# Presentation: 548546

**Gulf Sturgeon – The Central Role of an Iconic Species**
**in the Suwannee River Initiative**** **

**Randy E. Edwards****1****,, Kenneth J. Sulak****2****, Michael T. Randall****2**** and R. A. Brooks****2**

***1 – University of South Florida, College of Marine Science, St. Petersburg, FL; 2 – US Geological Survey, Center for Aquatic Resource Studies, Gainesville, FL***

**Notes:**
I want to start this presentation by acknowledging Ken Sulak.  I have had the opportunity to collaborate with Ken on sturgeon research for over eight years.  Ken has been the driving force  and leader for most of what I will be talking about today, but my remarks are strictly my own and do not necessarily reflect those of Ken or the USGS – but I want you to know:  I am Randy Edwards, and I APPROVE THIS MESSAGE .  Ken is attending an international deep coral reef symposium, and could not be here at this meeting.    Gulf sturgeon is a threatened species under the ESA.

**Notes:**
It has known reproducing populations in only  a few river systems along the Gulf of Mexico east of the Mississsippi, interestingly, once extending as far south as Tampa Bay and the Hillsboro River. The Suwannee population is the largest and most viable population of all of these, presently about 8,000 adults, which is probably more than all the other populations put together.The Suwannee population is stable or perhaps increasing very slightly based on Pine, et al.’s (2001) analysis of USGS tag and recapture data. 

**Rkm 220**

**Rkm 273**

**Notes:**
The fairly healthy status of the Suwannee population is probably due to the relatively unaltered ecological conditions in the lower 220 km -273 km portion of the 386-km long river and its estuary – all of which provides critical habitats for various life stages.

**Notes:**
Gulf sturgeon is an anadromous species, the adults of which enter the Gulf of Mexico in the fall, utilizing until recently unknown marine habitats for about half the year, before returning to the river in the spring to spawn and remain in the river where they do not feed until returning to the Gulf again in the fall.  Juveniles and subadults remain in the river and estuary year round. A commercial gillnet fishery for Gulf sturgeon returning in the spring, existed until the early 1970’s.  Gulf sturgeon were listed as threatened in 1991.[no new image] USGS researchers and collaborators have been studying Gulf sturgeon in the Suwannee for almost two decades, starting when the Gainesville lab was part of the USFWS, and through transfer to NBS and USGS-BRD.  These guys look like Fish and Wildlife Service to me .

## USGS/NBS/USFWS, Gainesville
Suwannee Sturgeon Publications

1.   Brooks, R. A. and K. J. Sulak.  2004. Quantitative assessment of benthic food resources for juvenile Gulf sturgeon, Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi, in the Suwannee River estuary, Florida, USA.  (submitted February 2004 to Estuaries).
2.   Brooks, R. A., and K. J. Sulak.  2004.  Quantitative assessment of  benthic food resources for juvenile Gulf sturgeon, Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi in the Suwannee River Estuary, Florida, USA.  Final Project Report to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, prepared by Coastal Ecology and Conservation Research Group, Center for Aquatic Resource Studies, Florida Integrated Science Center, Gainesville, FL, CEC Investigation Report, February 2004.
3.   Brooks, R. A., and K. J. Sulak.  2003.  Gulf sturgeon juvenile trophic habitat and food resources in the Suwannee River estuary.  Poster presented at Estuarine Research Federation, biennial meeting, September 2003.
4.   Brooks, R. A., and K. J. Sulak.  Gulf sturgeon juvenile trophic habitat and food resources in the Suwannee River estuary.  Oral paper presented at Symposium on Anadromous Sturgeons, American Fisheries Society, Annual Meeting, Quebec City, Quebec, August 2003.
5.   Brooks, R. A., and K. J. Sulak.  2003.  Gulf sturgeon juvenile trophic habitat and food resources in the Suwannee River estuary.  Poster presented at Estuarine Research Federation, biennial meeting, September 2003.
6.   Brooks, R. A., and K. J. Sulak.  Gulf sturgeon juvenile trophic habitat and food resources in the Suwannee River estuary, Oral paper presented at 5th Gulf Sturgeon Research Workshop, Mobile, AL, October 2003.
7.   Brooks, R. A., and K. J. Sulak.  2003.  Gulf sturgeon juvenile trophic habitat and food resources in the Suwannee River estuary.  Oral paper presented at Symposium on Anadromous Sturgeons, American Fisheries Society, Annual Meeting, Quebec City, Quebec, August 2003.
8.   Clugston, J. P., Foster, A. M. and S. H. Carr.  1995.  Gulf sturgeon, Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi, in the Suwannee River, Florida, USA.  pp. In:  A. D. Gershanovich and T. I. J. Smith (eds.) Proceedings of the International Symposium on Sturgeons, VNIRO Publishing, Moscow.
9.   Edwards, R. E, and K. J. Sulak.  2004.  Inter-river translocations of Gulf sturgeon.  Oral paper presented at the 6th Gulf Sturgeon Research Workshop, Mandeville, LA, 17-18 November 2004.

