ML19330C347
| ML19330C347 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Maine Yankee |
| Issue date: | 08/04/1980 |
| From: | Garrity J Maine Yankee |
| To: | Clark R Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| References | |
| WMY-80-118, NUDOCS 8008080269 | |
| Download: ML19330C347 (61) | |
Text
3 taiY 80-118 B.3.2.1 JHG-80-56 EDISON 1 RIVE MAIRE HARHEE Alom/CP0l'/ERCOMPARS*
AUGUSTA, MAlNE M336 g
(207) 623-3521 e
August 4, 1980 1
1 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D. C.
20555 Attention:
Mr. Robert A. Clark, Chief i
{
Operating Reactors Branch #3 Division of Licensing Reference (1):
License No. DPR-36 (Docket No. 50-309)
Subject:
Shortnose Sturgeon
Dear Sir:
l Pursuant to your information request of June 26, 1980, please find enclosed our responses to your questions on the taking of two shortnose sturgeon, Acipenser brevirostrum, an endangered species, at the Maine Yankee intake structure in June 1980.
a We trust the enclosed material is responsive to your request.
Should you need additional information :or have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Sincerely, MAINE YANKEE ATOMIC POWER COMPANY l
John H. Garrity, D rector Nuclear Engineering & Licensing JHG:at Enclosures THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS
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D REPORT ON THE SHORTNOSE STURGEON.
FOUND AT THE MAINE YANKEE ATOMIC POWER STATION INTRODUCTION This information on the finding of two shortnose sturgeon, Acipenser brevirostrum, at the Maine Yankee Atomic Power Station in Wiscasset, Maine, was requested by the U.
S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC),
Licensing Division by their letter of June 26, 1980.
The following information was presented orally and discussed at a June 15, 1980 meeting held at Maine Yankee at the request of the USNRC.
Meeting participants included representatives from the Uational Marine f
Fisheries Service (NMFS), Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR), University of Maine, the NRC and Maine Yankee.
COLLECTION AND DESCRIPTION OF SHORTNOSE STURGEON.
Two shortnose sturgeon, Acipenser brevirostrum, were taken from the Maine Yankee trash racks ( 5. '4 cm openings) in June, 1980 during routine cleaning of the trash racks.
The location of the trash racks, vertical traveling screens and pumps associated with the intake structure are shown in Figure 1.
The following information briefly summarizes the details of collection and condition of the' sturgeons.
Mr. Glenn Nutting, Central Maine Power Company Environmental Studies Department Biologist, provided the identification of both specimens.
STURGEON 1 A male shortnose sturgeon, 87cm total length and weighing l.8kg, was collected from the trash racks at l
7 1; ;.
2300 EDT on Jun,e.2,'1980.
The sturgeon was-dead and irr extremely-poor condition when removed from the trash racks.
The sturgeon was exposed to the atmosphere.for nine (9) hours before the Environmental Studies Department was notified of its collection.
~
i Following identification on June 3, the sturgeon was kept frozen until it was delivered to DMR on June 6, 1980 for a pathological examination ('ttachment 1).
A STURGEON 2 l
On June 13, 1980 at 0730 EDT a second shortnose sturgeon, 6915cm total length and weighing 1.25kg, was removed from the trash racks during cleaning.
This sturgeon was also dead when collected.
The sturgeon's weight j-w:s approximately one-half the normal weight for this size sturgeon.
i 1
The sturgeon was refrigerated for one-half hour while arrangements were made with DMR personnel to receive j
the specimen for postmortem examination.
It was delivered to DMR at 1030 EDT, three hours after collection.- -(See' Attachment 2.for the pathology report.)
1
- PLANT OPERATING CONDITIONS
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The' times-of' trash rack cleaning, corresponding tidal i
stage, and average' intake temperature from mid May through-mid-June 1980 are shown in Table 1.
Between two and four. circulating water pumps were operating l
during this period.
~
POSTMORTEM EXAMINATION.
i Mr..Stuart Sherburne) Marine Resources Scientist,
. Maine Department of Marine Resources, telephone 207/633-5572,
- provided the. pathology reports on-the sturgeon (Attachments 11 and 2).
-The exact'cause of death could not be-determined for either sturgeon although Mr. Sherburne concluded 4
from a gross examination of the second sturgeon that a contributing factor in the " death of the fish was trauma as a result of direct physical force."
SHORTNOSE STURGEON POPULATION IN THE VICINITY OF MAINE YANKEE Shortnose sturgeon, although classified an endangered species (32 FR 4001) under the Endangered Species Act (16 USC 1531-1543, 87 Stat 884), is fairly common in Montsweag Bay; they were first reported from the bay in 1971 (Fried and McCleave, 1973).
McCleave et al. (1977) studied the movements of shortnose sturgeon in Montsweag Bay by ultrasonic telemetry during the summer months of 1971-1974.
They found that four sturgeon moved in the vicinity of the plant intake or outfall, when Maine Yankee was not operating or prior to its completion.
The random wandering movements of
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shortnose sturgeon throughout Montsweag Bay are interpreted as foraging movements (McCleave et al., 1977).
Squiers and Smith (1979, Attachment 3) studied the sturgeon population in the Kennebec River and found shortnose sturgeon to be distributed throughout.
They move' into, Montsweag Bay via the Sasanoa River.
The shortnose sturgeon population in the Kennebec River is estimated to be 5000 adults ( > 50cm).
The 95% confidence limits of the estimate are from 3000 to 20,000.
A summary of.the shortnose sturgeon caught in Montsweag Bay by the Maine DMR appears in Table 2.
No shortnose sturgeon have been found in over 300, 24-hour impingement samples taken weekly since November 1972.
Nor have they been taken in 10 years of monitoring the fish populations in the Montsweag Bay-Sheepscot River l
estuary.
This procram consists of monthly trawls (9m otter t_ awl, 25.4mn square mesh in the wings and body, 13.1mn square mesh in codend) and three-panel monofilament gillnets (45.6m long x 2.4m deep, mesh sizes of 12.7mm, 25.4mm, 50.8mm sauare measure) fished monthly near the surface.
IMPACT ASSESSMENT The collection of two moribund.shortnose sturgeon from the Maine Yankee trash racks in eight years of operation will have no impact on the sturgeon population in'the Kennebec River.
Shortnose sturgeon exhibit swim speeds in excess of average intake velocities at the trash racks-(37cm/sec), thus avoidance is possible.
Adult shortnose that randomly move throughout Montsweag Bay on foraging expeditions are normally not expected to be : impinged on the trash racks although the possibility of an occasional sturgeon in poor condition cannot be ruled out, as has been reported herein.
I No juvenile shortnose have been impinged on the traveling screens in eight (8) years of monitoring.
Larvae of shortnose sturgeon are not found in the brackish water
.(13-27 ppt ).of Montsweag Bay.
CONCLUSION The operation of Maine Yankee has no effect on the shortnor,e sturgeon population of the Kennebec River.
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i LITERATURE CITED Fried, S. M. and J. D. McCleave.
1973. Occurrence of the shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum), an endangered species, in Montsweag Bay, Maine.
J.
- Fish, Res. Board Can. 30:563-564.
McCleave, J.
D.,
S. M. Fried, and A. K. Towt.
1977.
Daily movements of shortnose sturgeon, Acipenser brevirostrum, in a Maine estuary.
Copeia (1) :14 9-157.
Squiers, T. S. and M.
Smith. 1979.
Distribution and abundance of shortnose and Atlantic Sturgeon in the Kennebec River estuary.
Completion Report.
Project No. AFC-19.
Maine Department of Marine Resources, Augusta, Maine.
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TABLE 1 FREQUENCY OF TRASH RACK CLEANING, TIDAL STAGE AND AVERAGE INTAKE TEMPERATURE AT MAINE YANKEE DURING MID MAY - MID sTUNE 1980 AVE. INTAKE START OF TRASH y
DATE TEMP.
- C RACK CLEANING, EDT TIDAL STAGE May 15 12.7 2200 Late Flood 16 12.8 1300 High 2030 Low 17 13.1 1330 Late Flood 2200 Early Flood i
18 13.2 2300 Early Flood 19 13.0 0800 Late Ebb 26 15.0 1300 Mid Ebb 30 15.1 1400 Early Ebb June 2 14.2 2200 Low 4
13.1 0300 High 0600 Mid Ebb 5
13.0 0100 Mid Flood 6
13.8 1300 Early Flood l 7
14.4 0200 Early Flood -
9 13.4 0800 Late Flood 1000 Early Ebb 10 13.6 1000 High 11 13.5 2l00 Late Flood l
13 14.3 0400 Late Ebb 1100 Late Flood 2200 Mid Flood I
14 15.7 0300
'Early Ebb 0400
- Mid Ebb 0500
- Late Ebb 0800 Early Ebb lbased on strip chart recorders l
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t TABLE 2 Location, Date, Fork Length (FL), Total Length (TL), Weight (Wt), and Tag Number of shortnose sturgeon captured in
~Montsweag Bay by Maine Department of Marine Resources personnel.
All, sturgeon captured in bottom nets 100 yds long, 6' or 8' deep, and comprised of three panels of 6",
7",
8" stretch mesh.
5 MONTSWEAG BAY LOCATION DATE F.L.(cm)
T.L. (cm)
Wt(lbs)
TAG NO.
Halfway Rock 6/14/77 86.1 97.0 10
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0075 8/11/77 None 11/12/77 None 7/14/78 None 7/25/78 None 8/29/79 None 6/18/80 61.5 70.5 4
0699 96.0 107.6 12 0698 1
6/25/80 86.1 96.0 8
0624 84.1 95.0 8k 0625 Pine Island 6/08/78 64.3 73.5 5
0278 6/25/80 None Youngs Point 6/25/80 99.0 110.5 23 3/4 0623 1Sunken -Eyes t
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\\ Y~5."2 oY STATE oF MAINE DEPAR iMENT OF M ARINE RESOURCES STATE house - STATION 21 AUGUSTA. MAINE o4333 June 26, 1980 Steve Evans Central Maine Power Company Edison Drive Augusts. h'aine 04336
Dear Steve:
ksw Enclosed is the report on the shortnose sturgeon which was taken from the
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trash racks at Maine Yankee on Jun 5, I believe. The cause of deata could not be determined from our pathological e nation.
Stuart is in the process of examining the second shortnose sturgeon taken 'vm Maine Yankee, but I doubt if any conclusive cause of death will be found.
We set three experimental gill nets on June 24th. We captured one large shortnose
(!10.5 cm TL) off Youngs Pt.
This fish appeared to be in good condition with the ex-coption of having white opaque eyes. McCleave also noted that some shortnose sturgeon that were examined by him also had white and opaque eyes.
It is also not an uncommon occurrence in the Kennebec River. Two shortnose were captured just above Half-Tide rock (96.0 cm and 95 cmTL). 3oth these fish weighed 8% pounds (3.75 kg.).
The average weight for shortnose sturgeon of this size in the Kennebec River is 11 pounds (5.5 kg.) although 8% pounds is within the range. One of these fish had sunken eyes and appeared to be in poor condition.
It is my opinion that the two shortnose sturgeon taken on the trash racks at Maine Yankee were probably in poor condition before being impinged on the racks.
Sincerely,
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Thomas S. Squiers Marine Resources Scientist
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State of Maine DEPARTMEYT CF MARINE RESOURCES MEMORANDUM Date Jima 12 s 1090 T2
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/c WWL From c+nn + ek a ku-sa Subjectekn +-nma,+n w ann -ara 4,ra,4 -sar+1217v froenn fr~, taa novenaa-en. Tim a 6. 1000.
