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Sturgeons are one of the most valuable species in the Caspian Sea. There, habitation of the seabed and feeding on benthic organisms makes this species a good indicator of trace element status. Thus, we aimed to determine the concentrations of 31 trace elements in the pectoral fin spine of starry sturgeons, and to evaluate the relationships between the different chemical elements. For this, a total of 40 starry sturgeons were obtained in a repopulation programme from the coastal waters north and south of the Caspian Sea. First, we used a multivariate analysis of variance to establish the differences between zones. Later, to assess relationships between trace elements, we used principal component analysis and cluster analysis. In general, the concentration of many trace elements did not vary between zones. However, some elements, including mercury or arsenic, were found in the north areas at higher concentrations. • The concentration of most of the trace elements did not generally differ in the various zones sampled. • Higher concentrations appear in the sampling sites in the north than in the southern areas in the Caspian Sea. • Higher concentrations could be related due to anthropogenic activity in the sampled area. • Some very toxic heavy metals, such as mercury or arsenic, were found in the north areas at high concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]