Three sturgeon species—the common European (Acipenser sturio), beluga (Huso huso), and Adriatic sturgeon (Acipenser naccarii) - coexisted in the Po River Basin until the mid-1970s, embodying centuries of bio-cultural heritage for northern Italy’s riverine communities. Despite their cultural and economic importance, the dynamics of their decline have remained largely undocumented.

This study reconstructs the final phase of natural sturgeon populations in the Po through a systematic analysis of quantitative sources from 1970 to 1990, including scientific monitoring records, fish market auction data, grey literature, and interviews with veteran fishermen. Results reveal distinct extinction trajectories: the beluga disappeared by 1974, the last common sturgeon was captured in 1984, while the Adriatic sturgeon persisted longer, surviving in the Po with low but stable numbers.

Overfishing emerges as the principal driver of decline. Historical fisheries targeted spawning migrations along the river, but mechanisation from the 1960s—motorised boats and nylon nets—greatly intensified pressure. Coastal trawling in the northwestern Adriatic further impacted anadromous sturgeons across their life cycle, compounding losses. Although a ministerial decree in 1987 introduced a 100 cm minimum landing size, this regulation arrived too late to prevent collapse.

By integrating ecological, economic, and oral histories, this research provides the first comprehensive baseline of pristine sturgeon populations in the Po River ecosystem. It illustrates how technological intensification and unsustainable exploitation dismantled centuries-old ecological and cultural relationships. The decline of sturgeons in the Po reflects the broader interdependence between functional river ecosystems and human societies, as well as the urgent responsibility to safeguard this intertwined natural and cultural heritage, with a common aim between conservation and community engagement. These findings provide essential context for ongoing restoration efforts, such as the Life Restore Project, which aims to strengthen past restocking efforts for the Adriatic sturgeon, carried out over the last 35 years.
 

Acipenser naccarii, Acipenser sturio, Huso huso, fish conservation, bio-cultural heritage, Po River restoration