"ere is the infornation I have. You can write the final report and include what you want, as the specinen was sub.itted to you. I would recomnend that subseonent specimens to be submitted be refrigerated and not frozen and that we receive soecimens as soon as nossible so we will have comparatively fresh material to work with. Frozen tissues are worthless for histological work-up, although we gave it a try in this case.
Irgths : 7h.4 cm (29.3 in.) fork length, 8<.8 cm (33.8 in.) total lenr+5 Sex: nale
'feight: 1.9 kg (h Ib. )
Scutes: 10 dorsal, 28 left lateral, 26 right lateral, 9 right ventral, 9 left ventral, 1 ore-anal, no superanals "outh width: L.76 cm (1.9 in.)
Interorbital width: 5.hh cm (2.1 in.)
Snout length: 6.Ch en (2.h in.)
"ead length: 17.0 cm (6.7 in.)
Gill covers: One-fourth of cill cover was missing on the left side, about 20" of gill cover missing on right side.
Opercular points were sharo, no accarent erosion; apparently due to genetic abnormality.
"he sturgeon was very thin (emaciated in accearance), razor-backed with evidence of nuscular atrophy. n e ventral surface of the anal fin and caudal eeduncle had evidence of hemorrhaging beneath the skin.
"'his red area extended forrard to h scutes from the tail.
g-Pacs 2 Juns 13, 1950 Sturgeon i
There was 'a small quantity of ooze (mud consistency) in the duodenum extending from the nyloric accaratus to the soiral valve; the hindgut was enpty. No obstructions were found that would prevent feeding or passage of food. There was no evidence of external or internal parasites.
Histological sections were prepared from muscle, intestine, pyloric apparatus, stonach-(gizzard), heart, gill, gonad and liver. The liver showed areas of necrosis, but since the fish had been frozen and we don't know how long the fish had been dead before being frozen or how fast the fish was frozen and because of f.
' ths consequent thawing, we cannot tell whether the necrosis was pre-or post-mortem.
The cause of death is unknown. The hemorrhagic areas near the tail appeared l
due to abrasion or contusion.
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RECElVED PA"0L0r,v FI?C97 JUL 7 1990 f.tAINE YANKEt Simrinose sturreon received at 10:30 A.!!. on Friday, June 13,1$$Nm e-~.*"1ran :en e avers roliTif1 vankee Invironmental Studies. The fish was dead when found
- n. Cannhell, "aine (7:30 A.".) as far as "r. Camnbell knows. Taken off trash rack, before screens.
Gross hamination Yeight 2.75 lbs. ( !ormal vgt. 5.28 lbs.)
Pouth 'tidth h.7 cm Interorbital width 5.05 cm Snout length 5.5 cm Total length 71.2 cm Fork length 65.5 en "ead length 15.2 cm Dorsal scutes 9
'?entral scutes 8 left 9 right Lateral scutes 26 right 27 left Fre-anal scutes 3
Right lateral Side 2nd and 3rd scutes tern. Lower b of 2nd scute torn.
3rd--90' attachment lost, skin not broken hth--scute nissinc 8th--bruise, 10th--bruise above lateral line lith--bruise 8:00 on ventral side 15th--bruise at 5:00 vent. side 18th--bruises 1-?:00 Left lateral Side
'!o evidence of henorrhaging.
Eh scute --1/3 missine.
SC scute--uener scute present,_but torn from skin
- i
- 6 and B 7--tcrn, 59, worse than 7, top and botton torn Dorsal Area of bruise on 1st dorsal scute on both sides.
3 kin torn post to let dorsal scute.
Lett--2,3,h,5,6th scutes torn. 7th 0.K.
"icht-5 torn, worse at beginning.
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't-Ri,-ht Ventral o
2nd scute torn off--break in skin
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hth - 9th--henorrhaged left Ventral 2,3,h,4,6th scutes torn away--worse at beginning Rear of left gill area broken - 1.3 en.
Left gill very eroded--comnon. Eruise left side of ocular area. Tail--anal fin area henorrhaged from base to top of fin ray, base of caudal fin henorrhaged. Slight prolapse of the intestine through the anal opening. Exposed intestine had an area of inflamation. No food in stomach or intestinal tract; no obstructions were found that would pre-vent feeding or the passage of food. No external parasites observed.
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i Celected organs vere dissected out and preserved in 105 seawater formalin.
The sturgeon was frozen for future reference. Histological sections were prepared from the gill, heart, liver, intestine, stomach (gizzard), right anterior kidney, right and left posterior kidneys, gonad and anus. These e
'ections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin stain. Price's giensa method was emoloyed on secticns from the heart, right anterior kidney, right and left posterior kidney, gonad and liver. Price's stain was used to further differen-tiate the henatologic elements.
It should be noted that we are at a disadvantage in interpreting these sections for lack of reference slides of the nornal histological appearance of the organs or knowledga of the rate and pattern of postmortem decomposition in the sturgeon. Therefore, only general comments can be made.
Examination for the presence of parasites and pathogenic ricrobes revealed necrotic areas in most sections. No parasites were observed. Degenerative cellular fragmentation was worst in the heart and liver. Rod-shaped and cocci types of bacteria were prominent in the heart section, less so in the liver.
The kidney tissue appeared quite well preserved but again, there was evidence of bacteria associated with some tissue breakdown. There was some necrosis in the 6
gonad and intestine but not associated with bacteria. This could be due to auto-lytic enzymes which are abundant in necrotic tissues. The anus showed a hyperemic area which is apparently the area of. inflammation seen on gross examination.
i If. the nicroscopic pathology observed had been present at the time of death this firh would have had septecemia. Since the fish had been dead for an unknown l'
length of tine the pathology observed could have been due to postmortem autolysis.
It can be concluded that, from the gross ' examination, with the broken rear
'left orbital area, torn scutes on the left ventral, left lateral, dorsal, and i
- right lateral surfaces and hemorrhagic areas on the dorsal, right lateral and right. ventral surfaces a contributing factor in the death of this fish was trau~.a
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'i cs a result of a direct physical force.
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,1 nicod Examination f.
Packed. cell volume (percentage of red blood cells in the blood) was 39.55 (probably within normal range); the plama showed hemolysis (expected). The mor-phology slide Drepared from a caudal cut showeu a normal complement of red blood cells with nomal maturation sequence. Approximately lf. immature red cells were present.. here were only a few intact white cells present but neutrophils, lymphocytes and eosinophils were identified. Many basket cells (degenerated blood cells) were present in the smear. This would be expected postmortem. Rod-shaped bacteria were present throughout the blood smear. This could be due to 1
postmortem autolysis and to contamination from the knife passing through the tissues while making the caudal cut. A blood sample was drawn from the heart with a sterile hypodermic syringe and needle. The heart was nearly empty of blood, so only several drops were obtained. The red blood cells that were intact appeared normal. Some bacteria were present extracellularly.
The presence of bacteria could be expected in decomposing heart tissue.
In summary, the percentage of red blood cells in the blood appeared to be noma 1, the intact red cells that were present vere of nomal size, shape, color, R
nucleo-cytoolasnic ratio and maturation sequence for the circulating blood. Ue do not know how long this fish h'ad been dead before being submitted but frca a censultation with a fish pathologist (Martin Newman) at the Oxford, ".aryland N.M.F.S. pathobiology lab, we sumise that this sturgeon had been dead for no longer than 15 hours1.736111e-4 days <br />0.00417 hours <br />2.480159e-5 weeks <br />5.7075e-6 months <br />. We have no objective proof of this, neither have we i-l knowledge of the nomal breakdown sequence of blood cells in other fish. We hope to pursue this matter further on experinents with cod and dogfish.
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. l-A'ttachment 3 S D EVANS.
COMPLETION REPORT PROJECT #AFC-19 DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE OF SHORTNOSE AND ATLANTIC STURGEON IN THE KENNEBEC RIVER ESTUARY L
PERIOD COVERED:
June 1, 1976 to April 30, 1979 PREPARED BY :
Thomas S.
Squiers Malcolm Smith DEPARTMENT OF MARINE RESOURCES STATE HOUSE AUGUSTA, MAINE 04333 RECElVED l
DEC 311979 tuv1RoNMENTAL STUDIES DEPT.
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JOB TITLE:
Stock Assessment of Sturgeon in the Lower Kennebec River.
OBJECTIVES:
To datarmine the distribution and abundance of shortnose sturgeon and Atlantic sturgeon in the Kennebec River Estuary.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
==
Introduction:==
Two species of sturgeon are present in the estuarial complex of the Kennebec. Androscoggin, and Sheepscot Rivers.
The presence of Atlantic Sturgeon, Acipenser oxyrhynchus, in these systems is documented in the early historical records.
Shortnose sturgeon, Acipenser brevirostrum, were not known to be present in Maine waters until they were first identified in 1971 by Fried and McCleave (1973) in Montsweag Bay, part of the Sheepscot River.
They were subse-quently found in the Kennebec River in 1972 by the Maine Department of Marine Resources (Flagg, personal communication).
The shortnose sturgeon was placed on the Endangered Species List in 1967 and by virtue of the passage of the Endangsred Species Act of 1973, it is unlawful to take or possess a shortnose sturgeon.
DMR applied for and received an Endangered Species Permit in Septem-ber 1976 to conduct research on shortnose sturgeon.
Significant commercial fisheries for anadromous species are anticipated to develop in the Kennebec and Androscoggin Rivers as a result of intensive pollution abatement on the two systems (Flagg, personal communication).
DMR initiated the sturgeon proj ect to collect basic data such as distribution and movements to assure protection of shortnose sturgeon while allowing other commercial fisheries to develop.
HISTORICAL NOTES The first known fishery for sturgeon was at Pejepscot Falls in 1628.
Thomas Purchase supposedly fished for salmon and sturgeon from time to time on quite a large scale until the commencement of King Philips War in 1675.
The only indication of the extent of the fisnery was that Thomas Purchase caught about 90 kegs and 90 barrels of sturgeon in a three-week period (Wheeler and Wheeler, 1878).
The fishery for sturgeon in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries is described by Goode (1887). as. f ollows :
"IH the early part of the eighteenth century there existed a flourishing sturgeon fishery in the Province of Maine, which em-played some years over twenty vessels, and was esteemed an important b ranch of indus try.
It does not appear, however, to have been prosecuted continuously.
Very early in the present century a company
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of men came to the Kennebec, and, locating themselves on a small d
island near the outlet of Merrymeeting Bay, since'known as ' Sturgeon j
Island', engaged in the catching of sturgeon, which they soused,'
d-packed in kegs, and shipped to the West Indies, where they sold at j
.$1-a keg.
This business was, however, suspended, for what reason is b
. unknown, and though sturgeon were very abundant in the Kennebec
.during the early part of the present century, at least until about c
1840, no attempt was made to utilize them except occassionally for home use, until 1849.
n
-In 1849 a Mr. N.
K.
Lombard, representing a Boston form, came down to the Kennebec, established himself at " Burnt Jacket", in the M
. town.of Woolwich, between Bath and Merrymeeting Bay, and undertook to put up the roe of sturgeon for caviar, and at the same time boil i
down the bodies for oil.
A large number of fishermen engaged in the capture of sturgeon to sell to Lombard.
The price paid,was 25 to 50 cents apiece.
The first year there were obtained 160 tons of stur-geon.
They yielded oil of fine quality, superior to sperm oil for illuminating purposes, in the opinion of the inhabitants.of that vicinity, who have been accustomed to use it when attainable.
The attempt to utilize the roe was at first unsuccessful.
It was put inot hogsheads.
.Very lightly salted, and all spoiled.
The next two years the roe was cured by salting heavier, drying, and laying it down with a little sturgeon oil, and was pronounced satisfactory.
