ML083380619

SEIS Reference - Status of Fishery Resources Off the Northeastern U.S.: Atlantic and Shortnose Sturgeons

ML083380619
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Site:	Indian Point
Issue date:	12/03/2008
From:	Shepherd G US Dept of Commerce, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration
To:	Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
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- Spring Survey Links to Additional Information on Atlantic and Shortnose sturgeons NEFSC is not responsible for the content of external websites Definitions of Technical Terms Lineart images Fishes of the Gulf of Maine by Bigelow & Schroeder, 1953 ASMFC NMFS Office of Protected Resources Search NEFSC

Publications for: Atlantic sturgeon Shortnose sturgeon Turn Word Definitions On Status of Fishery Reso urces off the Northeaste rNEFSC -Resource Evaluation and Assessment Division Revised December 2006 Atlantic and Shortnose sturgeons Atlantic (Acipenser oxyrhynchus)

Shortnose (Acipenser brevirostrum) by Gary Shepherd Figure 42.1 Statistical Areas Used Distribution, Biology and Management The Atlantic sturgeon, Acipenser oxyrhynchus , and the sh obrevirostrum, are demersal, anadromous species distribute dNorth America (Figure 42.1). Both species occcur between Fbut the distribution of the Atlantic sturgeon extends furth especies migrate from the marine environment to freshwater tearly summer, with these migrations occurring later in the water where the species co-occur, the shortnose sturgeon tearlier than the Atlantic sturgeon. Spawning generally occ urivers, below the fall line. Eggs are deposited on hard surfac eadhere for 4 to 6 days until hatching. Juvenile sturgeon remasummer before migrating to estuaries in winter. Juveniles estuary system for 3 to 5 years before migrating to the nea ras adults. Migration into the marine environment has only re cthe shortnose sturgeon. Tagging studies indicate that Atlantic sturgeon migrate extensively in the marine environmentand Delaware Rivers have been recaptured as far north as coastal Maine and south to No rsouthern systems have more restricted marine migrations, remaining closer to their natal rivers

.Sturgeons are considered to be among the most primitive bony fishes, with origins dati nSturgeons are characterized by 5 rows of bony plates or scutes along the back rather than barbells under their snout used as sensory organs. Juveniles and adults of both species are bconsuming a variety of crustaceans, bivalves, worms, plants and occasionally small fish.

SAtlantic sturgeon and may attain maximum sizes of approximately 100 cm (40 in.) and 23 ksturgeon reach maximum sizes of 430 cm (170 in) and 363 kg (800 lbs). Both species are lo nages in excess of 60 years for females and about 30 for males. Maturity occurs in female shor tage of 7 and 15, with maturity at younger ages at the southern end of the distributional rangesimilar latitudinal pattern in female age at maturity with southern fish maturing between age 7 tin the St. Lawrence River, Canada reaching maturity in 27 to 29 years. Both species are h iproduction increasing proportional to body size with individual fish spawning once every 3 to 5 y Pa ge 1of 4 Atlantic and Shortnose Stur g eons - Status of Fisher y Resources off the Northeastern US 12/03/2008 htt p://www.nefsc.noaa.

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Management of both species is conducted under the auspices of the Atlantic States Ma(ASMFC). An Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) was implemented in 1990 whi cregulations on sturgeon fisheries. The Plan was amended in 1998 in response to a marked deabundance. Fishing is now prohibited in all participating states' waters, and a moratorium ha ssince 1999 under provisions of the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act (FMP is to restore sturgeon spawning biomass to provide for a sustainable fishery. Managem eprotected year classes of females to be present in any river stock of sturgeon before consideri nstock. The FMP also emphasizes research programs to evaluate stock status of Atlantic sturge oThe National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service received a petitio nendangered, which was reviewed in 1998. The endangered status was denied but the specie sconcern'. The status of Atlantic sturgeon is currently being re-evaluated. During the 20th cdeclined throughout its historic range and in 1967 it was listed as endangered and has since re m The Fishery Atlantic and shortnose sturgeon fisheries began with native American Indians prior to the arrival of European settlers into North America. Colonists records indicate exports of sturgeons to Europe as early as 1628. A substantial Atlantic sturgeon fishery existed into the late 1800s, with landings as high as 3500 mt. However, overfishing, habitat degradation and reduced demand contributed to population decline so that only incidental landings occurred during 1900 to 1950. Landings increased during the 1950s to 1980s, particularly in the Carolinas and ranged between 45 mt and 115 mt per year (Figure 42.2

