The European sturgeon (acipenser sturio) is imminently threatened with extinction. Just a residual stock is still found in the Gironde delta in the south of France. The species grows to a great size and has a long life, but it has suffered considerably from over-intensive fishing and waterway development.
In the sea the fish grow to reach a length of as much as 2.5 metres. They then travel up big rivers to spawn. Endeavours are being made at the present time, based on international cooperative partnerships, with a view to saving the species.