However, the business was discontinued after 1851.
That year the sturgeon were quite scarce.
o From this time the're was a suspension of the sturgeon fishery j
until 1872, when some of the local fishermen of the Kennebec took it up again.
In 1874 a crew of fishermen, headed by one John Mier, of New York, went into the business, catching and buying all they could, and. shipping them to New York, where they proposed to smoke the flesh and utilize the roe for caviar and the sounds for glue.
i They aimed to. catch the sturgeon early in the season, while the roe i.
was yet black and hard, and to keep the fish alive until the proper i
time arrived for opening them.
For the latter purpose they con-i:
structed a great pen, in which they at one time had seven hundred live sturgeon.
After five years the sturgeon again became scarce, and the business was relinquished to local fishermen, who still
. continue to ship the flesh to New York, but throw away all other parts.
In 1880, the least successful season in recent times, 12 fishermen were engaged in the business on the Kennebec, and the total catch was.about 250. sturgeon, producing about 12,500 pounds of flesh which sold in New York at 7 cents per pound."
l 1
q
-Since the 1880's the sturgeon fishery has been almost non-is existent.
Most of the recorded landings have been incidental catches
!j (Table 1).
.The most common gear in which they are caught incidental ~ly l{
are, anchored gill nets and otter' trawls.
l}'
DESCRIPTION OF. STUDY AREA:
H The Kennebec and Androscoggin Rivers combined, drain approximately
't 9320' square miles of which 8600 square miles is located in Maine.
The Kenneb ec' River, draining 5870 square miles, arises in Moosehead Lake' in Piscataquis and Somerset Counties and travels southerly for 118 miles before reaching tidal water.
The tidal portion continues for
- i D
=mhum=&L =-
r '.
TABLE 1 MAINE COMMERCIAL FISHERY LANDINGS FOR STURGEON DATE POUNDS LANDED VALUE DATE POUNDS LANDED VALUE 1-1849 320,000 1953 1,165 186 1880.
12,500 625 1
1954 1,440 275 1909 6,000 1000 1955 570 129 1910 9,000 1125 1956 690 138 1911 19,900 2059 1957 819 182 1912 20,000 2299 1958 730 130 1013 8,100 1402 1959 800 115 1914 2,000 285 2
1960 974 162 1924 3,528 1091 1961 1,213 176 1928 652 87 1962 611 80 1929 310 31 1963 766 90 1931 1,061 176 1964 72 7
1932 2,122 267 1965 598 82 1935 900 90 1966 444 55 1937 1,200 92 1967 1,583 1135 1938 500 28 1968 568 40 1943 300 39 1969 2,783 175 1945 400 48 1970 6,201
-349 1946 400 43 3
1971 856 88 1947 313 50 1972 1,055
- 165 1948 228 39 1973 318 40 1949 409 69 1974 368 75 1950 393 32 1975 1,424 333 1951 528 60 1976 1,339 289 1952 637 118 1977 4,598 685 i
1.
Maine Biennial Reports 1849 through 1914.
2 U.S. Bureau of Fisheries 1924 through 1946.
3.
Maine Landings 1947 to Present.
e k
i
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1 -
I
-another 20 miles to Abagada'sset Point in'Herrymeeting Bay (Fig. 1).
(
This tidal-section'is esse.ntially freshwater year round.
The Androscoggin River j oins the Kennebec River in Merrymeeting Bay.
j.
The Androscoggin River begins at the outlet of Umbagog Lake in New Hampshire.and flows 161 miles to Merrymeeting Bay.
The last 8 miles are tidal freshwater.
l Merrymeeting Bay is the largest freshwater tidal bay in the eastern United States north of Chesapeake Bay.
The bay is approx-instelyrfifteen miles in length and varies from one-half to three miles in width.
It is'8400 to 9600 acres in size (Reed, 75).
The l
main channel of the Kennebec River which flovs through the bay varies in depth from 20 to 50 feet except at the outlet of.the bay at Chops Point _where sche depth increases to 100 feet.
The main body of the bay is.relatively shallow being less than 20 feet.
4300 acres are in the intertidal zone and approximately 80% of this area is covered with aquatic vegetation.
The dominant vegetation is wild rica and bull-rushes (Spencer, 1966).
)
Four smaller drainages, draining less than 200 square miles combined, also enter Merrymmeting Bay.
These are the Eastern, i
Cathance, Ab ag ad as s e t, and Muddy Rivers.
The combined flows of the river systems entering Merrymeeting.
Bay continue for another twenty miles after leaving the bay.
This i
section of river, referred to as the Kennebec River, is very narrow j.
and' turbulent in places.
Depth varies from 20 feet to over 100 i
feet _(Fig. 2).
Salinities range from over 30 o/oo at the mouth to 0 o/co at Chops Point.
During extremely low flows saline water does i
extend beyond Chops Point into Merrymeeting Bay but bottom salinities l
rarely exceed 2 o/oo in the bay during these periods.
The mean range in tide is 8 feet at the mouth of the river, 5 feet at Chops Point, and~4 feet at head of tide in Augusta.
4 The Sheepscot River which drains approximately 228 square miles,
{
is adjacent to Kennebec River watershed.
The tidal portion of tha l
Sheepscot River forms an estuarine complex with the Kennebec River l
(Fig. 1).
Low saline water ( 10 o/oo) enters Hockomock and Montsweag Bays from the Kennebec River by way of the Sasanos River, a tidal j
channel between the two rivers, where it mixes with highly saline j
water from the main Sheepscot River ( 20 o/oo).
The main channel of the Sheepscot River in the tidal portion is relatively wide in com-i parison to its drainage area and is highly saline ( 20 o/oo).
l l
METHODS:
I Sturgeon were captured by means'of experimental multifilament gill nets.
In 1977 the-nets used were 90m long by 6 feet deep of
- 277 thread size.
A' net consisted of 3 panels of 3",
3h", and 4" tar i
mesh.
In addition a multifilament gill net 90m long by 8 feet deep l
with 6" bar mesh was used for the capture of adult Atlantic sturgeon.
Due to the damage these nets suffered form strong currents and debris
~
they were replaced in 1978 by experimental gill nets of a larger thread i
size (#9).
They were 90m long by 8 feet-deep with 3",
3 " and 4" bar j
mesh'.
'All nets were hung on the half.
These nets were set one day an'd
[
retrieved the.next.
Usually after each set the nets had to be cleaned of debris and mended which in addition to bad weather, severely limited j
. fishing ef fort.
i; i
em
5 Fish were measured for fork length (FL) and total length (TL) to the nearest millisater.
Al$ leegths used in this report are fork lengths unless otherwise specified.
Fork lengths can be converted to total lengets by m91tiplying by 1.10 (N=336).
All fish were weighed to the nearest (ne-quarter pound with a spring scale.
Morphometri6 measurements and meristic counts were taken for 178 shortnose sturgeon and 15 Atlantic sturgeon.
Mouth width was measured as the distance between the inside corners of the mouth.
Snout length was measured as the distance from the tip of the snout to anterior fleshy portion of the orbit.
Interorbital width was measured as the bony width between the eyes.
Head length was measured from the tip of the snout to the posterior border of the opercular bone except in cases where the operculun was partially absent in which case the measurement was made to the cleithrum.
Dorsal scutes were counted from the dorsal fin to head not including the scute interdigitated with the cranium.
Lateral scutes were counted from the claithrum to the base of the cardal fin.
Ventral scutes were counted be tween the pectoral and pelvic fins.
The above definitions are from Gorham and McAllister (1974).
Sturgeon were aged by counting growth rings in a basal section of the first pectoral ray by the method described by cuerrier (1951).
After drying the spines for a period of two months or more, a thin basal section was cut with a j ewelers saw and sanded with fine emery cloth to a thickness of approximately.5mm.
They were mounted in black plastic trays with a fast setting medium.
They were read with a binocular microscope using transmitted light.
The outside edge of spine sections was treated as an annulus for all fish sampled from April through November.
Seasonal movements and population estimates were determined by tagging and recapture methods.
Sturgeon were tagged through the fleshy base of the dorsal fin using a modified Carlin tag with stain-less steel wire bridle.
The nets were set systematically instead of at random to maximize our knowledge of seasonal movements.
i To estimate adult ponulmeion aire both the Petersen and Schnabel methods were employed.
Any estimates made by these methods would be biased for two reasona.
Gillnets which are eclective for size were used both in capturing and recapturing fish.
In addition, neither the tagging nor the subsequent s ampling was done on a random basis which could result in a non-random dis tribution of tagged 'ish.
i Water quality was monitored at all sampling stations.
Three parameters were measured; dissolved oxygen, temperature, and salinity.
1 Dissolved oxygen was measured with a yellow springs Dissolved Oxygen 3
Meter #54 and salinity and temperature were measured with a Yellow l
Springs #33 Field salinometer.
RESULTS:
P 1
Due to the time involved in obtaining an Endangered Species Permit and gillnets, no sturgeon were captured during 1976.
n s_ww w e.
-, ves ~ e
=m we,--e*
i*
6-q.-
RESULTS ( Con t. ) :
{
146 i
'264 shortnose sturgeon and 8 Atlantic sturgeon were tagged with l
orange Carlin tags and released from late April, 1977 through Novem-ber 1977.
Two shortnose sturgeon were tagged with Petersen disc tags.
Thus the total number of shortnose sturgeon tagged was 248 in 1977.
In addition, two small shortnose sturgeon were released untagged after taking length-weight measurements, morphometric measurements, meristic counts and pectoral spines for aging purposes.
Fourteen shortnose j
sturgeon suffered mortality during capture in 1977.
The total number i
captured was 264.
During 1978, 72 shortnose sturgeon were captured.
69 were tagged and released; a shortnose sturgeon tagged in 1977 was recaptured and released; and 2 suffered mortality.
Eight Atlantic sturgeon were captured in 1978.
One suffered mortality and 7 were tagged and released.
t Also a shortnose sturgann which was caught in the leads of an experimental floating fish trap operated by DMR personnel is in our
/
possession.
This sturgeon was caught in outer Penobsene Rey and is the first record of shortnose sturgeon from this area.
1 TAXONOMIC DESCRIPTION:
A taxonomic description of shortnose and Atlantic sturgeon from the Kennebec River has been prepared.
The most reliable external _
characteristics to distinguish shortnose sturgeon from Atlantic j
sturgaon are the ratios of mouth width (MW) to snout length (S L) and of mouth ggdth (MW) to interorbital width (IOW).
Expressed as a per-centage, g7 x 100 ranged from 44 to 95 for shortnose s turgeon compaced to a range of 24 to 47 for Atlantic sturgeon from the Kennebec River general rule, if (Table 2).
The overlap was fairly small and as a the mouth width is 40% of the snout length,or greater, it is a short-nose sturgeon.
Mouth width as a percentage of snout length for short-nose sturgeon from thi St. John River, New Brunswick ranged from 44 to 79 compared to a rangs of 24 to 35 for Atlantic sturgeon (Carham and McAllister, 1974).
The ratio of mouth width to interorbital width (IOW) was used to distinguish shortuose sturgeon from Atggntic sturgeon in the St. John River (Gorham and McAllister, 1974).
x 100 for shortnose sturgeon 63 9g 90 compared to a range of 1
from the St. John River ranged from o
small ovgglap in the 47 to 58 for Atlantic sturgeon.
There was a x 100 for from the Kennebec River.
7g ranges for the two speciesthe Kennebec Riv<r ranged from $3 to 102 com-shortnose sturgeon from pared to 43 to 66 for Atlantic sturgeon Sable 2).
As a general rule the mouth width of shortnose sturgeon un gretter than 60% of the inter-orbital width.
