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Bucharest, Romania – Nine countries along the Danube River have joined forces to protect some of Europe’s most endangered species: the sturgeons. On 9–10 July, thirteen project partners and strategic allies – including national ministries, universities, NGOs and research bodies – gathered in Bucharest to launch “MonStur in the Danube,” a new cross-border effort to monitor and protect these ancient migratory fish.

Sturgeons, the most endangered group of species worldwide, are facing a perilous situation in Europe. These migratory species, which once freely swam from the Black Sea up to Germany, now find their ecological corridors severed by multiple barriers. Human interventions - such as hydropower, sediment extraction, navigation, river channelisation, by-catch and illegal fishing - are exerting severe pressure on habitats and populations, calling for immediate, coordinated actions.

In the wake of what has been declared the nation's 'worst-ever natural disaster,’ more than 70% of Slovenia's territory, predominantly situated in the Danube River Basin, has been severely affected by extreme flooding. The scale of this catastrophe has led to billions of Euros in damages and a tragic loss of lives.

A recent large-scale modelling study has shown that restoring floodplains and reconnecting cut-off water bodies with the Danube River, and its tributaries could play a significant role in improving water quality and removing nitrate pollution in the Danube River Basin.