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The European sturgeon was abundant in the North Sea river basins in Germany. Up to the beginning of the 20th century, the species was of major commercial value in the rivers Rhine, Ems, Weser, Elbe and Eider as well as their main tributaries. Its decline began in the 1870s in the River Weser and then in the river Stör, a tributary of the River Elbe. The last documented reproduction was in 1957 in the River Oste. River catches were last notified in 1969 in the river Eider and in 1972 in the River Ems. By-catches were notified in coastal waters up to 1994 with the catching of a specimen near to Helgoland Island.
The European sturgeon is strictly protected by German Federal Laws (Federal Nature Conservation Act & Nature Conservation Acts). Fishing for the species is also forbidden under Federal Laws. The sale and transport of the species has been banned by a ministerial Order since June 1976. A single site has been designated under the Natura 2000 network due to the species' absence in the rivers and its extreme rarity in national maritime zone.
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At the beginning of the 19th century, the European sturgeon was abundant in the river Meuse as far upstream as Liege. Its disappearance from the Meuse basin seems to date from the years 1840-1850, the species thus having the doubtful honour of being the first species to become extinct in Wallonia.
In Wallonia, the species is totally protected by the Nature Conservation Act dated 12th July 1973 and stipulated by Decree on 6th December 2001. This legal protection bans the intentional catching and killing of individual specimens in the wild, as well as forbidding the destruction or collection of the sturgeon’s eggs, the deterioration or destruction of spawning grounds, keeping or selling injured, sick or dead animals. The same Act also bans keeping, transporting, exchanging, selling, purchasing or donating specimens of this species caught in the wild, as well as their public exhibition.
This Act also forbids the release of non-native species into the environment and individuals of native species from non-native stock. The same Act outlaws the reintroduction of native species. Exceptions to these regulations are possible and require authorisation in accordance with the Decree dated 6th December 2001. Even though releasing non-native sturgeons is clearly forbidden in the Walloon region, this legislation is not always adhered to: accidental escape or intentional release often occur and it is impossible to provide any details of the numbers involved.
In Flanders, the European sturgeon is protected by law through a total ban on catching this fish, imposed by Regional Government Decision on 20th May 1992 that transposed the River Fishing Act of 1st July 1954. The Regional Government Decision dated 21st April 1993 relating to the introduction of non-native species banned the introduction into the environment of any species not present in Belgium within the last 50 years, but this Decision has been abolished.
The River Fishing Act of 1st July 1954 also outlawed the introduction of fish into water used by the public. If other types of sturgeon are present in Flemish public waters, this is the consequence of accidental escape from fish farms or garden centres. It would be unusual and exceptional for a non-native sturgeon to be caught in Flemish waters.
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The European sturgeon has been listed in the Spanish National Catalogue of threatened species (Catálogo Nacional de Especies Amenazadas) since 2000, in the "species in danger" category through a decision of the Minister of the Environment dated 21st October 2002 (Decision MAM/2734/2002, published in Official Notice n° 2065 dated 5th December 2002). This decision amended the list and category of threatened species included in the previous version of the Catalogue set up by Act n°4/1989 dated 28th March 1989 for the conservation of natural sites and wild fauna and flora, as well as by Royal Decree n°439/1990 dated 30th March 1990. The inclusion of the European sturgeon in the National Catalogue means that autonomous Spanish Communities have adopted restoration plans for this species, which have not yet been developed to date .
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In France, the fishing and sale of European sturgeon is forbidden by interministerial Order dated 25th January 1982. This protection has been extended by the interministerial decision made in December 2004 to particular habitats used by the species and outlaws their destruction or deterioration.
Any sturgeon that is caught by accident must be put back into the water. The authorities can exceptionally issue dispensations to these prohibitions and obligations for particular reasons; for example as part of a research and conservation programme for the rehabilitation of the population.