One character which has b een 3 sed to i dentify shortnose sturgeon is the. ab s ence of supra-anal s cutes.
All sh3rtuose examined did not have any supra-anal plates but supra-anal plates were also not evident on three adult Atlantic sturgeon.
They were present on all j uvenile l
(
Atlantic sturgeon examined.
More Atlantic sturgeon need to be ex-amined to determine the reliability of this character.
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. o TAXONOMIC DES CRIPTION ( Con t) :
Another character which has been used to identify shortnose sturgeon is the presence of a single preanal s cute compared to paired preanal scutes for A:lantic sturgeon (Gorham and McAllister, 1974).
Shortnose sturgeus from the Kennebec River had both single and paired preanal scutes with a highly variable number of scutes posterior to the aforementioned scutes.
Shortnose sturgeon have a dark colored intestine compared to pale colored for Atlantic sturgeon.
The 16 mortalities all had the characteristic black intestine.
Three Atlantic sturgeon that were examined had pale colored intestines.
Additional morphometric measurements and meristic counts have been included in Table 2 for comparison to other shortnose sturgeon stocks.
LENGTH AND WEIR.8T:
Three hundred thirty-five shortnose sturgeon have been examined for weight and length.
The smallest shortnose sturgeon captured was 43.6 cm and the largest was 107 cm (App. 1).
Very few fish less than 50 cm were caught as a result of using large mesh gill nets.
Weight ranged from.45 kg to 9.19 kg.
A length frequency histogram for shortnose sturgeon captured in 1977 (N-263) is presented in Figure 3.
The average length for all fish combined was_Z7 R_ c m_.
Length fre-quencies were also plotted by mesh size (Figure 4).
Effort was con-stant for all three mesh sizes.-
There was considerable overicp in the length of sturgeon captured by the three mesh sizes.
This is a result of sturgeon being caught both by gilling and entanglement.
The average length of shortnose sturgeon captured in the sir-inch mesh was 69.6 cm compared to 70.9 cm in the St. John River (Dadswell, 1976):
The average length for shortnose sturgeon from the Kennebec River captured in eight-inch mesh was 78.7 cm compared to 92.7 cm in the St. John River (Dadswell, 1976).
Length frequencies for shortnose sturgeon captured in 1978 (N=69) are presented in Figures 5 and 6.
The average length caught in six-inch mosh was 69.3 and 84.9 for eight inch mesh.
Seventeen Atlantic sturgeon were caught during the project period ranging in length from 59.0 cm to 150.5 cm (App. 2).
Weight ranged from 1.48 kg to 29.55 kg.
The length-weight relationship for shortnose sturgeon (N-263) was:
Log W = 2.68 (Log L) -4.48 Where W is the weight in kilograms and L is fork length in centimeters
.(Figure 7).
Relationships were also determined for three different'.
periods during 1977 sampling s eason (Table 3).
The slopes for period ~
1 (April - June), period 2 (July - August) and period 3 (September -
November) were respectively 2.8168, 2.4911, and 2.9737.
The difference
[
in slopes could be the result of the fish being in different stages of their reproductive phases.
t
(
Weight at a given length was quite variable with some fish weigh-ing twice as much as another fish of the same length (App. 3).
Dadswell (1976) also found this to be true for shortnose sturgeon from the S t.
l__
11 -
/
TABLE 3.
. LENGTH-WEIGHT RELATIONSHIPS OF SHORTNOSE STURGEON COLLECTED IN 1977 FROM THE KENNEBEC RIVER.
THE INTERCEPT AND SLOPE ARE FROM THE RELATIONSHIP Y =BX + A WHERE Y EQUALS Log 10 WEIGHT (Kg) AND X EQUALS Log 10
- LENGTH (CM).
-PERIOD NO.
INTERCEPT SLOPE (b) r
-1.
April - June 126
-4.7522 2.8168
.95 2.
July - August 99
-4.1163 2.4911
.92 3.
September - November 83
-5.0055 2.9737
.96 Combined 263
-4.4762 2.6783
.93 i
i-e'
+
12 -
. o O
John River and attributed the difference to sturgeon being in different stages of the reproductive phase and variability in body proportions.
AGE AND GROWTH:
Age determinationo we.
made for 129 shortnose sturgeon and 13 Atlantic sturgeon.
The age frequency distributions are shown in Figure 8.
Because of the use of large mesh gillnets (6',
7',
8' stretch),-the distribution is skewed to the right.
The distribution for sturgeon eight years and older is probably normal.
A dip in the age fraquency is present in distribution for 1977 and, although not so evident, for 19 7 8 b e tw een the ages of 8 to 14 (Fig. 8).
It is unlikely'that this dip in frequency is a result of gill net selectivity as it is not evident in the length frequency curve.
The small number of fish captured b etween the ages of 8 to 14 may indicate that the maj ority of fish leave the river at this time to mature.
The paucity of shortnose sturgeon at these ages may also be the result of weak age classes.
S There is considerable overlap in the range of lengths among age groups.
In certain instances the mean length for an older age group is less than that for a younger age group (Tab le 4).
This could be l
the result of a small sample size, combined data for both sexes, l
sampling of more than one discrete population, highly variable growth rate between individuals due to genetic differences or improper aging l
techniques.
Growth of shortnose sturgeon less than 25 years from the Kennebec River appears to be faster than found for shortnose sturgeon in the St. John' River (Fig. 9).
The average size of an 8 year old fish from the Kennebec River was 68.2 (T ab le 4) compared to 43.8 cm for the St. John River (Dadswell, 1976).
The faster growth rate may be an artifact of selecting the faster growing fish in younger age classes by the use of large mesh gill nets.
Beyond age 30 the growth rate for shortnose sturgeon from the Kennebec River is slower than found for shortnose sturgeon from the St. John River.
The mortality rate for shortnose sturgeon from the Kennebec River is greater than found in the St. John River.
Only 23% of the age compared to 41% for the St. John River (Dadswell, 1976).
By size, 36% of the shortnose sturgeon captured in the St. John River were over 80 cm compared to 20% for the Kennebec River (App. 3).
I l
Based on the small sample of Atlantic sturgeon captured and aged, it appears that the growth rate for Atlantic sturgeon is greater than th a t of shortnose sturgeon even during the juvenile phase (App. 2).
The average length for a six year old Atlantic sturgeon was 91.5 cm.
[
The largest Atlantic sturgeon (150.5 cm) captured, was 17 years old l
and the oldest sturgeon (142.5 cm) captured, was 22 years old.
e b
i i
t i
13 -
TABLE 4.
AGE, MEAN FORK LENGTH (FL), AND NUMBER (N) IN EACH AGE GROUP OF SHORTNOSE STURGEON CAUGHT IN THE KENNEBEC RIVER DURING 1977 AND 1978.
AGE RANGE FL MEAN FL (CM)
NUMBER 3
32.9 1
~
4 43.6 1
5 48.2 1.
6 53.0-64.3 57.9 7
7 61.2-66.2 64.1 3
8 57.2-75.0 68.2 9
9 62.5-73.0 68.4 14 10 68.0-79.8 73.8 6
11 69.5-88.4 75.8 6
12 67.9-72.2 70.3 3
13 68.7-80.8 71.9 4
'l-4 65.8-79.5 72.3 12 15 66.7-84.9 78.1 8
16 64.0-90.0 77.9 11 17 67.6-86.9 76.2 5
18 68.5-88.7
__JU9.1 4
TV-70.4-85.8 80.6 3
20 79.6-87.0 84.40 5
21 84.5-91.8 88.2 2
22 74.0-89.1 80.8 3
23 73.6-98.5 87.1 3
24 64.0-88.0 78.3 3
25 74.9-89.4 82.2 2
27 75.5-91.2 83.4 2
28 95.0 1
29 88.0 1
32 96.7 1
34 78.9 1
37 89.3-107.0 98.15 2
l b
't 1
'k 1
y y
~ ?
14 -
DISTRIBUTION. AND SE ASON AL MOVEMENTS OF SHORTNOSE STURGEON:
-Shortnose sturgeon were found to be distributed throughout the
(( \\.
_Kennebec River system from Long Island near the mouth, to Gardiner near head of-tide (Figure 10).
They were found in the Androscoggin I
to head of tide and in the tidal porcions of the tributary streams of Merrymeeting Bay.
They were also f ound in the S t.sanoa River, a tidal channel between the Kennebec River and the Sheeps cot River i
estuary, and Montsweag Bay.
Montsweag Bay, part of the Sheepscot River estuary, is the site at which shortnose s turgeon were jus t i
identified in the State of Maine (Fried and McCleave, 1973).
Gillnets were set at 19 s ampling sites (Figure 11).
S ampling sites were limited to eddies and backwater areas where nets could ef f ectively b e fished. -Sites 13 & 14 were eliminated as aampling sites due to strong currents.
Shortnone sturgeon were captured at I
all. sampling sites except sites 3, 13, 14, 16, 18, and 19.
Sites 2 (Bluf f Head), 3 (Hockomock Bay), 6 and 15(Montsweag_Asy), and 7 Sasanoa River) were influenced by variable saI1nites.
The salt wedge rarely moves above Days Ferry (North Bath) in the Kennebec River.
Seasonal abundance data-(Figures 12, 13, & 14), tag returns (Table i
5), and observations indicate a general upriver movement in the spring i
and a meneral downriver movement in inte summer and early fall.
The upriver movement was evident in 1977 but was not so evident in 1978.
A large concentration of shortnose sturgeon (26/90m net / 24 Hr.) was present in the Sasanoa Riv er (Site 7) at time of first sampling in
.'m i d - J u n e, 19 77- (Table 6 and Figure 12).
Catch effort decreased to 8
- .in July, 1 in August, and 0 in S ep t emb er, 1977.
The Sasanoa River site is af f ected by variable salinities.
At the time of sampling in June the bottom salinity was 1.5 o/oo, and during July, August, and I
-S eptemb er the bottom salinity was generally greater th an 15 o/oo.
All sampling sites upriver of the Sasanoa River were not affected by salinity.. Due to limited manpower each upriver site was not j
sampled every month.
During 1977, a large concentration was present j
at Abadasset Point (Site 4) in Merrymeeting Bay during May (Figure 13).
r This site was not sampled again until August at which time catch / effort was one-half that of May.
At the next site upriver, Courthouse Point-l (Site 5), the concentration was highest in May and' decreased to 0 in August.
At Campmeeting Point (Site 10), shortnose sturgeon were l
present at time of first sampling in July (Figure 14).
Sturgeon were abundant at Sands Island (Site 9) in June and July and at Gardiner (Site 12) in July (Figure 14).
During August and Septemb er, no large concentrations were found at any of the sites. -During ' late S e p t emb er i
and early October large numbers of sturgeon were seen j umping near Chops Point and Days Ferry,-areas-of deep turbulent wat er which could
- found, not b e, sampled.
A large concentration (35/90m net /24 hr.) was in the Sasanoa River in October but none were caught in early November (Table 6 and' Figure 12).
The bottom salinity was 8 o/oo at the time
_ of sampling in October.and 0 o/oo in early November.
i e'
'Although it is difficult to discern any seasonal movement patterns f
based upon seasonal abundance at the different sampling sites, there l
appears to be a general uprivar novaman* 'Anring the summer monthp in IJJJ_ based _on movement of tagged shortnose on.
Four shortnose
's turgeon were recaptur ed d'uring t p ing season.
Three of these l
--~......-.
'e+e r=~u-g.
-v--g 9
r----r_v--y-Je-e-------
---e--g.-ww we 1s-y'
-fry-r
-- ew7 =i-r rgt e sig-3*w~rW T'
- "W?
r E
r ' ' '
e e
15 -
TABLE 5.
