Science Name: | Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi |
Other Names: | Gulf of Mexico sturgeon, Atlantic sturgeon, sea sturgeon |
Range: | The Gulf of Mexico states |
Adult fish are bottom feeders, eating primarily invertebrates, including brachiopods, insect larvae, mollusks, worms and crustaceans. Gulf sturgeon are anadromous, with reproduction occurring in fresh water. Most adult feeding takes place in the Gulf of Mexico and its estuaries. The fish return to breed in the river system in which they hatched. Spawning occurs in areas of deeper water with clean (rock and rubble) bottoms. The eggs are sticky and adhere in clumps to snags, outcroppings, or other clean surfaces. Sexual maturity is reached between the ages of 8 and 12 years for females and 7 and 10 years for males.
Abundance & Distribution
Historically, the Gulf sturgeon occurred from the Mississippi River to Charlotte
Harbor, Florida. It still occurs, at least occasionally, throughout this range,
but in greatly reduced numbers. The fish is essentially confined to the Gulf of
Mexico. River systems where the Gulf sturgeon are known to be viable today
include the Mississippi, Pearl, Escambia, Yellow, Choctawhatchee, Appachicola,
and Swannee Rivers, and possibly others.
Habitat
This fish is anadromous; immature and mature individuals participate in fresh
water migrations. Adult fish spend 8 to 9 months each year in rivers and 3 to 4
of the coolest months in estuarine or Gulf waters. Young fish under 2 years of
age apparently do not migrate out of rivers and estuaries. In the Suwannee
River, adult sturgeon frequent areas near the mouths of springs and cool-water
rivers during the summer months. Adult fish tend to congregate in deeper waters
of rivers with moderate currents and sand and rocky bottoms. Seagrass beds with
mud and sand substrates appear to be important marine habitats.
Protection and Management
Due to the limited breeding habitat that has resulted from the damming of most
of the large rivers within the Gulf sturgeon’s range, the recovery of this and
other anadromous species will likely require some means for these species to
pass dams that are currently blocking their migrations. Protection of existing
spawning areas is critical; any main channel or tributary construction or
maintenance should be avoided during spawning periods.