**Suwannee Sturgeon Publications**
**1.   Brooks, R. A. and K. J. Sulak.  2004. Quantitative assessment of benthic food resources for juvenile Gulf sturgeon, Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi, in the Suwannee River estuary, Florida, USA.  (submitted February 2004 to Estuaries).**
**2.   Brooks, R. A., and K. J. Sulak.  2004.  Quantitative assessment of  benthic food resources for juvenile Gulf sturgeon, Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi in the Suwannee River Estuary, Florida, USA.  Final Project Report to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, prepared by Coastal Ecology and Conservation Research Group, Center for Aquatic Resource Studies, Florida Integrated Science Center, Gainesville, FL, CEC Investigation Report, February 2004.**
**3.   Brooks, R. A., and K. J. Sulak.  2003.  Gulf sturgeon juvenile trophic habitat and food resources in the Suwannee River estuary.  Poster presented at Estuarine Research Federation, biennial meeting, September 2003.**
**4.   Brooks, R. A., and K. J. Sulak.  Gulf sturgeon juvenile trophic habitat and food resources in the Suwannee River estuary.  Oral paper presented at Symposium on Anadromous Sturgeons, American Fisheries Society, Annual Meeting, Quebec City, Quebec, August 2003.**
**5.   Brooks, R. A., and K. J. Sulak.  2003.  Gulf sturgeon juvenile trophic habitat and food resources in the Suwannee River estuary.  Poster presented at Estuarine Research Federation, biennial meeting, September 2003.**
**6.   Brooks, R. A., and K. J. Sulak.  Gulf sturgeon juvenile trophic habitat and food resources in the Suwannee River estuary, Oral paper presented at 5th Gulf Sturgeon Research Workshop, Mobile, AL, October 2003.**
**7.   Brooks, R. A., and K. J. Sulak.  2003.  Gulf sturgeon juvenile trophic habitat and food resources in the Suwannee River estuary.  Oral paper presented at Symposium on Anadromous Sturgeons, American Fisheries Society, Annual Meeting, Quebec City, Quebec, August 2003.**
**8.   Clugston, J. P., Foster, A. M. and S. H. Carr.  1995.  Gulf sturgeon, Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi, in the Suwannee River, Florida, USA.  pp. In:  A. D. Gershanovich and T. I. J. Smith (eds.) Proceedings of the International Symposium on Sturgeons, VNIRO Publishing, Moscow.**
**9.   Edwards, R. E, and K. J. Sulak.  2004.  Inter-river translocations of Gulf sturgeon.  Oral paper presented at the 6th Gulf Sturgeon Research Workshop, Mandeville, LA, 17-18 November 2004.**

**Notes:**
During that period, USGS has made many important scientific contributions to the species’ biology, ecology and protection.  This list shows most of the major publications and products on Gulf sturgeon that have come out of the Gainesville lab.  The publications are numbered, and those numbers are used to refer to these studies in the following discussion.