DATES AND LOCATIONS OF TAG RETURNS AND RECAPTURES OF SHORTNOSE STURGEON DURING 1977.
DAYS TAG #
DATE TAGGED SITE DATE RECAPTURED SITE AT LARGE 1.
0010
.5/17/77 4
5/26/77 4
9 2
0040 5/19/77 2
6/3/77 (Return)
Long Is.
15
- 3. -
0101 6/17/77 7
7/7/77 10 20 4.
0121 6/27/77 9
7/20/77 11 23 5.-
0088 6/17/77 7
7/20/77 12 33 6.
0161 7/13/77 2
6/01/78 7
323 D
e
.~--._mm-.-
- - - ~,
16 -
Catch by site, date gear, and species.
The experimental TABLE 6 gill net com isted of panel of 6",
7",
8" stretch mesh.
1977 CATCH /90m/24 hr.
SITE MESH SIZE DATE_
SHORTNOSE ATLANTIC 1
Chopo Point. Experimental 4/27/77 1
4/28/77 0
12 "
5/19/77 0
Experimental 9/29/77 0
2 Experimental 4/28/77 5
Bluff Head 5/5/77 2
12 "
5/5/77 0
1 (adult)
Experimental 5/19/77 6
6/17/77 0
1 (juvenile 7/13/77 5
t 8/3/77 1
3. (j uv enile 9/8/77 1
3 (juvenile 10/13/77 0
3 Experimental 5/17/77 0
'Hockomock Bay 4
Experimental 5/17/77 26 Ab agad as s e t Pt.
5/26/77 28 J 12 6/22/77 0
Experimental 8/17/77
- 12
.5 Experimental 5/26/77 10 Court Hs. Pt.
12 "
6/14/77 0
Experimental 6/27/77 2
+
Exrerimental 8/25/77
.0 6
Experimental 6/14/77 1
Montsweag Bay 8/11/77 0
11/2/77 0
7 Experimental 6/17/77 26 Sasenoa R.
7/13/77 j
7 8/11/77 1
9/8/77 0
10/13/77 35 11/2/77 0
8 Experimental 6/22/77 0
-Brick-Isl.
Experimental 6/27/77-20 9
+
7/7/77 16 Sends Isl.
9/15/77 1
~
10 Exp erimen t:a1 7/7/77 13
'Ccopmeeting Pt.
9/22/77 1
F 11 Experimental-7/20/77 11 Morton Brook 9/22/77 0
l 17 -
TABLE 6 Cent. Pogo 2
~
CATCH /90m/24 hr.
SITE MESH SIZE DATE SHORTNOSE ATLANTIC
'12 Experimental 7/20/77 33 1 (adult)
~
Toguo Stream 8/25/77 3
12 "
9/15/77 0
12 "
9/29/77 0
13 Experimental 8/3/77 0
Winnogance Creek 14 12 "
8/17/77 0
Ecotorn River 1978 2
Experimental 6/01/78 3
Bluff Head Experimental 7/14/78 1
1 (adult)
Experimental 8/24/78 0
3 Experimental 8/17/78 0
Hockomock Bay 4-Experimental 5/12/78 6
2 (juvenile)
Ab ogad as s e t Pt.
6/07/78 7
Experimental 6/23/78 3
Experimental 7/06/78 1
Experimental 7/19/73 1
Experimental 8/02/78 4
Experimental 9/27/78 1
Experimental 10/26/78 0
5 Experimental 5/24/78 0
Court Hs. Pt. Experimental 8/10/78 0
6 Experimental 7/14/78 0
Montaweag Bay 7/25/78 0
7 Experimental 5/12/78 2
Sasenoa R.
Experimental 6/01/78 3
Experimental 6/23/78 2
Experimental 7/06/78 2
Experimental 7/25/78 0
Experimental 8/17/78 13 Experimental 8/24/78 3
Experimental 10/12/78 7
i 8' Water "
10/20/78 0
18' Water "_-
10/20/_78.. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
. 2.
8 Experimental 7/19/78 2-1 ('aduli),
. Brick Is1.
Experimental 8/02/78 2
2 (( a80kn11-Experimental 9/27/78 0
Experimental 10/26/78 0
9 Experimental 5/24/78 0
Sendo Is1.
Experimental 6/15/78 1
Experimental 6/29/78 1
i Experimental 7/12/78 1
Experimental 8/09/78 0
Experimental 8/10/78 0
Experimental 9/26/78 0
18 f T AB L'E [ 6 - Cen t.
Pcgo 3 i
CATCH /90m/24 hr._
SITE MESH SIZE DATE SHORTNOSE ATLANTIC a
110 Experimental 6/07/78 1
6/29/78 0
.Ceapseating Pt.
Experimental 7/12/78 0
Experimental 7/21/78 0
Experimental 8/09/78 0
Experimental 9/26/78 0
11 Experimental 7/21/78 0
2 (adult)
Morton Brook 15 Experimental 6/08/78 1
Pina Isl.
M:ntsweag Bay 16 Experimental 6/15/78 0
Browns Isl.
17 100'-3" 6/23/78 2
South Side Abegadasset Pt.18-100'-3" 7/12/78 0
Ecatarn River-Above James Eddy 19 100'-3" 7/21/78 0
Eastern River Cooksey Channel o'
?
i 4
6 4
-=
w
]
~
_.gg,.
~
' fish wereLrecaptured upriver of~the site of tagging.
The other f
l sturgeon was recaptured at the site'of tagging (Table 5).
Two.shortnose sturgeon which were tagged at the Sasanoa River (Site'7) on June 17, 1977 were recaptured upriver. 'One was recaptured at Campmeeting Point (Site _10). traveling at least 23 miles in twenty days-(Figure 15).
The other sturgeon was recaptured 26 miles upriver
.of~the Sasanoa' River at Gardiner (Site 12) thirty-three days later (Figure 16).
'-A'shortnose' sturgeon which was tagged on June 27, 1977 at Sands i
Island (Site 9) was recaptured three miles upriver of Sands Island at Morton _ Brook (Site 11) twenty-three days later (Figure 17).
. l 6
The fourthL fish was tagged at Ab agadas set Point (Site 4) on May 17, 1977 and recaptured at the same site nine days later.
{
There was also a tag return from a fisherman.
This shortuose sturgeon was tagged at Bluff Head (Site 2) on May 19, 1977 and caught at Long. Island, downriver from the tagging site on June 3, 1977 (Figure 1~
_18).
t During 1978 no large' concentrations of sturgeon were found at any l
of the sampling sites with the exception of a single catch of 13 short-
}
nose sturgeon /90s net /24 hr at the Sasanoa River (Site 7) on August j
17 th (Table 6).
During 1977, 267 shortnose sturgeon were caught in i
38 net days (90m net /24 hr.) for catch / effort of 7.03 sturgeon /90s net /
24 hr.
In 1978, 72 shortnose sturgeon were caught in 47 net days for i
a catch / effort of 1.53 sturgeon /90m net /24 hr.
This low catch / effort could be the result of utilizing experimental nets of larger thread
]
size in 1978 but no large numbers of sturgeon were seen j umping in 1978 as ~ had previously been seen in 1977.
There was only one 1977 l
tagged fish recaptured at the Sasanoa River (Site 7) on June 1, 1978
( Figure - 19).
l Due to the low catch / effort and lack of recaptures in 1978 it is
[
difficult to discern any seasonal movement patterns.
It is possible j
that the majority of the adult shortnose s turgeon remained in the j
lower estuary in 1978 where good sampling sites are limited.
4
{
DISTRIBUTION OF ATLANTIC STURGEON:
l Seven juvenile and two adult Atlantic sturgeon were captured in j
1977._ All j uvenile Atlantic sturgeon and one adult were all caught E
at Bluff Head (Site 2), which is the lowermost sampling site.
The
-juvenile sturgeon were caught from mid-June through early September
-when salinities.were greuter than 10 o/oo.
The other adult Atlantic p
sturgeon was caught at.Gardiner (Site 12) on July 20, 1977.
During $978, three juven'ile and five adult Atlantic sturgeon i
were ' captured.
The thr ee_ j uvenile were all caught in Merrymeeting i.
Bav'which van essentia11v framhwater.
Two of the juveniles were i
caught at Abagadasset Point (Site 4) May 12, 1978 and the other at Brick'Isla'nd (Site 8) on September 27, 1978.
Three of the fish referred to as adults. (Tag # 2 91,- ' 2 94, and 322) were aged as being f.
only ten and eleven years old and it is not known whether these-fish were - s exuc.11y. 'matur e (App.2).
With the exception of one adult (tag
- 291) all Atlantic sturgeon were caught in upriver freshwater section-
'w6 epen
,e erw.,
_6.w'
- e. 9 eN.
~
m
... - - - ~
in 1978.
One adult-(Tag #298) which was captured at Morton Brook
. (Site' 11) ~ on July 21, 1978 was extruding milt indicating some Atlantic scurgeon spawn in late July.
The number of Atlantic sturgeon captured in 1977 and 1978 is.most likely not representative of their true abundance in the Kennebec River.
Due to strong currents in the Kennebec River, sampling was limited to eddies and backwater areas characterized by large: flats built up by sedimentation, and abundant marcrophytes.
These areas appear to be prime feeding grounds for shortnose sturgeon during the summer months but this may not be true for juvenile Atlantic sturgeon.- Dovell (1977) found that in the Hudson River, juvenile Atlantic sturgeon are only found in water less than 25 feet
. deep for a short period in the spring and the fall.
Dove 11 (1977) stated that after the water temperatura rises above a certain level immature Atlantic sturgeon apparently seek deeper cooler waters.
Dadswell (1976) found immature Atlantic sturgeon to be more abundant by a factor of.10;1 in salinities greater th'an 3 o/oo in the St. John
~
Rivar, New Brunswick.
All juvenile Atlantic sturgeon were either caught at downriver sites in the Kennebec River where salinities were greater than 10 o/oo or at upriver freshwater sites during the spring or fall supporting the findings of Dadswell (1976) and Dove 11_(1917).
OCCURRENCE OF SHORTNOSE STURGEON IN PENOBSCOT RIVER:
The first known occurence of shortnose sturgeon in the Penobscot River was documented in 1978.
A shortnose sturgeon was caught June 30,.1978 in th'a leader of an experimental floating fish trap operated by the Extension Service of the Department of Marine Resources at Northport in Penobscot Bay.
The salinity is over 30 o/oo at this s '. t e.
The sturgeon was caught next to shore in shallow water in 5 " stretch mesh.
.The shortnose - sturgeon was 64.9cm in fork length and weighed 2.4kg.
POPULATION ESTIMATE:
Population es timates b ased on 1977 and 1978 data would be biased for two reasons.
Gillnets which are selective for size were used in both capturing and recapturing fish and neither the tagging nor the subsequent sampling was done on a random basis.
In addition, it is uncertain whether all the shortnose sturgeon tagged in 1977 were available to be caught in 1978.
It is possible that the majority of sturgeon tagged in 1977 may have remained in the lower estuary and adj acent coastal where they would not have been vulnerable to our gill nets.
Only one 1977 tagged shortnose sturgeon was recaptured in 1978. 7 A Petersen estimate based on one recapture could be very unreliable especially considering the aforementioned'possible biases and violated assumptions.
A' modified Schnab'el estimate (Chapman, 1952, 1954) was made to get a rough estimate of the population size.
The Schnabel estimate was made using the.1977 data (Table 7).
The estimate van 6032 adult shortnose sturgeon computed from the following formula (Chapman, 1952, l
- e. E * +
=%.
