Green Sturgeon

Twenty -six species of sturgeon can be found in temperate waters of the Northern Hemisphere, two of which reside on the West Coast of North America: the green sturgeon ( Acipenser medirostris) and the white sturgeon (Acipenser trensmontanus).

NOAA  Fisheries received a petition in June 2001 from several environmental organizations requesting that the agency list the North American green sturgeon under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).  On April 7, 2006, NOAA Fisheries listed the southern distinct population segment, or sDPS, of North American green sturgeon as threatened under the ESA. Critical habitat was designated on October 9, 2009.  On June 2, 2010, NOAA Fisheries published final ESA protective regulations 4(d) for the southern distinct population segment of North American green sturgeon, and released a final environmental assessment analyzing the environmental impacts of these ESA Section 4(d) rules. The northern distinct population segment, or nDPS, of North American green sturgeon is a species of concern within the region.