U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Listing of the

Alabama Sturgeon

The Issue

On May 2, 2000, the

U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service announced its

decision to list the

Alabama sturgeon as

an endangered species

primarily due to its low

population numbers

and subsequent lack of

ability to sustain itself

through natural

reproduction.

The Background

The Alabama sturgeon is a slender,

golden-yellow, freshwater fish that was

historically widespread in the Mobile

River Basin of Alabama and Mississippi.

It grows to about 30 inches in length and

weighs two to three pounds. Once so

abundant that it was caught and sold

commercially, it has now become one of

the rarest fish in North America.

The Questions and Answers

The listing has generated a substantial

number of questions. Here are the most

frequently asked questions and the

factual answers.

What caused you to decide to list the

Alabama sturgeon as an endangered

species under the Federal Endangered

Species Act? Why weren’t protections

under State of Alabama law enough?

The ESA and its implementing

regulations require us to consider five

factors to determine if a species is

endangered or threatened. These factors

are: present or threatened curtailment of

range or habitat; over utilization (i.e.,

commercial, recreational fishing, etc.);

disease or predation; inadequacy of

existing regulatory mechanisms; and any

other natural or man-made factor

affecting its continued existence. In

considering these factors, the

appropriateness of our decision is

obvious. While habitat degradation and

curtailment and overutilization

contributed to the current conditions of

the Alabama sturgeon, the most

immediate threat to the species is its low

population numbers and subsequent

inability to sustain a viable population.

We are also directed to consider actions

taken by the State to protect and

conserve the species or improve its

status. While State law currently protects

the sturgeon from overutilization, the

primary threats to the Alabama sturgeon

are its small populations size and its

reduced range. Complicating these

threats are the limited knowledge of its

life history and habitat requirements.

Current protections afforded under State

law do not fully address and eliminate

these threats.

What protection does the Alabama

sturgeon receive as a listed species?

Listing will increase current State

penalties for illegal “take” of the Alabama

sturgeon. Also, Federal agencies must

consult with the Service to conserve listed

species on their lands and to ensure that

any activity they fund, authorize, or carry

out will not jeopardize the survival of a

listed species or adversely modify

designated critical habitat. Finally,

Federal agencies must also pursue actions

to recover species to the point where they

no longer require protection and can be

delisted. For more information, see Q&A

No. 2.*

What is the next step in the process to

recover the Alabama sturgeon? What

activities are now underway to help

prevent the fish from going extinct?

We plan to invite the parties to the

Conservation Agreement and Strategy, as

well as other interested parties, to

participate in developing a recovery plan.

In the interim, increased efforts are

underway by State and Federal fisheries

biologists to collect Alabama sturgeon for

breeding purposes.

Who will be responsible for the Alabama

sturgeon recovery program the Fish and

Wildlife Service or the State of Alabama?

The State and the Service will remain

partners in recovery of the Alabama

sturgeon. For more information, see Q&A

No. 8.

* See the more extensive Questions and

Answers on the decision to list the

Alabama sturgeon that appear in a

separate document.
Will the Alabama sturgeon that are

captured still be put in the State’s Marion

Fish Hatchery?

Yes.

How many Alabama sturgeon are in

captivity and what sex are they? What

happens if you can’t catch any more

Alabama sturgeon?

There are currently two male Alabama

sturgeon in captivity at the Marion State

Fish Hatchery. Contingency plans for

lack of breeding stock will be developed

during the recovery planning process.

Does listing the sturgeon stop current

navigation channel maintenance dredging

activities in the Alabama and Tombigbee

rivers?

No. The Corps of Engineers and FWS

examined river activities and potential

conflicts that might arise from listing the

Alabama sturgeon. In 1994, this resulted

in a joint determination (a “White

Paper”) by the Corps and the Service that

the annual navigation channel

maintenance dredging programs would

have “no effect” on the sturgeon and

would not need to be eliminated, modified

or altered should the species be listed. In

addition, there are already four federally

listed species in these rivers, one of them,

a sturgeon; and channel navigation

maintenance has continued unimpeded.

Does listing the Alabama sturgeon hurt

economic development in Alabama?

No. Economic concerns raised during the

1993 and 1999 comment periods are based

on the assumption that navigation on the

Alabama and Tombigbee rivers would be

halted if the Alabama sturgeon were

listed. As noted in the previous question,

the Corps of Engineers and the Fish and

Wildlife Service have determined that

navigation maintenance would not be

eliminated, modified or altered should the

Alabama sturgeon be listed. That position

has been reconfirmed in writing by the

Corps and the Service. Therefore, the

basic assumption is wrong, and the

prediction of dire economic consequences

are without substance.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

How does the listing of the Alabama

sturgeon affect funding that has been

provided by Congress to recover the

species?

The listing decision will not affect the

Service’s funding commitment for the

Alabama sturgeon. For more information,

see Q&A No. 23.

Why did we need to list this fish when the

cooperative restoration efforts for the

Mobile River Basin aquatic species have

been progressing?

The Alabama sturgeon is in danger of

becoming extinct, and the Service is

required by law to propose listing species

whose status is imperilled. The fish has

disappeared from about 85% of its

historic range in the Alabama and

Tombigbee rivers and their major

tributaries in Alabama and Mississippi.

Only five Alabama sturgeon have been

captured in the last four years, despite

intensive efforts to do so. Nevertheless,

listing the species is only one step in its

recovery process. It will continue to take

the combined efforts of all participants in

the Mobile River Basin Coalition to bring

this species back from the brink of

extinction. For more information, see

Q&A No. 1.

Some people still claim that the Service

did not have sufficient scientific

information to conclude that the Alabama

sturgeon is a distinct species from the

common shovelnose sturgeon. How do

you respond to that?

The Service is required to use the best

available scientific and commercial

information in making listing decisions.

The Alabama sturgeon is nationally and

internationally considered a valid species.

The Alabama sturgeon was initially

described as a distinct species in a peerreviewed, widely distributed museum

periodical (Williams and Clemmer 1991).

The species was considered valid in a

catalog of fishes of Alabama (Boschung

1992) and in a catalog of fishes of North

American (Mayden et al. 1992). Species

status was reassessed, reaffirmed, and

published in the ichthyological journal

Copeia (Mayden and Kuhajda 1996). This

paper is the most thorough and

comprehensive analysis of Alabama

sturgeon systematics and taxonomy

published to date.

The Alabama sturgeon is listed as a

separate species in State fish books for

Alabama (Mettee et al. In prep.). Thus,

the Alabama sturgeon is currently

recognized as a valid taxonomic species

and will continue to be so recognized

unless overturned at some future date by

the scientific community through the

formal publication and peer review

process.

How many comments did you receive on

this listing decision? How many “for,” and

how many “against”? Did you take these

figures into account in the listing

decision?

During the comment periods, we received

approximately 4,000 cards, letters, and

reports concerning the proposal. Most

expressed opposition to, or concern about

the proposed listing; however, a number

of individuals supported the action. Under

the Act we may only consider scientific

and commercial information in arriving at

our determination. We may not consider

the popularity of a listing action.

Why do you think so many people opposed

listing the Alabama sturgeon?

Opposition to the proposed listing

primarily centered on perceived economic

effects of the action, questions about

taxonomy and science, and the adequacy

of current State conservation actions to

protect the sturgeon.

For more information on the proposed

listing, please contact:

J. Mitch King

Geographic Assistant Regional Director

Area 2

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

1875 Century Boulevard

Atlanta, GA 30345

404/679 7180

Information on the sturgeon is also

available at: http:/www.fws.gov.