=
.ameds&&
%==4 s,-m i
++4.e--
e*-
21 1954):
R=
(CtMt)
R+1 Where C is the Catch at time t,
M is the number of marked fish at large at time t,
and R is the total number of recaptures.
1 The approximate 95% confidence interval using R ( Precaptures) as a Poisson variable was from 2957 to 30,159.
One should be very cautious in treating the above estimate as a true estimate of abundance because of the possible biases and violated assumptions.
t f
4 4
4
)
l f
s < -
- ~ - - -
.i 22 -
l l
TABLE 7.
COMPUTATIONS FOR MODIFIED S CHNABEL ESTIMATE FOR SHORTNOSE STURGEON TAGGED AND RECAPTURED IN THE KENNEBEC RIVER ESTUARY IN 1977.
NUMBER MARKED MARKED FISH RECAPTURES TOTAL CATCH (c)
(LESS REMOVALS)
AT LARGE (M)
(R)
CXM i
1 0
0 0
1 1
1 0
1 5
5 2
0 10 2
2 7
0 14 26 26 9
0 234 6
6 35 0
210 38 33 41 1
1,558 1
1 74 0
74 26 26 75 0
1,950 22 22 101 0
2,222 29 25 123 1
3,567 12 12 148 0
1,776 44 38 160 2
7,040 1
0 198 0
198 1
1 19 8 0
198 12 11 199 0
2,388 3
1 210 0
630 1
0 211 0
211 1
1 211 0
211 7
1-1 212 0
212 213 0
7,455 35 268 7
30,159 t
JB E
p I
~. _ _ _ _ _. _.
f n,
r e
w--
r-n
+
e m
-w
23 -
Figure 1.
MAJOR RIVER BASINS' /N A
ST. JOHN
/
B ST. CROlX
/
C PENOBSCOT e'
D KENNEBEC
/
E ANDROSCOGGIN
/
I F
PRESUMPSCOT -
G SACO
/
H PISCATAQUA
/
I SHEEPscoT
'j A
i
\\
k'J r
t l
gg B
i l
~
m
\\
e 1
a p
. i..
19[e i
/-
%Q
-u O,'
~
^
a o8 r
i 3
Sp JULY igm
-.m.-~-
Figure 2 3 Bottom contour of the Kennebec River from the mouth to head of tide at Auguste.
l
. (_
1
}
1 i-!
4 d
- il j
f
'~ WJ dl%
Qf r
y 1
t J
.fb Mfi,4 i N-
- 3
\\
E li:
7 m
, W i; p
PNV y
fy T p m t 3
iW W
/
I 3
1
. p l-V i:
. 2
_1-y x
.k 1
(.f I
1
-7
~
p t-t,
.F L_
t
.., J h'
.I j
.n iv j-y
(,
u; L
2',
j a
jl.
"Z Ec d
{.
i x x, i
t c.--.
3.
' L1/Q b
//o
/Z lja 5
,o s
a0 AT 30 35 90 9r so s
RI\\/E R TAILES
... ~.
am,
l' 0
1 1
I8 no 3
- gru 0
t 0
s i
5 1
aso n
t 1
r o
hs 0
f 9
o no i
A tu bir 0
1 t,
8 c7 i7 d91 y
g cg nn
- i
)
ur 0
m qu i
7 c
ed
(
r fd e hr HT tu y
gt G
N np E
e L
Lc 06 K
y R
O 3
F er y
ug iF 0
5 i
0 4
0 0
0 0
0 0
6 5
4 3
2 1
bll 3
8w" U
~
E
'oag i
FIGURE
- 4. LENGTH FREQUENCIES BY MESH SIZE FOR SHORTSOSE
- 30 STURGEON CAPIURED DURING 1977.
~
4 20 FL = 78.71 8"
1 10 1
4 k
i i
30 20 i
7n FL = 73.63 I.
10 B
8 E
us i
8 30 6
1 I
20
__FL = 69.58 6"
10
\\
1 i
i i
40 50 60 70 80 90 100 13 i
i FORK LENGTH (cm)
~
'l
!i l-l t8 E
e 1
4 F'
g%80JM CE m H A MOI o :s i
E n
z 7e 2
g ure 1
2 3
4 5
6 5
0 0
0 0
0 0
4 0
Len g
t h
f 5
i r
0 e
q ue aI nc y
6 d
r 0
is t
r i
b i
u t
i 7
o Ik 0
n o
f r
s hor 8
t 0
n e
os e
i I
s t
ur 9
g 0
e c
4n c
a p
t 1
ur 0,
0 e
d du
,I r
i n
g 1
1, d
0-7 8
'a
}
o -
Figuro 6:
Length Frequencies by mesh size for shortnoso 301 9 sturgeon captured during 1978.
Mesh size referred to is stretch measure.
20 8"
10 30 I
I I
. i 7"
20 2o W
O M
m H"
10 r.s.o e
I w
so E"
30 l
I z
20 6"
l 10 l
3 J
I 1
1 1
1 I
I I
I I
I 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 1
Fork length (cm) 1 i
.l
!l1kfl nc n
t l
$sa:cg 600 2
4 6
8 10 4
0 I
F IGU F
R O
E RK 7
6 r L
0 E
- N FL G
RE
~
T ON
~
H MGT W (c TH L
H-m O
EW
)
i G
E KI W
EG Ni f
=
Nf E
2 BR
,l.
EE 6
CL 8
A RT
(
II 8 r L
VO O
G RSH L
( I
)
NP
=OF
,4 26S r
4 3H o
I 8
RG r
1 E
0 O
0 N
~
s
~
=
1 2
0 i
-r-P
Figure 8:
Per cent age composition of shortnose sturgeon captured,'
in the Kennebec River during 1977 and 1978.
~
15 1978 N=
51 10 5
g
', N 1 O m
Zo 15 O
W O'
4 i
H 1977 N=
76 10
- l 5
'~
l 1
j, I
4 a
5 e
a s
e g
)
s y
u s
s s
- u y
g u
5 y
s a
y g
a y
g g
y i
g g
g 10 20 30 40 Age (years) l-
Figure 9:
Comparison of growth curvec for shortnoce sturgeon from the
' ~
~
Kennebec River'and the St. John River.
120 -,
p,/
100 -
/
/
/'
/
/
Log L=1.5674+0.2743 (Log A) p' l
80 -
,/
[
i l
E
/
u
/
v
/
/
.C
/
l u
/
oo Log L-1.2172+0.5106 (Log A) 60 f
/
.1
.t y
^
/
o
/
o
/
p.
/
/
/
Kennebec River
/
40 f
St. John River 1
a I
I I
I 3
i 10 20 30 l
Age (Years) t k
p<
w
-~
w
-[ '
Fi'.11.
Location of g
AUGUSTA S mpling Sites HAL.t.CWEt.L. j{N Site 16 1
[
Site 12 (Gar' diner)-
i-r@R.
Site 11 (Mortipn Brook)
)
=
S,ite ' 9. (S'a6ds\\Isl5nd)'
,5 4
4
- s.
' t.
Site 10 (Campmeetiitg Pg) *,
i~
'y g.*
g-Site 5 -(C_our ouse Pt.)
- \\
'I Site 18. '
q I
4 Site 14-Site 19,
=
f.
66 Site 4 (Abagadasset.Pt.) - - -
A Site 17----
W f
i ISLAND 4
0 'IHORtE HEAD Site 6 Site B (Brick Island
%{
4 fsite 15 j
4 1
ite 3 MOCK BAY FIDDt.ER REAJ
.i f
Site 13------y
N N
Site 2 (Bluff Head l
PARKER HEAD-I FORT POPHAM g
, Fig tolocation of Areas where shortnose 4
l Sturgeon have been AL X,lf lA j captured by fishermen
- and research personnel.
)
4 f
Halt.CWELL {
l i.
l a.
[.
Site 12 I'
l r@R -
t
)
Site 'll I.
Ii i
.j Sits 9 l
. ':.k I'
e s'
p=
i r
SiteId.
I'
--Site 5
\\
\\;.
i i.
.\\
1, p-l i
.f.
- Site 4 r
J' i e is u E
/
l-Site 1 1
O W HEAD
--Site 6
/
l t
1[
Site 7 -
OMOCK BAY FIDDL.ER REA e
N'f h"
'
- 3.UFF G W
Site 2-S C d
\\
J 5
i PARKER HEAD I
f.
Fig t 2:
Number of shortnose sturgeon caught in the SasanoaRiver (Site 7) per 284 hr. set and bottom and surgace salinities.
SASANOA RIVER 30
, 35
- 30 Surface Salinity Bottom Salinity 5?
20
- 20 3
8 2
c 4
/\\
a
.4 Y
l\\
U t
\\
t
/
\\
/
\\
10
- 10 g
f I
et
/
\\
h, l
\\
,-----~s i
/
s' s
a s
/
s r
\\
\\
\\
D 0
p APRIL T
MAY I
JUNE I
JULY I AUGUST I
SEPr.
E OCT.
NOV.
I 1977 9
e
,O
Figure 13:
Number of shortnose sturgeon caught at Abegadassot Point (Site 4) s:
Por 24 hr. set.
. ABAGEDASSET POINT 9
~s N
Nu
~.
C no*
20 -
szow 0
l M
D 1 in H m m i
I Wm OzH x
-2
- n m
10 -
O M
N m:c D
Z l
i i
e
=
April May June July August September October November i
1977
Figure 14:
Nuuber of shortnose sturgeon por 24 hr. gill not cet et four upriver siten during 1977.
20 20 -'
10
~ 10 -
u m
N N
4J*
C M
i 3
g g
El I
I i
g May June July August Sept.
May June July August Sept.
o COURTHOUSE PT. - Site 5 CAMPMEETING PT. - Site 10 m
1 O
e M A
E-*
I m m l'
i w to Oz 33 5
0 m
20 m
20 -
N O
Mw mx p*
10 10 -
ii n
y 3
July IAu gu s t iSept.
May June July I August 3 Sept.
May I June I
GARDINER - Site 12 SANDS ISLAND - Site 9 jl t
i
Fig.15. Movement of tagged sturgeon #0101 AtKil6TA HALLCWELL I
I e
/
w n
reacwER.
g s,-
I I
l
{..
'. g4010.1
- ('
I Campmeeting Pt.,,
l7/7/77 i
Site:10
- (20)
's,
\\.,.
i l
i.
\\
j
.. A h
'..'/
b 1 )
s
.1 j
r
/
/
[
J W UR % DN ISLktC i
s d THORtE NEAD i
i Tag #0101 4
fi 671T/71 4
I j
i
- f 7
f 0M w FIDDt E8 RE h
- ,r
- BuEF HEAD [
O f
. k.f I
5 N
I PARKER HEAD I
f FORT % )A
N E id. Movcment of tcggId oturgnon j
- 0088
=
AlXAlbTA
+
~
HALLCWELL j l
Tag E0088 g
7/20/77 rC@g.
'-f
~~
site 12 -
e
- fy
\\,.
.i
'\\
.. -h 1
n I
3 e.
e r
=/
>/
- Ismacuasano
?
\\
OsTHORNE NEAD g,
e J i, Tag #cos g
r i
MOCK bay FIDDLER RE
'F
- BUFF HEAD V
k,/
n i
PARKER HEAD f
1 h
FORT % g
33 Fig. 17.
Movement of tagged sturgeon
~
- 0121.'
/
At>GL4TA f
Hall.CWELL l
l I
e
/
w rmR.
N
- Tag #612,1 Morton Br.
M /7.7 Site 11 Ih t
\\
l I'
I Sands Is.
. Tag #0121 \\
.)
i i
. Site 9 a
6727/77.1-i I
.i...
8 t
)
~\\
1 l
I l,
.r..
