Order No. RD09-1044/20.11.2025 and No. RD-882/05.12.2025 on the introduction of a permanent ban on catching sturgeon species in the Bulgarian waters of the Danube River and the Black Sea.

This Order establishes an indefinite prohibition on the fishing of Russian sturgeon (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii), Sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus), Starry sturgeon (Acipenser stellatus), and Beluga (Huso huso) within the Bulgarian waters of the Danube River and the Black Sea. It states that any accidental catches must be returned to the water immediately, regardless of their condition. The measure prohibits the storage, transport, and sale of these species or products derived from them when caught in the wild.
Commercial vessel captains are required to record specific biological data for all accidental catches in official logbooks. These restrictions do not apply to specimens raised in registered aquaculture facilities or those caught for authorized scientific research, provided they are not retained. Enforcement and monitoring are assigned to the Executive Agency for Fisheries and Aquaculture (IAFA) and the Regional Inspectorates of Environment and Water.