## USGS/NBS/USFWS, Gainesville
Suwannee Sturgeon Publications

10.  Edwards, R.E, Parauka, F.M. and K.J. Sulak, 2004.  New insights into marine migrations and winter habitats of Gulf sturgeon.  Proceedings of the Symposium on Anadromous Sturgeons, Special Publication of the American Fisheries Society. (submitted August 2003 to American Fisheries Society Special Publication:  The Biology of Anadromous Sturgeons).
11.  Edwards, R. E, and K. J. Sulak.  2003.  Winter habitat use among Gulf sturgeon in Gulf of Mexico waters.  Oral paper presented at Symposium on Anadromous Sturgeons, American Fisheries Society, Annual Meeting, Quebec City, Quebec, August 2003.
12.  Edwards, R. E, and K. J. Sulak.  2003.  Winter habitat use among Gulf sturgeon in Gulf of Mexico waters, Oral paper presented at 5th Gulf Sturgeon Research Workshop, Mobile, AL, October 2003.
13.  Edwards, R. E., K. J, Sulak, C. B. Grimes, and M. Randall.  2003.  Movements of Gulf Sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi) in nearshore habitat as determined by acoustic telemetry.  Gulf of Mexico Science 2003(1):59-70. 
14.  Edwards, R., and K. J. Sulak.  2002.  Trans-Gulf of Mexico movements of Gulf sturgeon.  Oral paper presented at Sturgeon Workshop, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, 20 September 2002.
15.  Edwards, R. E., K. J. Sulak, G. W. Hill, and M. Randall.  2001.  Why do sturgeon jump?  Insights from acoustic investigations of the Gulf sturgeon in the Suwannee River, Florida.  Poster paper, presented at: Fourth International Sturgeon Symposium, Oshkosh, WI, 12-17 July 2001.
16.  Foster, A. M. and J. P. Clugston.  1997.  Seasonal migration of Gulf sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi in the Suwannee River, Florida.  Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 126: 302-308.
17.  Foster, A. M. 1993.  Movement of Gulf Sturgeon, Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi, in the Suwannee River, Florida.  Masters Thesis, University of Florida, Gainesville.  130 p.
18.  Marchant, S. R. and M. K. Shutters.  1996.  Artificial substrates collect Gulf sturgeon eggs.  North American Journal of Fisheries Management.
19.  Mason, W. T., Jr. and J. P. Clugston.  1993.  Foods of the Gulf sturgeon in the Suwannee River, Florida.  Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 122:378-385.
20.  Mason, W. T. Clugston, J. P. and A. M. Foster.  1992. Growth of laboratory-held Gulf sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi).  The Progressive Fish Culturist 54: 59-61.

**Suwannee Sturgeon Publications**
**10.  Edwards, R.E, Parauka, F.M. and K.J. Sulak, 2004.  New insights into marine migrations and winter habitats of Gulf sturgeon.  Proceedings of the Symposium on Anadromous Sturgeons, Special Publication of the American Fisheries Society. (submitted August 2003 to American Fisheries Society Special Publication:  The Biology of Anadromous Sturgeons).**
**11.  Edwards, R. E, and K. J. Sulak.  2003.  Winter habitat use among Gulf sturgeon in Gulf of Mexico waters.  Oral paper presented at Symposium on Anadromous Sturgeons, American Fisheries Society, Annual Meeting, Quebec City, Quebec, August 2003.**
**12.  Edwards, R. E, and K. J. Sulak.  2003.  Winter habitat use among Gulf sturgeon in Gulf of Mexico waters, Oral paper presented at 5th Gulf Sturgeon Research Workshop, Mobile, AL, October 2003.**
**13.  Edwards, R. E., K. J, Sulak, C. B. Grimes, and M. Randall.  2003.  Movements of Gulf Sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi) in nearshore habitat as determined by acoustic telemetry.  Gulf of Mexico Science 2003(1):59-70. **
**14.  Edwards, R., and K. J. Sulak.  2002.  Trans-Gulf of Mexico movements of Gulf sturgeon.  Oral paper presented at Sturgeon Workshop, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, 20 September 2002.**
**15.  Edwards, R. E., K. J. Sulak, G. W. Hill, and M. Randall.  2001.  Why do sturgeon jump?  Insights from acoustic investigations of the Gulf sturgeon in the Suwannee River, Florida.  Poster paper, presented at: Fourth International Sturgeon Symposium, Oshkosh, WI, 12-17 July 2001.**
**16.  Foster, A. M. and J. P. Clugston.  1997.  Seasonal migration of Gulf sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi in the Suwannee River, Florida.  Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 126: 302-308.**
**17.  Foster, A. M. 1993.  Movement of Gulf Sturgeon, Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi, in the Suwannee River, Florida.  Masters Thesis, University of Florida, Gainesville.  130 p.**
**18.  Marchant, S. R. and M. K. Shutters.  1996.  Artificial substrates collect Gulf sturgeon eggs.  North American Journal of Fisheries Management.**
**19.  Mason, W. T., Jr. and J. P. Clugston.  1993.  Foods of the Gulf sturgeon in the Suwannee River, Florida.  Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 122:378-385.**
**20.  Mason, W. T. Clugston, J. P. and A. M. Foster.  1992. Growth of laboratory-held Gulf sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi).  The Progressive Fish Culturist 54: 59-61.**