The Ministry of Ecology, Energy, Sustainable Development and Land Development decided in June 2008 to study a project for a natural marine park within the Gironde estuary and its outside zone, as well in the Pertuis Charente; undoubtedly known for their heritage value, due especially to the presence of flagship species, one of which is the last population of the European sturgeon in the world. This project has been set up under the Grenelle Environment proposals to promote sustainable and planned management of coastal resources and the setting up of 10 natural marine parks between now and 2012. The first results from this study, conducted by the Prefets (Prefet Maritime de l’Atlantique, the Prefets of Gironde and Charente-Maritime) and in full cooperation with all of the interested parties, are expected by the end of the first half-year 2009. A marine park such as this would, above all, be a means of providing security for the major economic stakes involved in the use of the natural resources, particularly fishing and shellfish farming, thanks to the sustainable management of the ecosystems. It would also enable the natural heritage sites, which attract tourists to this area, to be protected
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Catching, keeping, transporting and trading of European sturgeon has been banned since 1980 by a ministerial ruling (Decree) on the catching of cetaceans, turtles and sturgeon by the Merchant Navy, and this has since been backed up by a ministerial Decree dated 3rd May 1989.
Italy transposed the Habitat Guidelines through the Decree of the President of the Republic number 537 dated 8th September 1997, subsequently amended and incorporated by Ministerial Decree on 20th January 1999 and by Decree of the President of the Republic number 120 dated 12th March 2003.
On a regional scale, the European sturgeon and all other indigenous species of sturgeon have particular legal protection in Lombardy, Veneto and Emilia-Romagna, where catches are banned throughout the year for all fish sizes under regional laws and regulations. A certain number of historically important sites for the reproduction of the European sturgeon and the feeding grounds of the juveniles have been identified, although the species is considered to no longer be present in these areas. The last specimen of European sturgeon caught in Italy in November 1991 in Livenza, in the community of Quinto di Treviso, is conserved at the Natural History Museum in Venice.
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The populations of different sturgeon species (Acipenser stellatus, Acipenser naccarii and Huso huso) have progressively collapsed at the end of the 1970s. Up to 1975 there was still small-scale fishing and trade in European sturgeon caviar on the River Evros in the north-west of Greece. Even though the species is probably extinct in Greece, the species remains officially protected.
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It seems that the European sturgeon should be considered as being extinct in the Netherlands, in particular in river waters. However, this fish is strictly protected by the Fauna and Flora Act. Any person planning an activity that may damage the sturgeon must obtain authorisation, which, in most cases, will be refused. However, to date there is no knowledge available to confirm or refute the presence of this species in Dutch waters and therefore it can not be demonstrated that any human activity may have an impact on it.
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The European sturgeon enjoys complete protection in the UK under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981). This Act consolidates and complements national legislation that exists to implement the Bern Convention and the Conservation of Wild Birds Directive in Great Britain, making it an offence to intentionally kill or injure, take, possess or trade in any species of animal that is listed in this schedule. It also prohibits any interference or disturbance of the habitats that it occupies. The European sturgeon was added to this schedule in 1992.
No Special Conservation Zone has been suggested for this species in Great Britain under the Habitats Directive due to its sporadic and erratic presence and the degree of uncertainty on the status of this migratory fish in British waters.
The UK Biodiversity Partnership is in charge of implementing the British Action Plan for Biodiversity pursuant to the Convention of Biological Diversity. The Society published an up-to-date report on the status of species and habitats in the UK in June 2007. The new list adopted in August 2007 highlights 65 habitats and 1,150 species, including the European sturgeon. At the beginning of 2008, the European sturgeon was listed as a priority conservation species.
Edward II granted the sturgeon the status of "royal" species. Since the 14th century, the sturgeon has indeed been considered as a Royal Fish. Tradition has it that any specimen captured should first be offered to the Monarch, this also includes the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cornwall if the fish was caught in that county. The last recorded catch that was offered and accepted by the Crown dates back to 1969.
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Sturgeon 
