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Ecology and Vulnerability Atlantic Sturgeon
Documented observations of Atlantic Sturgeon shown in orange. Data were developed by the Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program as part of the MassGIS BioMap2 project.
HideDocumented observations of Atlantic Sturgeon shown in orange. Data were developed by the Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program as part of the MassGIS...
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Ecology and Vulnerability
Atlantic Sturgeon
Photo credit: Edith Carson/NOAA Fisheries
Background
Atlantic sturgeon are large pre-historic fish recognized by their five rows of protective scutes (bony plates), advanced barbel sensory system (similar to... Read More
Background
Atlantic sturgeon are large pre-historic fish recognized by their five rows of protective scutes (bony plates), advanced barbel sensory system (similar to whiskers), as well as their downward facing protrusible mouths. Adult sturgeon average 7 feet in length and can weigh up to 250 lbs 8. Historically, these fish were capable of reaching even larger sizes; there are anecdotes of fish reaching up to 18 feet in length in the Merrimack River in Massachusetts 19. Atlantic sturgeon can live for over 60 years, and reach sexual maturity anywhere from 5-25 years, depending on location and growth 2. They primarily feed on marine invertebrates, such as crustaceans, worms, and mollusks in estuarine habitats 14. Atlantic Sturgeon are often hard to distinguish from shortnosed sturgeon, but Atlantic sturgeon are larger, have narrower mouths, and longer snouts 8,15. Atlantic sturgeon occur in North America and Europe, with the North American population ranging from Quebec to the Gulf of Mexico.
- In the late 1800s, North American Atlantic sturgeon were heavily targeted for consumption and adults in particular were sought for their caviar.
- In 1898, commercial landings peaked in New York at 510,000 pounds.
- By 1900, they were largely extirpated throughout most of their range.
- By the year 1901, landings declined to 66,000 pounds 13.
- In 2012, New York Bight, Chesapeake Bay, Carolinas, and South Atlantic populations were listed as Endangered, while the Gulf of Maine population was listed as threatened 14.
Current threats to Atlantic sturgeon include accidental catch from commercial fishing gear, habitat obstruction (dams), and pollution. These anthropogenic stressors significantly impede the fish’s recovery 5,6,11,14. In Massachusetts, large river main-stem dams were constructed in the early to mid-1800s, significantly reducing sturgeon access to spawning habitat 3,9. Additional stressors such as ship strikes and low oxygen levels have been identified as negative influences on the sturgeon population 2,13,18.
Atlantic sturgeon are anadromous, spending most of their lives in salt or brackish water, but migrate to freshwater areas to spawn 14. They are known to spawn in the Connecticut River, Merrimack River, and Taunton River in Massachusetts 15. Spawning migration timing differs depending on latitude; populations in Massachusetts and the Gulf of Maine typically migrate up rivers from May to July, while populations in the South Atlantic migrate in February and, in some cases, September 2,8,17. This variation in spawning behavior is important for fisheries managers, particularly for avoiding the fishes as they move between fresh and salt water.
Climate Impacts
Atlantic sturgeon are vulnerable to many aspects of climate change, which will exacerbate losses from existing stressors such as pollution and fishing pressure. They rely on temperature cues throughout important life stage events, such as migration, spawning, and juvenile dispersal 8. Temperature changes and nutrient runoff may alter water oxygen levels, which may impact egg and juvenile survival. Sea level rise may alter river salinity patterns and, through erosion, change the structure of their spawning habitat. The timing and intensity of precipitation and river flow rates are very important to sturgeon as eggs may get flushed downstream if river velocities are too high 20. Alternatively, warm, stagnant water can lead to low oxygen levels which, if occur over prolonged time periods, can lead to increased mortality 10. Climate-induced changes in sediment, nutrient, and pollutant delivery to sturgeons’ preferred aquatic habitats can potentially lead to egg burying, suffocation, or death due to toxicity. Specifically, juvenile Atlantic sturgeon survival is vulnerable to chemical pollutants, such as PCB and TCDD (dioxins) which can alter the morphology (body shape and development) of hatchlings 4.
1. Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC). 2016. Species Profile: Atlantic Sturgeon. Accessed 5/4/16. Available at http://www.asmfc.org/species/atlantic-sturgeon
2. Atlantic Sturgeon Status Review Team (ASSRT). 2007. Status Review of Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus). Report to National Marine Fisheries Service, Northeast Regional Office. February 23, 2007. 174 pp.
3. Brown, JJ, Limburg, KE, Waldman, JR, Stephenson, K, Glenn, E, Juanes, F, Jordaan, A. 2013. Fish and hydropower on the U.S. Atlantic coast: failed fisheries policies from half-way technologies. Conservation letters 6:4 280-286.
4. Chambers, R.C., D.D. Davis, E.A. Habeck, N.K. Roy, and I. Wirgin. Toxic Effects of PCB126 and TCDD on Shortnose Sturgeon and Atlantic Sturgeon. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 31:2324-2337.
5. Collins, M.R., S.G. Rogers, T.I.J. Smith, and M.L. Moser. 2000. Primary Factors Affecting Sturgeon Populations in the Southeastern United States; Fishing Mortality and Degradation of Essential Habitats. Bulletin of Marine Science 66:917-928.
6. Dunton, K.J., A. Jordaan, D.O. Conover, K.A. McKown, L.A. Bonacci, and M.G. Frisk. 2015. Marine Distribution and Habitat Use of Atlantic Sturgeon in New York Lead to Fisheries Interactions and Bycatch. Marine and Coastal Fisheries: Dynamics, Management, and Ecosystem Science 7:18-32.
7. Elvira, B., S. Leal, I. Doadrio, and A. Almodovar. 2015. Current Occurrence of the Atlantic Sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus in Northern Spain: A New Prospect for Sturgeon Conservation in Western Europe. PLOS ONE: DOI:10.1371.
8. Gilbert, C.R. 1989. Species Profiles: Life Histories and Environmental Requirements of Coastal Fishes and Invertebrates (Mid-Atlantic). Atlantic and Shortnosed Sturgeons. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Biological Report 82(11.122).
9. Hall, C.J., A. Jordaan, and M.G. Frisk. 2011. The historical influence of dams on diadromous fish habitat with a focus on river herring and hydrologic longitudinal connectivity. Landscape Ecology 26:95-107.
10. Kieffer, J.D., D.W. Baker, A.M. Wood, C.N. Papadopoulos. 2011. The effects of temperature on the physiological response to low oxygen in Atlantic sturgeon. Fish Physiol Biochem 37:809-819.
11. Laney, R.W., Hightower, J.E>, Versak, B.R., M.F. Mangold, W.W. Cole, Jr., and S.E. Winslow. 2007. Distribution, Habitat Use, and Size of Atlantic Sturgeon Captured during Cooperative Winter Tagging Cruises, 1988-2006. American Fisheries Society Symposium 56:167-182.
12. Ludwig, A. 2002. When the American sea sturgeon swam east: A colder Baltic Sea greeted this fish from across the Atlantic Ocean in the Middle Ages. Nature 419: 447-448.
13. Murawski, S.A., and A.L. Pacheco. 1977. Biological and fisheries data on Atlantic Sturgeon, Acipenser oxyrhynchus (Mitchill). National Marine Fisheries Service, Sandy Hook Laboratory Technical Series Report 10, Highlands, New Jersey.
14. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Atlantic Sturgeon. Protected Resources: Species. 2015. Available at: http://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/pr/species/fish/atlantic-sturgeon.html
15. Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program (NHESP). 2015. Atlantic Sturgeon. Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. Atlantic Sturgeon.
16. Schlesinger, M. D., J. D. Corser, K. A. Perkins, and E. L. White. 2011. Vulnerability of at-risk species to climate change in New York. New York Natural Heritage Program, Albany, NY.
17. Smith, T.I.J., D.E. Marchette, and G.F. Ulrich. 1984. The Atlantic sturgeon fishery in South Carolina. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 4:164-176.
18. Smith, T.I., and J.P. Clugston. 1997. Status and management of Atlantic Sturgeon, Acipenser oxyrinchus, in North America. Environmental Biology of Fishes 48:335–346.
