Scientists caught a rare, endangered fish in the Danube

Experts from the State Agency for Land Reclamation and Fisheries of Ukraine have documented an extremely rare discovery: Black Sea salmon ($Salmo labrax$) were found in the Danube River. This species is listed in Ukraine’s Red Book and is considered one of the least studied and rarest members of the salmon family in the entire Black Sea basin.

The unique fish, weighing 3.9 kg, was found in one of the commercial fishing gear. This occurred during a joint fisheries protection raid involving scientists from the Black Sea Department of the Institute of Fisheries, Marine Ecology, and Oceanography, the Odessa Fisheries Protection Patrol, and the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. 

The appearance of this specimen in the catch during the spawning season caused quite a stir in the scientific community, as current data on the status of this population in Ukrainian waters is very limited.

Immediately after the salmon was discovered, biologists conducted a comprehensive analysis: they determined its sex, age, and morphometric characteristics and collected tissue samples. The genetic material obtained will be compared with European databases to determine the fish’s exact origin and track its migratory patterns. Ihor Klymenok, Head of the State Fisheries Agency, emphasized that every such recorded case is of immense importance for the development of future biodiversity conservation programs, and the collected information will officially be added to the national database on the protection of rare aquatic biological resources.

This was reported by the State Agency for Land Reclamation and Fisheries of Ukraine.