Objectives: to collect data to determine the age composition of Atlantic sturgeon in the James River; to assess by-catch of sturgeon in the commercial striped bass fishery; to provide tissue samples for continued genetic analysis of Atlantic sturgeon from the James River; and to establish a baseline catch per unit effort as a future tool to measure population trends.

A $50 reward per live fish was offered to watermen fishing in the James River. Watermen were issued collectors permits to participate in the program. Forty fish were captured in less than 6 days before funds were exhausted - interested watermen donated another 15 sturgeon for the project. While fishing gillnets of various stretch mesh sizes, more than 140 sturgeon were captured during the FRG program over 52 sampling trips from late March through May; net sampling effort exceeded 8,500 hours. About 15 fish exceed 5-ft total length up to a 6.5-ft mature male.

Samples are currently being processed. Samples for aging are being used to support a graduate project at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). Our goal is to conduct a mixed stock analysis and determine an effective stock size utilizing genetics. VCU is conducting a genome project using genetic samples collected during the project.

The Association for the Protection of Virginia Antiquities donated sturgeon scutes (bony plates along the back, side and bottom) recovered from an archaeological dig at Jamestown. Material in the pit is aged at about 1610. Dr. Tim King and Dr. Ann Henderson, USGS, have extracted DNA material from the scutes. Two publications have confirmed the existence of a unique genetic stock of Atlantic sturgeon in the James River, using, in part, genetic samples collected during the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's and the Virginia Marine Resources Commission's reward program in 1997 and 1998 in Virginia (Dr. Tim King; Dr. Isaac Wirgin).