldwide with only one population known to still exist in the Gironde River, France, it is attempted to facilitate in-situ and ex-situ protection of the species through coordinated efforts within the former range. To increase the collaborative approach in safeguarding and restoration of the species' population the Bern Convention has adopted an Action Plan (AP) at the Standing Committee meeting in November 2007. Based on this agreement, the member states to the Bern Convention are requested to develop national APs addressing the critical issues for its conservation. This paper discusses in detail the prerequisites for the development of such a national AP, thus focusing on the complex structures in the German Federal and Regional governance system, the stakeholder involvement required, as well as the dynamics of a process unprecedented in any fish species under this convention. For the national AP the governmental agencies for nature conservation and for fisheries, the regional and national stakeholders such as commercial and recreational fisheries, inland navigation administration, port authorities, river catchment management units, recreational water users and environmental conservation NGO's have to be brought together, overcoming major barriers to allow a constructive dialogue leading towards a common problem analysis. As a result, the German national AP is intended to provide a common basis for the future protection attempts, outlining the main focal points for necessary activities. As such it also serves as the framework for the management plans for the river systems considered suitable for the attempts to remediate populations of the European sturgeon in German and other European Rivers in a joint effort with the French partners.