In this study, sturgeon juveniles (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii) were reared in open heated water at 18-22 ºC in hatchery conditions. Before they were transported to the Sakarya River, they had been acclimated directly and gradually from the heated water to the cold water (in 12.8ºC) tanks. During this study, condition factor, specific growth rate, feeding behaviour and mortality of sturgeon juveniles were investigated At the end of the study, live weight gains of sturgeon juveniles increased, but condition factor was decreased. No mortalities were recorded at two experimental groups. After the adaptation period of the experiment, in order to restore for sturgeon juveniles populations on the Black Sea coast of Turkey, sturgeon juveniles were released safely into the Sakarya River in 27 March 2001. This species could be good candidate for aquaculture in brackish waters owing to the recent success in artificial reproduction.

In this study, sturgeon juveniles (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii) were reared in open heated water at 18-22 ºC in hatchery conditions. Before they were transported to the Sakarya River, they had been acclimated directly and gradually from the heated water to the cold water (in 12.8ºC) tanks. During this study, condition factor, specific growth rate, feeding behaviour and mortality of sturgeon juveniles were investigated At the end of the study, live weight gains of sturgeon juveniles increased, but condition factor was decreased. No mortalities were recorded at two experimental groups. After the adaptation period of the experiment, in order to restore for sturgeon juveniles populations on the Black Sea coast of Turkey, sturgeon juveniles were released safely into the Sakarya River in 27 March 2001. This species could be good candidate for aquaculture in brackish waters owing to the recent success in artificial reproduction.