Ken Schultz's Field Guide to Saltwater Fish - Macaw Pets store

The Atlantic sturgeon is a member of the Acipenseridae
family of sturgeon. It has been used as a high-quality food
fish and as a source of caviar since colonial days. It is
anadromous, living much of its life in brackish or saltwater
and spawning in freshwater rivers. Dam construction, water
pollution, and other changes in habitat, in addition to
commercial overfishing, caused continued declines
throughout the twentieth century. The Atlantic sturgeon is
a threatened species today.
Identification. The Atlantic sturgeon is dark brown or
olive green with a white belly. The head is protractile and
has a long flat snout with four barbels on the underside.
Five rows of scutes (bony scalelike plates) extend along the
length of the body; one is along the back, and two each are
along the sides and the belly. The centers of the scutes
along the back and the sides are light, making them stand
out in contrast to the darker surrounding color. These scutes
are set extremely close together, and the bases of most
overlap.
Size/Age. Atlantic sturgeon may live as long as 60 years
and can attain a size of 14 feet. An 811-pounder is the
largest known specimen. Fish exceeding 200 pounds are
rare today.
Life history/Behavior. Spawning migrations last from
late winter through early summer. Although it matures late
in life, the Atlantic sturgeon is highly fecund, yet has a low
reproduction rate, as females spawn only once every 3 to 5
years. Females do not mature until ages 7 to 10 in their
southernmost range and ages 22 to 28 in the northernmost
range. Tagging studies have demonstrated that Atlantic
sturgeon migrate extensively both north and south of their
natal river systems.
Food and feeding habits. Juveniles and adults are bottomfeeding
scavengers, consuming a variety of crustaceans,
bivalves, and worm prey, as well as insect larvae and small
fish.
Sturgeon, Atlantic
Acipenser oxyrinchus
OTHER NAMES
sturgeon, common
sturgeon, sea sturgeon,
Albany beef; French:
esturgeon noir d’Amerique.
Distribution. This species
ranges along the northwestern
and western Atlantic
coast in North America from
the Hamilton River in
Labrador, Canada, to northeastern
Florida. It is currently
more populous in the
Hudson River, New York,
than in other parts of its
range, although it is not
abundant there.
Habitat. The habitats of
Atlantic sturgeon are primarily
the estuaries and bays
of large rivers, and deep
pools of rivers when inland;
in the ocean it inhabits shallow
waters of the continental
shelf.
Sturgeon, Atlantic 235