**Notes:**
JUST CLICK THROUGH

## USGS/NBS/USFWS, Gainesville
Suwannee Sturgeon Publications

21.  Randall, M. and K. J. Sulak.  2003.  Year-class structure of the Gulf sturgeon population of the Suwannee River, Florida , Oral paper presented at 5th Gulf Sturgeon Research Workshop, Mobile, AL, October 2003.
22.  Randall, M. and K. J. Sulak.  2003.  Year-class structure of the Gulf sturgeon population of the Suwannee River, Florida , Oral paper presented at 5th Gulf Sturgeon Research Workshop, Mobile, AL, October 2003.
23.  Randall, M. and K. J. Sulak.  2003.  Year-class structure of the Gulf sturgeon population of the Suwannee River, Florida.  Oral paper presented at  Symposium on Anadromous Sturgeons, American Fisheries Society, Annual Meeting, Quebec City, Quebec, August 2003.
24.  Smith, T. I. J. and J. P. Clugston. 1996.  Status and management of Atlantic sturgeon, Acipenser oxyrinchus, in North America.  Environmental Biology  of Fishes 48:335-347.
25.  Sulak, K. J.   2003.  Invited Paper:  Management implications of the release of hatchery Gulf sturgeon into the Suwannee River.  Propagated Fishes in Resource Management, Submitted to:  Proceedings of Special Symposium of the American Fisheries Society, Boise, ID, June 2003 (to be published as an AFS Special Publication).
26.  Sulak, K. J.  2003.  Thermal refugia and trophic dormancy in sturgeons.  Symposium on Anadromous Sturgeons, Oral paper presented at 5th Gulf Sturgeon Research Workshop, Mobile, AL, October 2003.
27.  Sulak, K. J.  2003.  Thermal refugia and trophic dormancy in sturgeons.   Oral paper presented at Symposium on Anadromous Sturgeons, American Fisheries Society, Annual Meeting, Quebec City, Quebec, August 2003.
28.  Sulak, K. J.  2003.  Thermal refugia and trophic dormancy in sturgeons.   Oral paper presented at Symposium on Anadromous Sturgeons, American Fisheries Society, Annual Meeting, Quebec City, Quebec, August 2003.
29.  Sulak, K. J.  2001.   New insights into the life history of the Gulf of Mexico sturgeon in the Suwannee River.  Oral paper presented at: Four Rivers, Two States, One Basin: A Research Symposium for the Suwannee Basin, Suwannee Basin Interagency Alliance, Cerveny Conference Center, Live Oak, FL, 11-12 April 2001.
30.  Sulak, K. J. 1998.   Synopsis of life history, population biology and habitat affinities of Gulf sturgeon in the Suwannee River.  Presented at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Sturgeon Workshop, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, 12 June 1998.

