Assessment of Present-Day Reproduction Efficiency in Stellate Sturgeon Acipenser stellatus in Different Spawning Zones of the Lower Volga

Studies performed from 1979 to 1998 provided data on the efficiency of natural reproduction of the stellate sturgeon Acipenser stellatus in the upper, middle, and lower spawning zones of the Volga. A correlation between the size of the progeny and environmental factors was revealed. Today, the main factors limiting the efficiency of reproduction in the stellate sturgeon are the numbers of fish admitted to the spawning grounds (especially in 1997 and 1998) and water level in the Volga during the summer low-water season. Measures to support natural reproduction of the stellate sturgeon are proposed.