Species Description

Atlantic sturgeon are an anadromous bony fish that are distinguishable from other fish by five rows of bony scutes along the length of their body, a protrusible mouth, and heterocercal tail. They are slow growing and late maturing, and have been recorded to reach up to 16 feet in length and 60 years of age. Atlantic sturgeon can be found in major rivers, estuaries, bays and coastal waters along the eastern seaboard of the United States.

Atlantic Sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus)

Some Protections for the Atlantic Sturgeon Include:

• It is illegal to fish for, catch or keep Atlantic sturgeon commercially or recreationally

Current Status

In 1990, a 20-40 year moratorium on all Atlantic sturgeon fisheries was issued by ASMFC. NOAA Fisheries Service then closed the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) to Atlantic sturgeon take in 1999. Following these actions and a workshop held in 2003 on Atlantic sturgeon, NOAA Fisheries Service initiated a second review of the status of Atlantic sturgeon. In 2007, A Status Review Team (SRT) consisting of Federal biologists from NOAA Fisheries Service, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) completed a Status Review of Atlantic sturgeon (Status Review for Atlantic Sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) in the United States.

What’s New

NOAA Fisheries Service is currently making a determination on whether listing Atlantic sturgeon as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act is warranted based upon the best available scientific and commercial fisheries information.

International Protection

• Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) protects Atlantic sturgeon and other sturgeons by regulating international trade in listed species of plants and animals
• The IUCN classifies Atlantic sturgeon as “near threatened” on their Red List of threatened species.
• Atlantic sturgeon have not been listed and are not under consideration for Canada’s Species At Risk Act (SARA)

List of NOAA Fisheries Projects Funded for Species of Concern

NOAA Fisheries Funding Opportunities

Outreach

Links:

• NOAA Fisheries Service - Office of Protected Resources
• Atlantic State Marine Fisheries Commission
• SCUTES – Students Collaborating to Undertake Tracking Efforts for Sturgeon (Under Construction)
• American Fisheries Society
• World Sturgeon Conservation Society
• Chesapeake Bay Program