**Suwannee Sturgeon Publications**
**21.  Randall, M. and K. J. Sulak.  2003.  Year-class structure of the Gulf sturgeon population of the Suwannee River, Florida , Oral paper presented at 5th Gulf Sturgeon Research Workshop, Mobile, AL, October 2003.**
**22.  Randall, M. and K. J. Sulak.  2003.  Year-class structure of the Gulf sturgeon population of the Suwannee River, Florida , Oral paper presented at 5th Gulf Sturgeon Research Workshop, Mobile, AL, October 2003.**
**23.  Randall, M. and K. J. Sulak.  2003.  Year-class structure of the Gulf sturgeon population of the Suwannee River, Florida.  Oral paper presented at  Symposium on Anadromous Sturgeons, American Fisheries Society, Annual Meeting, Quebec City, Quebec, August 2003.**
**24.  Smith, T. I. J. and J. P. Clugston. 1996.  Status and management of Atlantic sturgeon, Acipenser oxyrinchus, in North America.  Environmental Biology  of Fishes 48:335-347.**
**25.  Sulak, K. J.   2003.  Invited Paper:  Management implications of the release of hatchery Gulf sturgeon into the Suwannee River.  Propagated Fishes in Resource Management, Submitted to:  Proceedings of Special Symposium of the American Fisheries Society, Boise, ID, June 2003 (to be published as an AFS Special Publication).**
**26.  Sulak, K. J.  2003.  Thermal refugia and trophic dormancy in sturgeons.  Symposium on Anadromous Sturgeons, Oral paper presented at 5th Gulf Sturgeon Research Workshop, Mobile, AL, October 2003.**
**27.  Sulak, K. J.  2003.  Thermal refugia and trophic dormancy in sturgeons.   Oral paper presented at Symposium on Anadromous Sturgeons, American Fisheries Society, Annual Meeting, Quebec City, Quebec, August 2003.**
**28.  Sulak, K. J.  2003.  Thermal refugia and trophic dormancy in sturgeons.   Oral paper presented at Symposium on Anadromous Sturgeons, American Fisheries Society, Annual Meeting, Quebec City, Quebec, August 2003.**
**29.  Sulak, K. J.  2001.   New insights into the life history of the Gulf of Mexico sturgeon in the Suwannee River.  Oral paper presented at: Four Rivers, Two States, One Basin: A Research Symposium for the Suwannee Basin, Suwannee Basin Interagency Alliance, Cerveny Conference Center, Live Oak, FL, 11-12 April 2001.**
**30.  Sulak, K. J. 1998.   Synopsis of life history, population biology and habitat affinities of Gulf sturgeon in the Suwannee River.  Presented at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Sturgeon Workshop, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, 12 June 1998.**
** **

**Notes:**
JUST CLICK THROUGH

## USGS/NBS/USFWS, Gainesville
Suwannee Sturgeon Publications

31.  Sulak, K. J.  1997.  Early life history and critical spawning habitat of Gulf sturgeon in the Suwannee River.  Oral paper presented at: Sturgeon Workshop, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Southeast Region, Folly Beach, SC, 25-27 March, 1997.
32.  Sulak, K. J. 1994.  Need and rationale for application of standards for long-term estuarine ecosystem monitoring.  Estuarine Workshop, Southeastern Biological Science Center, National Biological Survey, Gainesville, FL.
33.  Sulak, K. J., R. A. Brooks, and M. Randall.  2003.  Seasonal refugia and trophic dormancy in Gulf sturgeon: Test and refutation of the thermal barrier hypothesis. (submitted August 2003 to American Fisheries Society Special Publication:  The Biology of Anadromous Sturgeons).
34.  Sulak, K. J. and J. P. Clugston.  2002.  Survival of experimentally released cultured Gulf sturgeon in the Suwannee River, Florida. (submitted September 2002 to North American Journal of Fisheries Management).
35.  Sulak, K. J. and J. P. Clugston.  1999.  Recent advances in life history of Gulf of Mexico sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi in the Suwannee River, Florida, USA: A synopsis, IN: Proceedings of the Third International Symposium on Sturgeon (Rosenthal, H., P. Bronzi, D. J. McKenzie, G. Arlati and R. Rossi, eds.). Journal of Applied Ichthyology 15(4-5, Special Issue):116-128. 1999.
36.  Sulak, K. J. and J. P. Clugston.  1998.  Evaluation of the potential effectiveness of hatchery stock enhancement versus habitat-based alternatives in the restoration of Gulf sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi in the Suwannee River, Florida.  Annual Meetings of the American Fisheries Society, Florida Chapter, Brooksville, FL, 10 March 1998.
37.  Sulak, K. J. and J. P. Clugston.  1998.  Early life history stages of  Gulf sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi) in the Suwannee River, Florida. 1998 Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 127:758-771.
38.  Sulak, K. J. and J. P. Clugston.  1997.  Life history of the Gulf sturgeon in the Suwannee/Big Bend Ecosystem.  Presented at the University of Florida Big Bend Workshop, Steinhatchee, FL, 8 May 1997.
39.  Sulak, K. J. and J. P. Clugston.  1997.  Early life history, population structure, and seasonal movements of Gulf sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi in the Suwannee River, Florida, USA.  INVITED oral paper presented at: Third International Symposium on Sturgeon, Piacenza, Italy, July 1997.

