Fishermen weighed the largest freshwater fish

On 8^th March 2023, after three years, the RIFCH FFPW USB Genetic Fishery Centre staff in Vodnany was catching for subsequent weighing the broodstock of beluga (Huso huso).

Sturgeons are a very ancient group of the Chondrostei superorder that have hardly changed in more than 200 million years of their existence. Their main and distinctive features are their non-standard body shape covered with rows of scutes, a snout and a mouth on the underside of the head. Unfortunately, wild populations of these majestic fish have been declining significantly around the world for many decades. Therefore, one of the main focuses of the staff at our hatchery (GFC RIFCH FFPW USB) is to make every effort to preserve and protect the genetic resources of our native Chondrostean fish species.

The gene pool collection of acipenseriform fish, which currently numbers an impressive eleven species, is quite unique and it represents the most species-diverse sturgeon breeding in Central Europe.

The Genetic Fishery Centre of the RIFCH FFPW USB trains not only domestic and foreign Ph.D. students. It was a group of students of the 1^st year of the follow-up master’s programme of our faculty that had this fantastic opportunity during this catch. We believe that thanks to these activities we will develop a love for nature, ecology and fishery in our students and in the future, we will be able to look forward to seeing the results of their work based on the knowledge and practice gained also at our faculty.

You can see more photos on our facebook page.