ML060940188

NYSDEC Undated, Website Reference Used in Chapter 2 NMP FSEIS

ML060940188
Person / Time
Site:	Nine Mile Point
Issue date:	01/27/2006
From:	State of NY, Dept of Environmental Conservation
To:	Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
Download: ML060940188 (3)

Text

Table of Sturgeon of New York Similarities and Differences Among New York's Sturgeon More information from this division:

Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources Fish Species Population Description Habitat Reproduction Feeding Status/

Comments Atlantic Sturgeon 6-10 ft. long (up Young Spawn April-June Uses barbels to Largest of New to 14 ft) sturgeon locate food York's sturgeon spend the first Anadromous; runs 50-200 pounds 2-7 years in up freshwater river Eat a variety of Lives up to 60+

(up to 800 lbs.) large and streams to organisms including years freshwater broadcast eggs worms, amphipods, Olive green to streams upstream from the isopods, midge In New York blue-black on salt front. Males larvae, plants and found in the back and upper Adult sturgeon move into the river small fishes deepest portions sides, white on spend the bulk first of the Hudson belly of their lives at River, sea, returning Eggs are sticky and occasionally to freshwater attach to stones and found as far north to spawn vegetation as Albany Females reach Prior to 1900 sexual maturity at were abundant in 18-19 years old the Hudson River when they are 6-8 ft. estuary especially and over 70 lbs. south of Hyde Males reach maturity Park at 12 years when the are 3.5-6.5 feet long. So abundant, were nicknamed "Albany beef".

Numbers are down considerably since then Lake Sturgeon http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/fish/fishspecs/sturgtbl.html (1 of 3)04/03/2006 10:14:58 AM

Table of Sturgeon of New York 3-5 ft. long (up to Primarily found Spawns in spring Uses barbels to New York status:

7 ft.) in freshwater (May-June) in areas locate food threatened. Lives lakes and large of clean, large rubble up to 80-100 10-80 pounds (up rivers. Prefers such as on Including: leaches, years old; one to 300 lbs.) areas with windswept rocky snails, clams, other fish in Canada clean sand, shores of islands and invertebrates, small was 154 years old.

Adults are dull gravel, or rock in rapids in streams fish, and even algae gray with scutes bottoms. In New York, lake same color as Prior to spawning, sturgeon have body; with clear Can also occur adult fish form been collected in green on lower in slightly groups in deep holes the St. Lawrence parts of body and brackish water. near the spawning River, Lake head site; fish sometimes Ontario, Niagara seem leaping out of River, Lake Erie, Angular and the water Lake Champlain, elongate snout; Cayuga Lake, wide mouth Eggs are scattered Seneca and by currents and Cayuga canals, Four barbels stock to logs and and the Grasse, rocks Oswego &

Bony plates absent along anal Oswegatchie Female lake rivers.

fin sturgeon reach maturity at 14-23 Once abundant years old; males they were mature at 8-19 considered a years. Females only trash fish; but as spawn every 4-6 value for caviar, years smoked meat, and isinglass became know the fishery exploded.

In addition, pollution and construction of dams affected sturgeon and population numbers plummeted. Lake sturgeon are now protected Shortnose Sturgeon Rarely exceed 3.5 Occurs in Spawns April-May Uses barbels to New York status:

feet and 14 estuaries and locate food. Eats endangered.

pounds large coastal Semi-anadromous; sludge worms, rivers migrates up the aquatic insect Smallest of New Olive yellow to Hudson River from larvae, plans, York's sturgeon gray or bluish on its mid-Hudson snails, shrimp and back; milky-white overwintering areas crayfish Lives up to 65+

to dark yellow on to scatter eggs in years old in New belly freshwater York. It is found in the lower Short, blunt, Spawns over rubble portion of the conical snout, bottom with some Hudson River large mouth gravel and large from the southern rocks; newly- tip of Manhattan Four barbels hatched fry are poor upriver to the swimmers and drift Federal Dam at Bony plates with the currents Troy absent along anal http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/fish/fishspecs/sturgtbl.html (2 of 3)04/03/2006 10:14:58 AM

Table of Sturgeon of New York fin along the bottom Protected by law Females first spawn at age 10, males at Combination of age 9. Females factors is spawn every third responsible for year and males population every other year declines; pollution, construction of dams, demands for sturgeon meat and caviar Back to top of page http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/fish/fishspecs/sturgtbl.html (3 of 3)04/03/2006 10:14:58 AM