[Fig 42.2 Data]). Increased landings in the early 1990s were due to increased catches in ocean fisheries off New York and New Jersey (Table 42.1). As part of the FMP implemented by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, a moratorium was established in 1998 which prohibited the harvest of wild Atlantic sturgeon. Short nose sturgeon were rarely the target of commercial fisheries and were taken primarily as incidental bycatch in other fisheries. Possession of shortnose sturgeon is prohibited due to its endangered species status. Research Vessel Survey Indices Pa ge 2of 4 Atlantic and Shortnose Stur g eons - Status of Fisher y Resources off the Northeastern US 12/03/2008 htt p://www.nefsc.noaa.

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Back to Top Atlantic sturgeon are taken only incidentally in the NMFS bottom trawl surveys. No shortnosurvey. The information from these surveys is therefore inadequate to determine any populatiocapture both juvenile and adult Atlantic sturgeon.are conducted in rivers, estuaries and co arange and are used to determine stock status. In addition, tag release/recovery programs ar eRiver and the Chesapeake Bay and tributaries. Shortnose sturgeon are also sampled by sta tand Florida. Assessment Results Each river system in which Atlantic and shortnose sturgeon occur is considered to contain mixing of individuals in coastal waters. A review of Atlantic sturgeon stock status in 1998 by thService and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service concluded that although the abundance significantly, adequate spawning stock still remained for the persistence of the population aHabitat improvements and fisheries conservation were recommended to improve the likelihood Shortnose sturgeon were listed in 1967 as an endangered species but in some systems abun dlevels that would allow reconsideration of their endangered status. The shortnose population i nBrunswick Canada is among the largest in North America, and the Hudson and Delaware Ri vnumbers of shortnose sturgeon. Biological Reference Points The Atlantic sturgeon recovery plan requires is that at least 20 protected year classes of fem ariver system stock before a fishery can be allowed. Upon recovery, the target fishing mortalit yHudson River will be 0.03, the rate that maintains eggs per recruit (EPR) at 50% of the EPR as The long term objective of the shortnose sturgeon recovery plan is to restore populations genetic diversity and avoid extinction. The short term goal is to rebuild populations throughou tspecies from the Endangered Species list. Summary Stock abundance of Atlantic and shortnose sturgeons steadily declined throughout the 2 0overfishing and habitat destruction. Fisheries for Atlantic sturgeon existed until 1997 when afrom Maine to Florida. Shortnose sturgeon was declared an endangered in 1967 under a uSpecies Act of 1966. Research into the biology, habitat requirements and stock status of both othe goal of restoring both species to sustainable levels of abundance.

Table 42.1 Recreational and commercial landings for the Atlantic sturgeon (thousand metric t o Cate g or y1986-951996199719981999200020012002 Avera g e U.S. Recreational-------- Commercial United States 54 3<1<1 0 0 0 0 Canada 16861664747425151 Other -------- Total Nominal Catch 22264664747425151 Pa ge 3of 4 Atlantic and Shortnose Stur g eons - Status of Fisher y Resources off the Northeastern US 12/03/2008 htt p://www.nefsc.noaa.

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Back to Top Back to Top Return to Status of Fishery Resources off the Northeastern US For further information ASMFC. 1998. Atlantic sturgeon stock assessment: peer review report. March, 1998. Washingt ASMFC. 1990. Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Sturgeon. Fisheries Management Report

Dadswell, M.J., B.D. Taubert, T.S. Squiers. D. Marchette, and J. Buckley. 1984. Synopsis of bsturgeon, Acipenser brevirostrum LeSueur 1818. NOAA Tech. Rep. NMFS-14, FAO Fisheries s Gilbert, C.R. 1989. Species profiles: life histories and environmental requirements of coastal fi sAtlantic Bight) Atlantic and shortnose sturgeons. U.S. Fish. Wildl. Serv., Biol. Rept. 82(11Engineers TR EL-82-4.

NMFS. 1998. Final Recovery Plan for the shortnose sturgeon Acipenser brevirostrum

PSturgeon Recovery Team. December 1998. Washington, D.C. www.nefsc.noaa.gov Search Link Disclaimer webMASTER Privacy Policy Pa ge 4of 4 Atlantic and Shortnose Stur g eons - Status of Fisher y Resources off the Northeastern US 12/03/2008 htt p

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