[ EVENTS ] Action Plan under the Bern Convention and EU Habitats Directive. The declaration provides decision makers and other stakeholders with a basis for future actions
and shows how sturgeons can be saved from extinction. Tudor Ionescu, Director, Research and Development Centre for Sturgeon, noted that two days of intensive
Conference attracts broad European representation The conference was jointly organised by “Dunarea de Jos� University of Galati (Research and Development Centre for Sturgeon, Aquatic Habitats and Biodiversity), the DSTF (Danube Sturgeon Task Force), the Romanian Ministry of Water and Forests, the Romanian Ministry of Environment, NAFA (Romanian National Agency for Fisheries and Aquaculture), WSCS (World Sturgeon Conservation Society) and WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature), and it took place under
the patronage of the Romanian Presidency of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region and the Romanian Academy. The 120 delegates to the Conference represented ďŹ sheries, water and environmental administrations, the scientiďŹ c community, European Commission, and civil society from Austria, Bulgaria, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, Georgia, Germany, France, Hungary, Italy, Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine.
work had born fruitful results. “I strongly believe that the “Gala‍܊‏i Declarationâ€? represents the beginning of new and much stronger collaborations between specialists and officials from the Danube and Black Sea countries. The conference motto “Together for Sturgeonsâ€? will be the guide for action because sturgeons don´t know borders, so their conservation and recovery require urgent cross-border efforts. This joint declaration provides the necessary context for treating causes rather than effects and will improve the Danube Sturgeons status in Danube and Black Sea Basinâ€? he said. The declaration emphasises, “the need to have a sound and improved monitoring of sturgeonâ€? and urges “all competent
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authorities to enhance the monitoring considerably to ensure more accurate cross-border assessment of sturgeons populations, including the establishment of joint monitoring working group�. It recommends anchoring sturgeon conservation in relevant macroregional strategies and the Black Sea Maritime Agenda� and called on “the European Commission and the competent authorities in EU candidate and Eastern Partnership countries to consider sturgeon conservation measures in their agreements on funding�. The full Galati Declaration can be consulted at http://www. sturgeon.ugal.ro/images/2019/ Galati_Declaration.pdf Toni Bartulin, EUROFISH, toni.bartulin@eurofish.dk
05/02/20 10:14 AM
