“Rewilding Europe, a leading initiative in the restoration of natural ecosystems, has successfully reintroduced the Atlantic sturgeon into the Göta River in Sweden for the first time in over a century. This groundbreaking event was made possible by a 42,000-euro grant from Rewilding Europe’s European Wildlife Comeback Fund.
The Return of the Sturgeon initiative, managed by the Swedish Anglers Association, aims to re-establish the species in the Göta River. Six juvenile sturgeon, translocated from a breeding facility in Germany, were released into the river near Bohus Fortress in the city of Kungälv. This release marks a significant milestone in the effort to restore the Atlantic sturgeon population in Europe.
Linnéa Jägrud, project leader and limnologist at the Swedish Anglers Association, expressed her excitement about the reintroduction, stating, “The reintroduction of a regionally extinct species is very uncommon in Sweden. I’m looking forward to the day when we can look at the river and say ‘there are Atlantic sturgeon spawning below the surface here’.”
The Atlantic sturgeon, also known as the Baltic sturgeon, is a keystone species that plays an essential role in maintaining the health and balance of aquatic ecosystems. The species was driven to functional extinction in Europe due to overfishing, deteriorating water quality, and habitat destruction. However, with improved water quality in the Göta River and a diverse range of habitats, the conditions were suitable for reintroduction efforts.
The reintroduced sturgeon, at 10 months old and 60 cm in length, are expected to migrate to the estuary and the sea as they develop a higher salinity tolerance with age and size. Prior to their release, the sturgeon were acclimatized to their new environment in riverside pools.
The sturgeon reintroduction is a collaborative effort between the Swedish Anglers Association, the University of Gothenburg, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, the Gothenburg Museum of Natural History, and sturgeon experts from the German Leibniz-Institute for Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries in Berlin. The institute, a leading European authority on the ecology of the Atlantic sturgeon, has been working on reintroduction efforts for many years.
Sophie Monsarrat, rewilding manager at Rewilding Europe, stated, “Reintroducing Atlantic sturgeon in Sweden after an absence of more than a century is a huge milestone. I’m so pleased the fund was able to support this release. There is an urgent need to restore the functionality of terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems across Europe by bringing back keystone species.”
The reintroduction process involved fitting the juvenile sturgeon with acoustic transmitters, enabling them to be tracked via the European Tracking Network. This monitoring will provide valuable insights into the movement and behavior of the fish, allowing for enhanced reintroduction efforts in the future.
The ultimate goal is to establish a rearing facility in Sweden and release thousands of sturgeon into the Göta River to increase their chances of returning to breed. The Atlantic sturgeon is currently considered vulnerable on a global scale, and reintroduction efforts have been ongoing in Europe since 1996.
For more information on the sturgeon release and Atlantic sturgeon, Rewilding Europe, and the European Wildlife Comeback Fund, please contact Laurien Holtjer, Rewilding Europe’s Director of Engagement & Public Relations.
Rewilding Europe, founded in 2011, is dedicated to rewilding European landscapes and promoting positive impact and benefits for nature, people, and climate. The European Wildlife Comeback Fund, established in 2022, supports wildlife comeback initiatives across Europe, with a secured budget of 5 million euros for 2022-2026. The aim is to support more than 150 wildlife comeback initiatives by 2030.”