19. Waters, Rev. Wilson. 1917. History of Chelmsford Massachusetts. Courier-Citizen Company. p. 420. pp. 892.
20. Buckley, J., and B. Kynard. 1985. Habitat use and behavior of pre-spawning and spawning shortnose sturgeon, Acipenser brevirostrum, in the Connecticut River. Pages 111-117 in F.P. Binkowski and S.I. Doroshov, eds. North American sturgeons: biology and aquaculture potential. Developments in Environmental Biology of Fishes 6. Dr. W. Junk by Publishers, Dordrecht, Netherlands, 163 pp.
Although this species was identified as not vulnerable to climate change, the following factors increase vulnerability:
- Built structures may alter or reduce habitat
- ... Read More
Although this species was identified as not vulnerable to climate change, the following factors increase vulnerability:
- Built structures may alter or reduce habitat
- Specific hydrological threshold
Sneddon, L. A., and G. Hammerson. 2014. Climate Change Vulnerability Assessments of Selected Species in the North Atlantic LCC Region. NatureServe, Arlington, VA.
This species was identified as highly vulnerable to climate change because of the following factors:
- Sea level rise
- Natural barriers
- Anthropogenic barriers... Read More
This species was identified as highly vulnerable to climate change because of the following factors:
- Sea level rise
- Natural barriers
- Anthropogenic barriers such as dams and culverts
- Specific hydrological thresholds
- Physical habitat alteration
Schlesinger, M. D., J. D. Corser, K. A. Perkins, and E. L. White. 2011. Vulnerability of at-risk species to climate change in New York. New York Natural Heritage Program, Albany, NY.
This species was identified as moderately vulnerable to climate change because of the following factors:
- A critical part of life cycle is associated with a single microhabitat... Read More
This species was identified as moderately vulnerable to climate change because of the following factors:
- A critical part of life cycle is associated with a single microhabitat feature
- Likely disruption of environmental cues for critical life stages
Whitman, A., A. Cutko, P. De Maynadier, S. Walker, B. Vickery, S. Stockwell, and R. Houston. 2013. Climate change and biodiversity in Maine: vulnerability of habitats and priority species. Report SEI-2013-03. Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences (in collaboration with Maine Beginning with Habitat Climate Change Working Group), Brunswick, ME.
Although this species was identified as not vulnerable to climate change, the following factors increase vulnerability:
- Built structures may alter or reduce habitat
- ... Read More
Although this species was identified as not vulnerable to climate change, the following factors increase vulnerability:
- Built structures may alter or reduce habitat
- Specific hydrological threshold
Sneddon, L. A., and G. Hammerson. 2014. Climate Change Vulnerability Assessments of Selected Species in the North Atlantic LCC Region. NatureServe, Arlington, VA.
This species was identified as highly vulnerable to climate change because of the following factors:
- Increasing ocean surface temperature
- Ocean acidification ... Read More
This species was identified as highly vulnerable to climate change because of the following factors:
- Increasing ocean surface temperature
- Ocean acidification
- Increasing air temperature
- Currently depleted
- Low population growth rate
- Dispersal and early life history requirements
- Habitat specialization
Hare J.A., W.E. Morrison, M.W. Nelson, N.M. Stachura, E.J. Teeters, R.B Griffis, et al. 2016. A Vulnerability Assessment of Fish and Invertebrates to Climate Change on the Northeast U.S. Continental Shelf. PLoS ONE 11: e0146756. doi:10.1371/ journal.pone.0146756
Although this species was identified as not vulnerable to climate change, the following factors increase vulnerability:
- Built structures may alter or reduce habitat
Although this species was identified as not vulnerable to climate change, the following factors increase vulnerability:
- Built structures may alter or reduce habitat
Sneddon, L. A., and G. Hammerson. 2014. Climate Change Vulnerability Assessments of Selected Species in the North Atlantic LCC Region. NatureServe, Arlington, VA.
Related Adaptation Strategies and Actions
Related Habitats (broad)
Related Habitats (detailed)
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