focus fishing

Atlantic sturgeon

SPECIES INFORMATION

  • Atlantic sturgeon or Acipenser oxyrinchus is an ancient fish, which dates to almost 70 million years. The adult fish can be found from Canada (Ungava Bay – 1416 miles) to Florida (Suwannee River -213 miles). They can also be found in the Baltic Sea and in Europe. These migrate from the oceans to the coastal estuaries and from the rivers to the spawn. The fish lives in coastal waters and rivers.
  • The Atlantic sturgeon is a member of the Acipenseridae family. It is considered to be a living fossil. The Acipenser oxyrinchus has two subspecies of which the Atlantic sturgeon is one. The other is the Gulf Sturgeon.
  • The Atlantic sturgeon was used for recreational and commercial fishing. The Atlantic Sturgeon is caught by the fisheries operation in the riverine waters and through the marine species range using a gillnet which is modified, considering the need for conservation of this species.

SIZE

The Atlantic sturgeon grows to reach around 800lbs, which is almost equal to 370 kilos. It grows in size to 4.3 meters or 14 feet. The fish is slow growing and matures late. Its lifespan is around 60 years.

RANGE

The range of the Atlantic sturgeon includes the river system and the major estuaries from Canada to Florida. The Atlantic sturgeon is found through this range but its spawning occurs only in 22 of the 38 of the historical spawning rivers. Due to overfishing, the natal population is lesser than its historical levels. The fish is also known to be found in the northern Canadian rivers in Newfoundland and Labrador. It is also found in the northern Gulf of Mexico in French Guiana and Bermuda.

HABITAT

Either the Atlantic sturgeon swim all alone or they occur in smaller groups. These inhabit the shallow waters in the continental shelf. They exist in the coastal brackish waters or the marine waters and to a depth of 50m. To spawn, these enter into the large river systems. These also prefer the freshwater river bottom habitat when in the Chesapeake Bay.

The quality of the habitat is important for the survival of this species. Increase in deforestation and development has reduced the forest littler- decayed organic matter that is found on the floors of the forest, which enters into the rivers and streams. This is important for the attachment and survival of the egg.

For the survival of the juveniles and adults, the water quality is also important. If there is an excess of nutrients in the waterways then this creates a bloom of phytoplankton which when dies, uses lots of oxygen to decompose. This leads to a low level of dissolved oxygen levels in the bottom. It creates a problem for the egg and the larva to grow and the sturgeon to feed on.

DIET

Atlantic sturgeon mostly feed on worms, snails, shellfish crustaceans, small fish, and mollusks. They also feed on debris and mud in large amounts.

They use their barbles and snouts as bottom feeders that root through the sediments. It helps to vacuum the organism using their soft mouths.

[species-single]