02304nas a2200241   4500008004100000245010600041210006900147260001200216300001000228490000700238520151000245653002301755653002401778653002401802653001101826653001401837653001101851653001501862100002101877700002001898700001701918856012701935       2000                        eng d00aDistribution and conservation of <i>Acipenser sturio </i>L., 1758 and related species in Greek waters0 aDistribution and conservation of iAcipenser sturio iL 1758 and r  c2000///  a81-880 v163 aFour sturgeon species have been reported to exist in Greek waters: The Atlantic sturgeon, the great sturgeon, the stellate sturgeon and the Adriatic sturgeon. The Atlantic sturgeon Acipenser sturio L., 1758 has an almost regular presence in the Evros River (Aegean Sea), and is rather rare in the Pinios and Acheloos Rivers. The great sturgeon or beluga Huso huso L., 1758 is suspected to be an occasional visitor in Greek waters, or it is a case of undocumented information. The presence of the stellate sturgeon Acipenser stellatus Pallas, 1771 has been recently verified by a specimen caught close to the Thracian shore. The Adriatic sturgeon Aciprnser naccarii Bonaparte, 1836 is supposed to have its southern distribution limits in the waters around the island of Corfu, although this information has never been confirmed. The distribution of these species is obviously related to salinity, probably prohibiting the extension of other sturgeon species to the Mediterranean, except for A. sturio. The discontinuous distribution of H. huso and A. stellatus may be a result of sea-level changes, while salinity played some role in the last period of glaciation. In the marine area of the Evros River A. sturio has been economically significant until 1975, supporting a small black caviar industry. Since then, the species has become rare mainly because of overfishing, and the reduction and pollution of the Evros River, in the upstream of which some important sturgeon spawning sites have been located.10aAcipenser naccarii10aAcipenser stellatus10aConservation status10aGreece10aHuso huso10aPisces10aproduction1 aEconomidis, P.S.1 aKoutrakis, E.T.1 aBobori, D.C.  uhttps://icgf.myspecies.info/content/distribution-and-conservation-acipenser-sturio-l-1758-and-related-species-greek-waters