Danube name meaning "strong, swift" (akin to Sanskrit "iṣiras" "swift"). In Latin, the Danube was variously known as ' or as '. The Dacian/Thracian name was "Donaris" for the upper Danube and "Istros" for the lower Danube. The Thraco-Phrygian name was "Matoas", "the bringer of luck". The Latin name is masculine, as are all its Slavic names, except Slovenian, (the name of the Rhine is also masculine in Latin, most of the Slavic languages, as well as in German). The German "Donau" (Early Modern German "Donaw, Tonaw", Middle High German "Tuonowe") is feminine, as it has been re-interpreted as containing the
International Association for Danube Research in the discussion and development of the “Guiding principles on sustainable hydropower development in the Danube Basin” and made major contributions concerning the ecological connectivity of the aquatic ecosystems and the classification of sensitive ecological areas. IAD members are active in the Danube Sturgeon Task Force and also are involved in a number of EU and its "EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR)" project initiatives. The DSTF aims to coordinate and foster the conservation of native sturgeon species in the Danube River Basin and the adjacent Black Sea by the implementation of the Sturgeon Action Plan adopted under the