Species profiles: life histories and environmental requirements of coastal fishes and invertebrates (South Atlantic) - Atlantic sturgeon

Technical Report · Sun Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1984

OSTI ID:6101973

Van Den Avyle, M J

The Atlantic sturgeon, Acipenser oxyrhynchus oxyrhynchus, is an anadromous species that occupies rivers, estuaries, and nearshore waters along the entire Atlantic coast of the United States. The species once supported significant commercial fisheries throughout its range, but stocks have declined because of overfishing, deterioration of water quality, and damming of rivers. Atlantic sturgeon spawn in rivers and the young remain in freshwater for several years prior to emigration to the ocean. Little is known about spawning areas and associated environmental factors. Females typically do not mature until age X and the age at first spawning ranges from 5 to 13 years for males and 7 to 19 years for females. Longevity may frequently exceed 25 years. Immature and adult sturgeons are bottom feeders and consume a variety of mollusks, crustaceans, worms, and other small bottom-dwelling invertebrates and fishes. Little is know about competitors, predators, or effects of environmental factors on recruitment. The long period required to reach maturity, possibly irregular spawning thereafter, and prolonged reliance on river systems make juvenile and adult Atlantic sturgeon highly susceptible to habitat alterations, pollution, and over exploitation. 49 references, 2 figures, 4 tables.

• Research Organization: Georgia Univ., Athens (USA). School of Forest Resources
• OSTI ID: 6101973
• Report Number(s): FWS/OBS-82/11.25; ON: TI85900638
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

520100* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Basic Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ANADROMOUS FISHES
ANIMAL GROWTH
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ATLANTIC OCEAN
COASTAL WATERS
DATA
DATA COMPILATION
ECOLOGY
ESTUARIES
FISHES
FISHING INDUSTRY
GROWTH
HABITAT
INDUSTRY
INFORMATION
LIFE SPAN
NUMERICAL DATA
POPULATION DYNAMICS
REPRODUCTION
RIVERS
SEAS
STREAMS
SURFACE WATERS
VERTEBRATES