Young sturgeon with floytag @Jessica Bathe-Peters
On April 21, 2026, the first stocking measure of the year for the reintroduction of the Baltic sturgeon was carried out in Stützkow. A total of 400 individuals were released into the Oder River. Of these, 200 were young sturgeons measuring approximately 15 to 18 centimeters, which had been reared locally along the Oder, and 200 were larger individuals from warm-water rearing, weighing between 500 and 900 grams, originating from the stock of the State Research Institute for Agriculture and Fisheries of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (LFA).
To ensure reliable identification in fisheries, the smaller sturgeons were fitted with so-called spaghetti tags. This allows them to be immediately recognized as stocked fish when caught, which contributes to higher survival rates.
The measure was accompanied by British artist Florence Wooley, who documented the project on film.
The stocking is part of extensive activities within the framework of the Haffstör project. The aim of the project is to re-establish a self-sustaining population of Baltic sturgeon in the Oder River and thereby restore an important component of native aquatic ecosystems. As part of the initiative, approximately 25,000 juvenile fish are released into the Oder each year. The project is part of a Baltic Sea–wide effort coordinated under the Helsinki Convention by the Baltic coastal states to conserve the species.
