MonStur in the Danube – Establishing, testing and launching a transboundary system for Monitoring Sturgeons, to manage and safeguard migratory fish in the Danube River Basin

 

MonStur in the Danube tackles one of the most urgent ecological challenges in the Danube River Basin: the dramatic decline of migratory fish, especially sturgeons, caused by disrupted river continuity and fragmented habitats. The project establishes the first transboundary sturgeon monitoring system covering the entire Danube River Basin, enabling countries to jointly assess sturgeon populations, habitats, and ecological corridors. By integrating fragmented data from past and ongoing initiatives into a single, compatible system aligned with existing Danube-wide monitoring frameworks, MonStur provides a solid scientific foundation for conservation, policy development, and long-term protection of these critically endangered species.

Through strengthened governance, stakeholder cooperation, and the application of innovative monitoring methods, MonStur turns data into action. The project supports closer collaboration between biodiversity and water authorities, improves awareness and policy coordination, and closes key knowledge gaps on sturgeon life-cycle habitats such as spawning, nursery, and wintering sites. Using state-of-the-art, cost-efficient tools like side-scan sonar and eDNA sampling, MonStur identifies and monitors critical habitats across ten countries. The results feed directly into new conservation measures, improved policies, and a sustainable, long-term system that safeguards sturgeons and enhances ecological connectivity throughout the Danube River Basin.

 

Basic information

Start date: 01-04-2025

End date: 31-03-2028

Budget in Euro: Overall: 2.071.966

Priority: A greener, low- carbon Danube Region

Specific objective: Protecting and preserving the biodiversity in ecological corridors and eco-regions of transnational relevance

More information is available via the following website: DRP – MonStur in the Danube