Acipenser ruthenus

WelfareScore | farm

Li0  ❘  Po2  ❘  Ce0

Likelihood

Potential

Certainty

FishTalk

Acipenser ruthenus is the smallest of the sturgeon family. Its current populations are considered vulnerable, majorly due to overfishing and river disruption, and differ from the original in size and biology. Although there are farms rearing this species (many of them for repopulation purposes), it is farmed majorly interbred with Huso huso as 'bester'. There is lack of knowledge on its biology in the wild as well as under farming environment, where aspects such as aggregation, aggression, stress, and malformation rate remain undisclosed. A functional stunning and slaughter protocol remains to be established. Further research directed specifically to this species should be conducted to improve its present and prospective welfare state under farming conditions.