A recent study conducted by researchers from Austria’s Boku University provides crucial insights into the status and conservation needs of Danube salmon, or huchen, populations within Bosnia’s Upper Drina Basin. The Balkans host an estimated 65% of the global huchen population, with the Drina Basin sustaining one of the largest self-supporting populations, though adult numbers hover at a critical 250.
The study reveals that tributaries like the Bistrica River are essential spawning sites. However, dam construction has already destroyed 25% of these areas. An additional 11 planned hydropower plants, three on the Drina and eight on tributaries, would further jeopardise unique huchen habitats, leading to probable extinction in the Upper Drina if built.
The research team also reported the urgent need to address poaching, which accounts for around 100 adult huchen taken annually, largely during the spring spawning season.
Given these threats, the study recommends immediate conservation efforts to prevent the catastrophic effects, including protecting river connectivity by stopping HPP construction and curtailing illegal fishing activities.
