2012. Review of Significant Trade - Cites

Huso huso
Table 6. CITES export quotas for wild-sourced Huso huso meat originating in Azerbaijan and
associated global trade, 2003-2011 (quantities rounded to the nearest tenth of a kg, where
applicable).
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Quota* (kg) 2800 - 2880 1 - - 3000 0 # 0 0 #
Reported by
Exporter (kg) 99.5 666
Reported by
Importer (kg)
Source: CITES Trade Database, UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Centre, Cambridge, UK
* From 2008 onwards the quota year runs from 1 st March to 28 th February of the following year, whilst trade is
reported by calendar year
# No export quota communicated to the Secretariat
1 Applies to meat and products
Management: Azerbaijan established a moratorium on commercial fishing for H. huso in
2009, with a reservation for a quota for scientific research and reproduction (Anonymous,
2010, cited in Sharov, 2011; the CITES MA of Azerbaijan, R. Hajiyev in litt. to UNEP-WCMC,
2011). Previously, sturgeon fishing regulations in Azerbaijan included requirement of a
license (since 2000), no fishing in the open sea, a closed season in May and a minimum size
limit of 165 cm in the Kura River and 180 cm in coastal waters (Raymakers, 2002a).
Mamedli (2006), representing the CITES MA of Azerbaijan, reported that Azerbaijan had
adopted a number of laws to regulate and control illegal trade, including illegal sturgeon
fishing. These included the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan on fishing, Fishing
Regulations, and Regulations governing sales and use of sturgeon. Export of caviar was
reported to be restricted to a single customs crossing point, namely Baku airport (Mamedli,
2006). The Bioresources Guard Service, in close contact with the competent agencies of the
Azerbaijan Ministry of Internal Affairs, was performs anti-poaching activities and constant
control of fisheries regulations compliance, combat illegal catches and conduct surveillance
of probable sites of poachers (FAO, 2009). In 2008, 164 cases of violation of fishery
regulations (not limited to H. huso) were identified (FAO, 2009).
The fishing industry was reported to be centralised, with three large companies trading
sturgeon (WWF, 2010). The caviar industry was reported to be mainly controlled by the
Czech-Azerbaijani consortium TIC HU (Carocci, 2004). The restocking programme initiated
by the former Soviet Union in the 1960s was considered to have been particularly important
for H. huso (TRAFFIC International et al., 2000). Four sturgeon hatcheries were reported to
operate in Azerbaijan; forming a stock of mature sturgeon was considered to be a priority
due to the decline in number of mature individuals spawning in rivers (WWF, 2010).
BULGARIA
Distribution in range State: H. huso was reported to occur in the Danube River and along
the Bulgarian section of the Black Sea (A. Tsekov in litt. to UNEP-WCMC, 2011), where it
forms part of the Black Sea population, breeding in spring (early April) and in autumn (end
of September) (CITES Management Authority of Bulgaria, cited in TRAFFIC International et
al., 2000).
Its principal spawning sites in the Danube River are situated between 863 km (The Iron
Gates 2) and 755 km (the Island of Petrich) (Jivkov et al., 2003; T. Slaveykova in litt. to UNEP-
WCMC, 2011), with 13 reported between the villages of Vrav and the Island of Petrich
(Zhivkov et al., 2001, cited in A. Tsekov in litt. to UNEP-WCMC, 2011).
Population trends and status: Detailed studies on the number, age-size composition,
migration, distribution and reproduction of H. huso have not yet been conducted in Bulgaria,
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