European sturgeon (Acipenser sturio)
Key Details
| Taxonomic Groups: | Vertebrate > bony fish (Actinopterygii) > Fish |
| Red List Status: | Not Applicable (Not Relevant) [NA(nr)] |
| D5 Status: | |
| Section 41 Status: | (not listed) |
| Taxa Included Synonym: | Common Sturgeon |
| UKSI Recommended Name: | Acipenser sturio |
| UKSI Recommended Authority: | Linnaeus, 1758 |
| UKSI Recommended Qualifier: | (none specified) |
| Red List Citation: | Nunn et al., 2023 |
| Notes on taxonomy/listing: | Historically only thought to be one species of sturgeon in UK waters but now it is known that Acipenser oxyrhinchius was also present. Section 41 listing requires to be updated. A.sturio categorised as vagrant and so not considered. Will reassess if spawning in England is confirmed. |
Criteria
| Question 1: | Does species need conservation or recovery in England? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | Historic records indicate that European sturgeon was present in numbers in English waters and demonstrated signs of intent to spawn (aggregated seasonal runs in rivers, running milt, full of roe etc). The Red Listing assessment could be revisited based on this. |
| Question 2: | Does recovery/ conservation depend on species-specific actions? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | The European sturgeon has been regularly recorded in English waters and so specific species recovery actions such as habitat restoration and reintroduction should be considered. |
| Question 3: | At a landscape scale, would the species benefit from untargeted habitat management to increase habitat mosaics, structural diversity, or particular successional stages? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | Sturgeon spp are diadromous fish who spend many years in the coastal environment before returning to rivers to spawn. Sturgeon need free migratory passage to spawning grounds. Spawning habitat requires gravels or hard substrate for eggs to stick to. Both would benefit other species. |
Species Assessment
| Current step on the Species Recovery Curve (SRC): | 2. Biological status assessment exists |
| Recovery potential/expectation: | Low - Relict or natural rarity |
| National Monitoring Resource: | Opportunistic - insufficient |
| Species Comments: | Both sturgeon species are being reintroduced on continental Europe. Both are highly migratory and may arrive in English waters in a 'do nothing' scenario. A UK sturgeon recovery strategy and action plan was published in 2023 (McCormick et al., 2023) |
Key Actions
Key Action 1
Proposed Action: Revisit Species Red Listing once the UK Sturgeon Historic Record Database and Map project has concluded which will include historic distribution including locations where there was evidence of intent to spawn.
Action targets: 2. Biological status assessment exists
Action type: Status survey/review
Duration: 1 year
Scale of Implementation: National
High priority sites:
Comments:
Key Action 2
Proposed Action: Determine if reintroduction is a suitable conservation action through structured decision making (in accordance with Defra Reintroduction and other Conservation Translocation Code).
Action targets: 5. Remedial action identified
Action type: Ex situ conservation
Duration: 2 years
Scale of Implementation: National
High priority sites:
Comments:
Key Action 3
Proposed Action: Determine the suitability of supporting habitats in priority rivers, which will include the Severn, Ouse (Yorkshire), Trent, and Thames, and where found unsuitable determine which restoration actions should be undertaken in these key catchments.
Action targets: 5. Remedial action identified
Action type: Status survey/review
Duration: 2 years
Scale of Implementation: National
High priority sites:
Comments:
Acknowledgment:
Data used on this website are adapted from Threatened species recovery actions 2025 baseline (JP065): Technical report and spreadsheet user guide (Natural England, 2025). Available here.