N s& stu8 eon ts a m r
I 1
1 O THORNE HEAD i
I 4f l
[
i t #
"""l
@9 FIDDLER RE
[O 8AY
~
yy h
e,I a
5' PARKER HEAD N
\\
1 FORT %
_A
3,,,; _
40
)
Fig.'185 Movement of taggtd sturgnon #0040 which was recaptured downrgyg g
((
by a commercial fisherman.
If HALLCWELL {
f I
/w n
s eveR.
g 1, -
I
.\\'
.. j.
u I
t
).f.
g STOREON istAND 4
O THORNE NEAD k
l
- p yd OM bay FIDDLER REA
- ,p N
Site 2 ' BLIEF HE4)
Tag #0040 Mh 5/19/77 l.
< J 5
x PARKER HEAD
\\ b l
Tag #0040 W77 l
I FORT POPt%M Long Island i
41 -
Appendix 1.
Totc1 icngth, fork'langth, weight, oizo of noch captured i n ',,'
cud capture sito for chortnose sturgeon taken from April, 1977 to November,,
1978.
TAC NUMBER FL (cm)
TL (cm).
WT.
(Kg)
MESH SIZE CAPTURE LOCATION Patersen Disc 4
- 401 51.9 61.0 Handline Eastern River 0000 68.9 78.4 2.72 3"
Site 1 0001 77.8 90.0 3.74 3"
Site 2 0002 107.0 121.4 9.19 4"
0003 83.6 93.0 4.65 4"
0004 88.0 98.5 7.37 4"
4 0005 79.6 88.2 3.69 4"
0006 69.3 79.5 2.83 3"
0007 68.0 78.1 2.38 3"
0008 0009 82.1 92.1 4.54
'3" Site 4 0010 74.5 82.0 3.29 3"
0011 64.4 74.9 2.27 3"
0012 71.6 82.3 3.29 3"
0013 67.9 76.8 2.83 3"
0014 70.5 80.0 2.95 3"
0015 70.8 78.8 2.61 3"
0016 79.8 91.6 4.31 3"
0017 80.8 89.6 4.08 3"
0018 76.4 89.3 4.20 3"
0019 86.9 95.6 5.78 3"
0020 71.9 83.1 3.29 3h" 0021 69.6 78.2 2.83 3
0022 70.2 79.4 2.49 3"
0023 85.8 97.6 4.76 3h" 0024 73.0 83.6 3.40 3
0025 71.9 82.9 2.95 3h" 0026 69.1 80.5 2.61 3h" 0027 89.3 102.0 5.22 3h" 9
0028 67.6 76.7 2.49 3
b' 0029 73.2 87.7 3.40 4"
0030 79.6 89.3 4.31 4"
0031 79.6 91.7 4.99 4"
0032 79.4 92.4 4.76 4"
0033 95.0 105.0 6.12-4" 0034 91.8 103.0 6.01 4"
0035 57.2 65.6 1.47 3"
Site 2 0036 79.0 89.8 4.31 3"
0037 89.3 100.5 6.24 3h" 0038 85.4 96.6 3.63 3h" g
0039 71.9 81.2 2.83 4"
0040 65.6 75.5 2.49 4"
- 1 0041 70.0 80.2 2.72 3"
Site 4
^
0042 71.4 81.7 2.95 3"
0043 67.5 77.2 2.49 3"
.i 0044 59.4 66.7 1.36 3"
iI-0045 65.3 75.5 2.27 3"
i 0046 72.4 84.0 3.29 3"
0047 75.6 84.2 2.49 3"
0048 71.9 82.3 2.83 3"
4 a
=
42 -
t
- ~ * - {'
Appandix 1 (continuad)
TAG NUMBER FL-(em)_
TL (cm)
WT. (Kg)-
MESH SIZE CAPTURE LOCATION 0049 61.2 81.1 2.04 3"
Site 4 0050
- 65.8 74.2 2.27 3"
0051 63.4 73.0 2.49 3"
0052 71.5 80.5 2.95 3"
0053 79.5 88.7 3.63 3h"
-0054 71.9 81.9 3.06 3h" 0055 77.7 86.6 3.52 3h""
i 0056 83.0 93.7 4.54 3
0057 81.2 91.2 3.74 3h" 0058 83.0 95.4 4.31 3b" 0059 72.6 85.8 2.95 4"
0060 66.'8 74.0 2.49 4"
0061 0062 69.8 79.5 2.95 4"
.0063 88.1 99.1 4.88 4"
0064 85.0 94.2 4.42 4"
0065 100.0-110.2 7.26 4"
Mortality 87.0 96.6 4.20.
Mortality-79.6 90.0 3.97
-Mortality 78.5 90.4 4.65 5
<50cm 43.6 49.4
.45 3"
Site 0066 62.0 71.2 1.59 3"
0067 65.6 72.2 2.04 3"
0068 61.3 71.2 1.93 3"
0069 55.6 62.6 1.25 3h" 0070 69.4 78.8 2.72 3"
0071 65.0
-74.4 2.15 3
0072 78.9 89.6 4.31 4"
0073 74.8 86.2 3.06 4"
0074 84.6 93.5 4.76 4"
0075 86.1 97.0 4.65 3h" Site 6 Ne b /A "Y'
/
0076
.76.1 84.3 3.63 4"
Site 7 0077 73.6 85.0 4.08 4"
0078 75.8 83.6 3.40 4"
l 0079 85.1 94.4 4.76 4"
= 3. 2 70.4 2.72 4"
6 0080-0081 54.5 63.1 1.36 4"
0082 (73.4) 53. 4' 81.5 3.29 4"
~0083 73.8 84.2 3.63 3
0084 75.1 87.4-3.29 3"
0085 63.3 72.8 2.38 3"
0086 77.5 90.4 3.74 3h" 0087 63.9 74.6 1.93 3"
0088 71.2
'83.4 3.63 3"
0089 67.4 79.3-2.49 3"
2 0090 70.3 81.8 2.95 3"
0091 64.0 74.3 2.27 3"
0092 64.3-72.1 1.93 3"
i 0093 67.6 77.0 ~
2.61 3"
l-
'0094-69.9 78.5 2.27 3"
0095 64.0 71.3 2.04 3"
l 0096 54.9
-64.1 1.25 3"
0097 76.4 88.1-3.74' 3"
0098 63.7 73.6 2.38 3"
... -.n -..
Append'ix 1 ( con tinu o'd)
TAG NUMBER FL (cm)
TL (cm)
WT. (Kg)
MESH SIZE CAPTURE LOCATICN 0099 84.0 95.5 5.44 3"
0100-74.0 84.9 2.49 3"
Site 7 0101 69.1 75.2 2.95 3"
0103 78.4 86.5 3.18 3"
Site 5 0104 74.8 85.5 3.40 3
0105 70.5 79.6 2.C3 3"
Site 9 0106 66.5 78.5 2.72 3"
0107 83.5 95.6 5.67 3"
i 0108 63.1 71.8 1.59 3"
0109 80.5 92.2 4.54 3"
0110 68.5 78.2 3.40 3"
0111 69.9 78.6 2.72 3"
0112 72.8 79.8 2.72 3"
0113 84.4 95.5 4.76 3"
0114 64.6 84.8 2.27 3"
0115 57.7 63.3 1.13 3"
0116 68,0 78.0 2.49 3"
0117 73.8 81.4 3.18 3
0118 70.5 78.5 2.72 3b" 0119 85.0 96.6 4.08 3"
I 0120 79.1 88.4 3.40 3
0121 76.3 85.0 2.95 3
0122 76.3 88.9 4.08 4"
0123 86.3 95.6 4.76 4"
0124 74.8 85.8 3.63 4"
0125 82.5 92.3 4.88 4"
Site 9 0126 85.9 93.5 5.90 4"
Site 9 0127 69.0 78.1 2.95 4"
0128 72.1 82.2 3.74 3h" 0129 76.1 85.7 3.06 3
0130 64.1 70.5 2.49 3h" Mortality 89.6 99.8 5.22 3h""
0131 78.4 83.6 3.97 3
0132 72.7 84.6 3.63 3
0133 69.8 79.5 3.18 3h" 0134 69.5 78.1 3.06 3"
0135 80.0 93.3 4.42 3h" 0136 66.6 77.4 3.06 3"
0137 60.4 70.5 1.81 3"
0138 66.5 75.7 2.72 3"
50 cm FL 48.2 56.7 1.02 3"
0139 98.5 109.2 7.26 4"
Site 10 0140 66.0 75.3 2,83 4"
0141 73.4 84.5 3.40 4"
/
0142 81.5 92.1 3.97 3"
I 0143 78.0 87.3 5.22 3h" 0144 82.6 94.7 4.76 3"
3 0145 66.7 78.3 2.61 3"
0146 76.9 85.2 3.63 3"
0147 58.2 69.4 1,81 3"
?
0148 64.6 74.4 2.27 3"
0149 75.9 84.6 3.40 3"
is Mortality 81.5 91.4 3.63 3"
0150 58.5 68.2 1.81 3"
Site 7
44 -
f Appondix 1 (continuod)
TAG NUMBER FL (cm)
TL (cm)
WT. ( E st)
MESH SIZE CAPTURE LOCATION 0151 78.0 88.4 3.85 3"
Site 7 0152 66.6 74.6 2.49 3"
0153 69.8 80.4 3.18 3"
0154 81.5 93.2 4.31 3"
0155-67.0 75.4 2.49 3"
0156 61.5 79.2 3.40 3"
0157 66.4 74.8 2.95 3"
Site 2 0158 69.4 77.0 2.72 3"
0159 69.5 80.5 3.18 3"
0160 88.9 102.0 5.44 4"
0161 69.5 76.8 2.49 4"
0162 63.0 73.5 2.27 4"
Site 11 Mortality 70.8 77.5 2.72 4"
0163 71.0 80.9 3.18 4"
0164 53.5 64.0 1.59 3
0165 68.5 76.3 2.27 3h"
'0166-68.8 79.0 2.83 3h" 0167 71.4 80.0 4.08 3
0168 63.2 73.9 2.49 3"
Mortality 65.5 73.3 2.15 3"
0169 59.6 67.5 2.15 3"
0170 69.1 78.2 3.06 4"
Site 12 0171 73.1 82.3 3.40 4"
0172 80.6 90.4 4.76 4"
0174 70.5 76.9 3.18 4"
0175 67.9 78.4 3.29 3"
0176 67.1 78.0 2.95 3h" 0177 67.0 76.5 3.06 3h" 0178 79.0 90.0 3.86 3h" 0179 64.7 75.6 3.29 3"
0180 74.6 85.0 4.31 3"
0181 62.4 71.2 2.27 3"
0182 56.6 64.6 1.47 3"
0183 71.4 82.7 2.61 3"
0184 66.4 77.4 2.61 3"
0185 61.4 73.2 1.70 3"
0186 66.7 76.5 2.49 3"
0187 57.9~
69.2 1.93 3"
0188 57.6 67.0 1.93 3"
Mortality 59.6 68.6 2.27 3"
0189 78.1 88.9 4.54 3"
0190 63.0 71.0 2.38 3"
0191 63.5 73.4 2.49 3"
0192 56.3 63.0 1.93 3"
0193 77.1 85.3 1.93 3"
0194 65.3 70.9 2.15 3"
0195 70.2 80.8 2.72 3"
0196 68.5 80.3 2.95 3"
q 0197 63.3 72.2 2.95 3"
0198 72.2 87.8 3.63 3"
Mortality 83.8 94.8 4.76 3"
l-0199 66.5 76.6 2.95 3"
Petersen D.