**Suwannee Sturgeon Publications**
**31.  Sulak, K. J.  1997.  Early life history and critical spawning habitat of Gulf sturgeon in the Suwannee River.  Oral paper presented at: Sturgeon Workshop, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Southeast Region, Folly Beach, SC, 25-27 March, 1997.**
**32.  Sulak, K. J. 1994.  Need and rationale for application of standards for long-term estuarine ecosystem monitoring.  Estuarine Workshop, Southeastern Biological Science Center, National Biological Survey, Gainesville, FL.**
**33.  Sulak, K. J., R. A. Brooks, and M. Randall.  2003.  Seasonal refugia and trophic dormancy in Gulf sturgeon: Test and refutation of the thermal barrier hypothesis. (submitted August 2003 to American Fisheries Society Special Publication:  The Biology of Anadromous Sturgeons).**
**34.  Sulak, K. J. and J. P. Clugston.  2002.  Survival of experimentally released cultured Gulf sturgeon in the Suwannee River, Florida. (submitted September 2002 to North American Journal of Fisheries Management).**
**35.  Sulak, K. J. and J. P. Clugston.  1999.  Recent advances in life history of Gulf of Mexico sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi in the Suwannee River, Florida, USA: A synopsis, IN: Proceedings of the Third International Symposium on Sturgeon (Rosenthal, H., P. Bronzi, D. J. McKenzie, G. Arlati and R. Rossi, eds.). Journal of Applied Ichthyology 15(4-5, Special Issue):116-128. 1999.**
**36.  Sulak, K. J. and J. P. Clugston.  1998.  Evaluation of the potential effectiveness of hatchery stock enhancement versus habitat-based alternatives in the restoration of Gulf sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi in the Suwannee River, Florida.  Annual Meetings of the American Fisheries Society, Florida Chapter, Brooksville, FL, 10 March 1998.**
**37.  Sulak, K. J. and J. P. Clugston.  1998.  Early life history stages of  Gulf sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi) in the Suwannee River, Florida. 1998 Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 127:758-771.**
**38.  Sulak, K. J. and J. P. Clugston.  1997.  Life history of the Gulf sturgeon in the Suwannee/Big Bend Ecosystem.  Presented at the University of Florida Big Bend Workshop, Steinhatchee, FL, 8 May 1997.**
**39.  Sulak, K. J. and J. P. Clugston.  1997.  Early life history, population structure, and seasonal movements of Gulf sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi in the Suwannee River, Florida, USA.  INVITED oral paper presented at: Third International Symposium on Sturgeon, Piacenza, Italy, July 1997.**

**Notes:**
JUST CLICK THROUGH

## USGS/NBS/USFWS, Gainesville
Suwannee Sturgeon Publications

40.  Sulak, K. J. and J. P. Clugston.  1996.  Synopsis of USGS research progress into early life history on the Gulf sturgeon in the Suwannee River.  Suwannee Basin Interagency Alliance Meeting, Okefenokee NWR, Waycross, GA, 3 October 1996.
41.  Sulak, K. J., R. E. Edwards, G. W. Hill, and M. Randall.  2002. Why do sturgeon jump?  Insights from acoustic investigations of the Gulf sturgeon in the Suwannee River, Florida.  2002  Journal of Applied Ichthyology 18:617-620.
42.  Sulak, K. J., and M. Randall.  2004.  Critical spawning habitat, early life history requirements, and other life history and population aspects of the Gulf sturgeon in the Suwannee River.  Final Report, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Project NG95-125, 105 pp., Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Published Report Series, Tallahassee, FL. 
43.  Sulak, K. J., and M. Randall.  2002.  Understanding sturgeon life history:  Enigmas, myths and new insights.  Journal of Applied Ichthyology 18:519-528.
44.  Sulak, K. J. and M. Randall.  2001.  Understanding sturgeon life history:  Enigmas, myths and facts.  Oral paper presented at: Fourth International Sturgeon 

