What’s New
January 31, 2012 - Final ESA listing fact sheets for three Atlantic sturgeon DPSs in the Northeast Region. NOAA Fisheries Service is finalizing the proposed listing of five Atlantic sturgeon Distinct Population Segments (DPSs). The following fact sheets summarize the information that is contained in the final listing rule for the three Atlantic sturgeon DPSs under the jurisdiction of the Northeast Region of NOAA Fisheries Service. The final listing rule was published in the Federal Register on February 6, 2012.
A similar rule was publish on February 6, 2012 for the two DPSs in the Southeast Region.
Map of the five Atlantic sturgeon DPSs and the U.S. portion of the species' marine range.
June 10, 2011 - NOAA Fisheries Service Proposed Protective Regulations for the Gulf of Maine Distinct Population Segment of Atlantic Sturgeon
October 6, 2010 - NOAA Fisheries Service proposed to list five populations of Atlantic sturgeon under the Endangered Species Act. The Gulf of Maine population is proposed for listing as threatened, and endangered status is proposed for the Chesapeake Bay, New York Bight, Carolina, and South Atlantic populations. NOAA's Fisheries Service is accepting comments on the proposed listing through February 3, 2011. Further information is available by clicking on the bullet below.
Atlantic sturgeon are an anadromous bony fish that are distinguishable from other fish by five rows of bony scutes along the length of their body, a protrusible mouth, and heterocercal tail. They are slow growing and late maturing, and have been recorded to reach up to 16 feet in length and 60 years of age. Atlantic sturgeon can be found in major rivers, estuaries, bays and coastal waters along the eastern seaboard of the United States.
Some Protections for the Atlantic Sturgeon Include:
- It is illegal to fish for, catch or keep Atlantic sturgeon commercially or recreationally
Current Status
In 1990, a 20-40 year moratorium on all Atlantic sturgeon fisheries was issued by ASMFC. NOAA Fisheries Service then closed the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) to Atlantic sturgeon take in 1999. Following these actions and a workshop held in 2003 on Atlantic sturgeon, NOAA Fisheries Service initiated a second review of the status of Atlantic sturgeon. In 2007, A Status Review Team (SRT) consisting of Federal biologists from NOAA Fisheries Service, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) completed a Status Review of Atlantic sturgeon (Status Review for Atlantic Sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) in the United States.
Peer Review Comments:
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