Vol. 75 (4) 2023

ARTICLES

Mapping Sturgeon Foraging Areas in the North-Western Black Sea: Scientific Support for the Sustainable Management of Marine Resources

Victor Niță†, Aurelia Țoțoiu*, Magda Nenciu†, Alina Spînu†, Camelia Dumitrache,
Cristian Danilov & Dragoş Diaconu

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*National Institute for Marine Research and Development “Grigore Antipa“, 300 Mamaia Blvd., 900581 Constanța, Romania
†These authors contributed equally to this work and share first authorship.

https://doi.org/10.71424/azb75.4.002700

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Abstract
The study of fish diet composition can provide valuable information on the ecology and ethology of wild populations, even more so in the case of endangered species such as Black Sea sturgeons. The area off the Danube mouths (Western Black Sea shelf, Romania) represents a traditional feeding ground of the family Acipenseridae. At the same time, in recent years, the marine zone of the Danube Delta has become targeted by beam-trawl fisheries of the invasive gastropod Rapana venosa, with a potential destructive impact on benthic habitats. In this context, the present study aimed at mapping of sturgeon foraging areas in order to propose appropriate management measures. Zoobenthos samples and stomach contents were analysed in order to identify the feeding preferences of the three sturgeon species investigated (Huso huso, Acipenser gueldenstaedtii and Acipenser stellatus). Stomach contents samples were collected from 15 individuals using the non-invasive technique of gastric lavage. Zoobenthos samples were taken from the same sampling points, as well as from the established zoobenthos sampling area covering the 20–40 m isobath of the Danube Delta – marine zone (ROSCI0066). The study revealed that A. gueldenstaedtii prefers food items belonging to the group Bivalvia, H. huso mostly feeds on fish and molluscs while, in A. stellatus, the highest dominance was achieved by polychaetes. Overall, a high dominance of polychaetes was recorded in both zoobenthos samples and sturgeon stomach contents, with the highest Index of Relative Importance (IRI – 45.60%) in A. stellatus. The study indicated that food availability played an important role in fish diet selection. Fish also recorded a high IRI (23.90%) in the food array of the three sturgeon species, while molluscs recorded an IRI of 13.90%. The identified foraging areas were subsequently mapped using a GIS software, ultimately aiming at providing a sound scientific background for an ecosystem–based management of these valuable species, taking into account the potential impact of invasive fishing methods (beam-trawling) on the feeding habitats of sturgeons.

Key words
foraging grounds; sturgeons; beam-trawling; conservation; Black Sea

How to Cite
Niță V., Țoțoiu A., Nenciu M., Spînu A., Dumitrache C., Danilov C. & Diaconu D. 2023. Mapping Sturgeon Foraging Areas in the North-Western Black Sea: Scientific Support for the Sustainable Management of Marine Resources. Acta zoologica bulgarica 75 (4) 527-539.

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