**Suwannee Sturgeon Publications**
**40.  Sulak, K. J. and J. P. Clugston.  1996.  Synopsis of USGS research progress into early life history on the Gulf sturgeon in the Suwannee River.  Suwannee Basin Interagency Alliance Meeting, Okefenokee NWR, Waycross, GA, 3 October 1996.**
**41.  Sulak, K. J., R. E. Edwards, G. W. Hill, and M. Randall.  2002. Why do sturgeon jump?  Insights from acoustic investigations of the Gulf sturgeon in the Suwannee River, Florida.  2002  Journal of Applied Ichthyology 18:617-620.**
**42.  Sulak, K. J., and M. Randall.  2004.  Critical spawning habitat, early life history requirements, and other life history and population aspects of the Gulf sturgeon in the Suwannee River.  Final Report, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Project NG95-125, 105 pp., Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Published Report Series, Tallahassee, FL. **
**43.  Sulak, K. J., and M. Randall.  2002.  Understanding sturgeon life history:  Enigmas, myths and new insights.  Journal of Applied Ichthyology 18:519-528.**
**44.  Sulak, K. J. and M. Randall.  2001.  Understanding sturgeon life history:  Enigmas, myths and facts.  Oral paper presented at: Fourth International Sturgeon **

**Notes:**
JUST CLICK THROUGH

**Notes:**
Some of the earlier studies focused on determining adult movement patterns and habitats within the lower river and were conducted by Jim Clugston, who is now retired, and Ann Foster.

**35, 37, 38, 39**

**Notes:**
Other early work included attempts to identify juvenile habitats near the river mouth which together with more-recent work has led to the conclusion that estuarine areas near the mouth are critical habitat for juvenile and subadult Gulf sturgeon.

**Notes:**
About a decade ago, upon his arrival at the lab, Ken Sulak began collaborating with Jim Clugston on Gulf sturgeon and  initiated a series annual censuses that lead to the first robust estimates of population size ....CLICK...

## 39

**39**

**Notes:**
Continued collection and tagging has provided important data on Suwannee Gulf sturgeon.......CLICK....

## Suwannee River Gulf Sturgeon Data Base

**Suwannee River Gulf Sturgeon Data Base**
**  ****19 Years (from 1985 to present)**
**  ****Almost 12,000 records **
**  ****Recently Adding Data from All Gulf Rivers**

**21, 22, 23**

**Notes:**
...and that work resulted in a large and important database of capture, tag and recapture, size, age data now containing almost 12,000 records, and spaning 19 years (which is by far much more data than exists for the rest of the Gulf sturgeon populations combined).  Recently, we have acquired almost all other existing data from around the Gulf and are developing a unified database.

## Rkm 220

**Rkm 220**

**Withlacootchee**
**River**

**18**

**Notes:**
USGS-Gainesville researchers located and characterized spawning sites 200-220 km from the river mouth [slide of spawning site picture} where gravel/cobble substrate necessary for [larva image] larval survival occurs.

## Withlacoochee

**Withlacoochee**
**River**

**Suwannee River**

**Alapaha**
**River**

**Cody **
**Scarp**

**35, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41**

**Notes:**
These areas were studied in more detail to identify specific spawning beds.  (Near the Alapaha (ul lap a HAH) river and rise.)

## 35, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41

**35, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41**

**Notes:**
That occur over gravel and cobble substrates.  One of these areas is shown her at exposed at a period of extremely low water.

## 11, 12, 13

- Edwards, Sulak, Randall and Grimes.  2003. Movements of Gulf 	Sturgeon (*Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi*) in Nearshore Habitat 	as Determined by Acoustic Telemetry.  Gulf of Mexico 	Science. In Press.

**11, 12, 13**

**Notes:**
Another area of valuable contribution has been determination of adult marine migrations and habitats.  We determined, using acoustic telemetry that adults migrate out of the river in the fall, but remain just offshore of Suwannee Sound for almost two months before making distant migrations to marine habitats that were until recently totally unknown. 

## 2001-2002

**2001-2002**

**Pop-Up Satellite Archival Tag (PAT)**

**10, 11, 12**

**Notes:**
Using new satellite tracking technology (pop-up satellite archival tags as shown here) combined with acoustic tagging, we have determined that Gulf sturgeon migrate considerable distances away from their rivers during the winter. 

## 10, 11, 12

**10, 11, 12**

**Notes:**
So far we have been successful at locating Suwannee Gulf sturgeon in their winter marine habitats only in a few instances, but we have been more successful in locating them along the Florida panhandle, where the shallow shelf is not as wide and where we have found some sturgeon to migrate over 100 nautical miles along the coast after leaving a river in the fall.