Backer 83.0 94.3 4.76 3"
i
~
.s Appondix 1 (continued)
'[
TAG NUMBER FL (cm)_
TL (cm)
WT. (Kg)
MESH SIZE CAPTURE LOCATION Mortality 86.4 97.4 5.22 3"
Site 2 0203 55.3 64.8 1.47 3"
Site 7 0204 79.9 87.7 4.08 3"
Site 4 Mortality 83.3 93.5 3.97 3"
0205 59.4 69.5 2.15 3"
0206 60.6 66.9 2.27 3"
0207 83.4 95.1 4.99 3"
0208 61.0 68.2 2.15 3"
0209 66.0 76.2 2.49 3h" 0210 81.5 92.2 3.86 3"
0211 55.6 6:.3 1.59 3
0212 68.0 76.3 2.61 3
0213 80.5 90.6 3.86 3
0214 82.1 90.2 4.88 3b" 0215 72.4 81.5 3.18 3"
Site 12 Mortality 84.9 98.3 5.56 3"
Mortality 75.3 84.2 3.63 3"
Mortality 80.6 90.3 4.31 4"
Site 2 0218 71.9 80.5 3.40 3
Site 9 0219 80.3 92.3 4.31 3
Site 10 4
0220 51.5 58.0 1.13 3"
Site 7 0221 69.9 79.0 2.83 3"
0223 70.9 82.5 3.40 -
3" 0224
'75.9 86.6 4.31 3"
0225 61.6 72.1 1.59 3"
0226 76.4 86.3 3.74 3"
0227 69.4 78.1 3.06 3"
0228 77.0 87.9 4.31 3"
0229 62.6 69.5 2.27 3"
0230 74.1 87.0 3.97 3"
0231 67.1 77.5 2.83 3"
0232 81.7 90.3 4.54 3"
0233 75.0 84.7 3.52 3"
0234 79.5 90.7 3.74 3"
0235 64.0 73.6 2.27 3"
0236 70.0 80.4 3.06 3"
0237 83.0 95.4 5.56 3"
0238 77.6 86.3 3.63 3"
0239 75.3 83.0 3.63 3"
0240 79.0 89.9 3.97 3"
0241 90.0 104.0 7.48 3
0242 75.5 86.6 4.08 3b""
0243 66.7 76.0 2.95 3
0244 69.5 78.5 2.95 3"
0245 73.5 83.8 3.40 3
Site 7 0246 74.0 83.0 4.08 3
0247 64.3 75.0 2.38 3"
0248 84.5 95.0 5.67 4"
0249 73.6 85.5 3.97 4"
0250 86.1 98.5 6.35 4"
0251 85.5 97.0 4.42 4"
0252 83.0 95.5 4.08 4"
0253 53.0 61.8 1.47 4"
0254 80.2 90.5 4.76 4"
0255 59.2 68.0 1.81' 4"
.o.
Appendix 1 (continued) s TAG NUMBER FL ( cm)_
TL ( cm) '
WT. (K g )_
MESH SIZE CAPTURE LOCATION 0257 64,9 72.0 2.05 3"
Site 4 0258 80.2 88.4 3.64 3"
l 0259' 71.3 80.5 3.30 3"
l' 0260 75.5 85.5 3.18 3b" i
0261 100.0 110.6 8.30 4"
0262 87.0 98.6 5.80 4"
0264 72.8 84.9 3.07 3"
Site 7 0265 88.7 98.0 6.02 4"
0266 79.1 87.0 3.86 3"
0267 68.8 78.0 2.84 3k" 0268 66.8 75.5 3.30 3"
Site 2 0269 72.2 81.1 2.95 3"
0270 71.8 81.7 3.52 3"
0271 78.9 88.1 3.18 3"
Site 4 0272 69.5 77.7 2.61 3"
0273 67.6 74.7 2.50 3"
0274 79.1 93.6 4.32 3"
0275 85.5 98.2 6.25 3
0276 96.7 110.8 8.30 4"
Mortality 77.7 90.2 3.41 3"
10 0277 74.9 83.9 2.73 3h" Site 15 ~ N 'q' 0278 64.3 73.5 2.39 3"
Site 0279 57.5 67.5 1.59 3"
Site 9 0280 58.7 68.7 1.59 3"
Site 17 0281.
70.4 79.0 2.33 3"
Mortality 76.8 85.9 3.07 3"
Site 4 0282 83.7 94.0 3.64 4"
0283 89.1 101.0 5.00 4"
.0284 68.5 78.4 2.61 3"
Site 7 0285 69.4 79.8 3.64 4"
0286 69.3 79.5 3.18 4"
Site 9 0287 74.5 84.7 3.64 3"
Site 4 0288 74.0 82.5 3.41 3b" Site 7 0289 64.0 72.4 2.27 3"
0290 88.0 98.5 2.39 4"
Site 9 0292 84.0 94.2 6.48 4"
Site 2 0293 91.2 104.3 7.05 4"
Site 4 0295 87.0 97.0 3.98 4"
Site 8 0296 85.0 93.5 5.00 3h" 0299 75.0 86.7 3.74 4"
0300 65.0 74.0 1.93 3"
0301 80.3 91.2 5.33 3"
Site 4 0302 73.6 83.3 2.83 3"
0303 72.8 84.6 2.61 3"
0304 63.4 71.1 1.81 3"
0305 69.5 80.1 2.95 3"
Site 7 0306 62.5 74.0 2.27 3"
0307 81.5 93.5 5.44 3"
0308 75.6 84.5 3.86 3"
0309 66.2 77.9 2.38 3"
l.
0310 62.1 70.5 2.32 3"
0311 55.7 72.8 2.38 3"
0312 75.8 85.5 3.40 3"
0313 69.5 79.4 3.;8 3"
n
egd.
- e
.Appondix 1-(continued)
TAC NUMBER-FL (cm)
TL (cm)
WT. (Kg)
MESH SIZE CAPTURE LOCATION 0314 72.5 82.0 2.72 3"
Site 7 0315 71.0 79.0 3.06 3"
0316 72.5 83.0 3.18 3h" 0317 75.5 84.5 3.86 4"
0318 65.0 72.0 2.04 3"-
0319 79.6 88.9 2.15 3"
0320 89.4 99.6 6.58 4"
0321 72.3 82.5 3.52 3
Site 4 0323 77.9 89.2 3.86 3h" Site 7 0324 68.5 76.4 2.38 3"
0325 72.0 83.1 3.18 3"
0326 73.9 83.7 3.86 3"
0327 68.7 78.5 2.27 3"
0328 65.0 75.2 2.49 3"
0329 68.8 79.0 3.18 3"
4 0330 65.9 75.8 2.83 3b" 0331 57.2 66.5 1.59 3"
i 4
i-P
- * - = -..
~r-w.----r.
48 -
e
,e
+;
6
- Appendix 2.
Total length, fork length, weight, size of mesh captured in, capture site and age for Atlantic sturgeon taken from April, 1977 to November, 1978.
CAPTURE TAG NUMBER FL (cm)
TL (cm)
WT. (Kg)
MESH SIZE LOCATION AGE 0008 150.5 167.5 27.67 6"
Site 2
17 0102 70.5 82.7 2.83 3"
4 0173 135.2 152.6 22.70 4"
Site 12 0200 92.8 109.0 6.80 3"
Site 2
5 0201 85.5 99.1 4.76 4"
6 0202 98.7 114.5 8.16 4"
6 0216 70.1 82.6 2.04 3"
0217 93.6 111.8 6.58 3b" 8
Mortality 97.9 114.5 3"
6 0256 59.0 68.3 1.48 3"
Site 4
0263 84.0
- 97. 4 4.66 4"
6 0291 124.2 138.0 19.55 3"
Site 2
11 0294 117.5 134.5 15.91 4"
Site 8
10 0297 145.7 159. 2 29.55 4"
Site 11 20 0298 142.5 162.5 27.27 4"
22 0322 134.5 154.2 21.77 4"
Site 8
10 Mortality 90.5 106.8 6.12 3"
t 0
e*
'?
t 4
I p
we - y-
.--ween-e-m
?*.
a A
~
and fork lengths of shortnose Mean weight, ranges, Appendix 3:
sturgeon captured,in the Kennebec River from April, 1977 to Novemb er, 1978.
FL (cm)
MEAN WEIGHT (Kg)
RANGE (Kg)
NUMBER 1
44
.45 1
48 1.02 1
52 1.13 1
53 1.47 54 1.48 1.36-1.59 2
55 1.70 1.25-2.38 3
56 1.59 1.25-1.93 3
57 1.53 1.47-1.59 4
58 1.70 1.13-1.93 6
59 1.77 1.36-2.15 3
60 2.08 1.81-2.27 3
61 2.02 1.70-2.27 5
62 2.24 1.59-3.40 6
63 2.34 1.59-2.95 10 64 2.24 1.93-2.49 13 65 2.37.
1.93-3.29 10 66 2.60 2.04-3.30 12 67 2.70 2.49-3.06 13 68 2.69 2.27-3.40 16 69 2.93 2.61-3.74 15 70 2.84 2.27-3.18 21 71 3.19 2.61-4.08 11 72 3.14 2.61-3.63 19 73 3.36 2.72-4.08 11 74 3.44 2.49-4.08 11 75 3.58 3.06-4.31 13 76 3.55 2.49-4.31 13 77 3.43 1.93-4.31 5
78 3.93 3.18-5.22 11 79 3.88 2.15-4.76 9
80 4.24 3.63-5.33 15 81 4.47 3.74-5.44 5
82 4.33 3.63-4.88 8
83 4.51 3 64 5.36 9
84 5.35 4.65-6.48 7
85 4.81 3.63-6.25 8
86 5.15 4.42-6.35 7
87 4.94 3.98-5.80 4
88 5.77 2.39-7.37 4
89 5.70 5.00-6.58 5
90 6.35 5.22-7.48 2
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a BIBLIOGRAPHY Chapman, D.G.
1952.
Inverse, multiple and~ sequential sample censuses.
Biometrics 8: 286-306.
l!
1954.
The estimation of biological population.
Ann.
i Math. Stat. 25:1-15.
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The use of pectoral fin rays to determine age of
. sturgeon and other fish species.
Can.' Fish Cult.
11:10-18.
Dadswell, M.J.
1976.
Biology of the shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum) in the Saint John River es tuary, New Brunswick, Canada.
(Mimeogr.) Buntsman Marine Laboratory, St. Andrews, N.B.,
Canada. 77pp.
Dovell, W.L.
1977.
Biology and management of shortnose and Atlantic sturgeonc of the Hudson River.
Performance report project number AFS-9-R-2, April 1, 1976 to March 31, 1977:
130pp.
- Fried, S.M.
and J.D.
McCleave. 1973.
Occurrence of the shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum), an endangered species, in Montsweag Bay, Maine.
J.
Fish. Res. Board Can. 30:
563-564.
- Goode, G.B.
1887.
The fisheries and the fishery industries of the United 4
States.
U.S.
Department Comm, Bur. Fish. Ser.
V, Vol.
1.
- Gorham, S.W.
and D.E. McAllister.
1974.
The shortnose s turgeon, Acipenser brevirostrum, in the St. John River, New Brunswick, Canada, a rare and possibly endangered species.
Nat. Mus. Nat'l. Sci. (Ottawa) Syl. 5:18pp.
Reed, W.C.
and K.J.
Sage.
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392pp.
j ~
- Spencer, H.E.,
Jr.
1966.
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Project W-37-R-9..
Maine Department Inland Fisheries and Game.
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1878.
History of Brunswick, Topsham, and Harpswell, Mainrt.
Alfred Mudge & Son Printers, Boston, Massachusetts.
1 f
i