Adriatic Sturgeon

Historically, the Adriatic Sturgeon was more common and prolific in the Adriatic Sea. However, overfishing has destroyed the natural population of Adriatic Sturgeon over the last several decades, and there may be as few as 250 wild fish surviving. The Adriatic Sturgeon is already extinct in many of its historical habitats, according to the IUCN Red List.

Since 1988, the Adriatic Sturgeon has been successfully bred in fish farms, and the species is being replenished in Italy on a regular basis. Unfortunately, no proof exists that these released fish are breeding in the wild. For the previous 15 years, there have been no reports of the Adriatic Sturgeon breeding in its typical locations.