## Inter-System Movements

**2**

**Suwannee to Apalachicola**

**Inter-System**** Movements**

**7**

**Apalachicola to Suwannee**

**14**

**Notes:**
Through the satellite tracking and the database records, we are beginning to find that, although sturgeon populations in different rivers exhibit genetic differences, movement and exchange of individuals between systems may be far more significant than indicated by genetic data.  

## 8, 16, 17, 39

**Hatch Bend**

**Santa Fe****River**

**Oldtown**
**Trestle**

**Manatee**
**Springs**

**8, 16, 17, 39**

**Notes:**
Other advances include further insights into summer holding areas in which Gulf sturgeon congregate in large numbers.  In one such holding area in an about 300 m stretch of river near Oldtown, we monitored and counted over 1,000 sturgeon jumps in a 24-hr period.

## 15. 44

-  Sulak et al., 2002. J. Appl. Ichthyol. 18 (2002), 1–4

**15. 44**

**Notes:**
and we have recorded and analyzed these jumps acoustically to see if they may provide sound cues that facilitate identification of these areas and aggregation within them. 

## 26, 27, 33

**26, 27, 33**

**Notes:**
Additionally, summer holding areas have been carefully analyzed to test and refute old, untested concepts that suggested that sturgeon were confined to holding areas near springs by thermal barriers of warmer river water surrounding spring-fed holding areas.

## 1-7

**1-7**

**Notes:**
Most recently, as detailed in Allen Brooks’ talk this morning, studies of potential sturgeon benthic prey organism distributions and abundances in areas around the river mouth that are scheduled to be dredged have been conducted.  

## Questions and Issues

- Protection of spawning sites
- Ecology of YOY (including eutrophication, low flow and benthic algal blooms)
- Juvenile and subadult estuarine critical habitats

**Notes:**
So far, it is significant to note that almost all of the previous research, at least for the last ten years, has been funded strictly from extramural, outside, non-USGS sources.  To my knowledge, USGS programatic funds have not been directly focused on Gulf sturgeon research.  However, almost all of the outside sources funding have been tapped at least once, so continued progress on Gulf sturgeon research may be dependent on the degree to which the USGS makes some commitment in that regard.

 Many important questions and issues remain to be solved if Suwannee Gulf sturgeon are to be understood well enough so that they can be protected.  These three are perhaps the most important and most pressing.

## Slide 27

**Notes:**
The now-identified spawning beds must be protected completely from any direct impacts and indirect impacts to water quality and timing.  They should be given some special protective status by the WMD and State.  

## Slide 28

**Notes:**
Almost nothing is known about the ecology and habitats of young of the year Gulf sturgeon that utilize the entire lower 220 km or more of the river until they move to the estuary late in the winter of their first year.  We can’t  protect what we don’t know. Recent changes in the river due to increased nutrient input and resultant benthic algal blooms could have serious negative impacts on young sturgeon by affecting their prey, their ability to feed, and by causing hypoxia within critical habitats.

## Slide 29

**Notes:**
Similarly, we know so very little about the ecology and habitats of juveniles and subadults, so their critical habitats presently cannot be protected....CLICK....

## Slide 30

**Notes:**
We do know, however that their critical habitats are in the estuary, and that the estuary is vulnerable to impacts from development, dredging, channelization, and perhaps from increased nutrient inputs and altered freshwater inflow.

## Slide 31

**Notes:**
COMMENTS ABOUT ICONIC SPECIES

## Slide 32

**Notes:**
Finally, a comment about the appropriateness of USGS taking a lead role in Gulf sturgeon research in any Suwannee Initiative.  In addition to it being an iconic species, the Suwannee population of Gulf sturgeon is critical to the survival and recovery of a federally protected species in the entire Gulf region.  The river itself flows within two states, thus justifying federal involvement.  It is an anadromous species that utilizes both marine and freshwater environments, overlapping traditional federal agency boundaries of NOAA and USFWS.  Additionally, large areas of critical habitat are associated with DOI lands being within or contiguous to National Wildlife refuges.

## Slide 33

**Notes:**
Hopefully, the future of Gulf sturgeon in the Suwannee River will be in good hands.

## The End

**The End**