Shovelnose Sturgeon


The shovelnose sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus) is a native species and is the smallest sturgeon species found in North America. It was once found throughout most of the Mississippi and Missouri River systems. The spawning and nursery habitat of the shovelnose sturgeon has been limited by river alterations such as channelization and the construction of locks and dams.

The Service has been tagging and monitoring shovelnose sturgeon in the lower Ohio River, Illinois and the Lower Missouri River, Missouri. The Carterville Fish & Wildlife Conservation Office in Illinois is coordinating a shovelnose sturgeon tagging database.