Huchen in the Danube: A population in peril

The Balkan rivers constitute the remaining global stronghold of the Danube Salmon (Hucho hucho). This species, among the world’s largest salmonid fishes, is very sensitive to ecosystem alteration by hydropower development. International experts came together for a workshop to assess and discuss its distribution and conservation status. Read this article excerpted from the newsletter of the IUCN SSC/WI Freshwater Fish Specialist Group on page 18 and 19 (Issue 5, June 2014).

Danube Salmon (Hucho hucho). It is likely that the center of the remaining population of this species – which was once wide-spread across the Danube basin – is concentrated in only a few rivers of the Danube river basin which are now threatened by dam construction Photo: Andreas Hart

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