However, the partners in recovery of the Alabama sturgeon remain committed to a cooperative approach to protection and management of the Alabama sturgeon and its habitat. By working together to develop and apply research and new information about this species and its needs, it is unlikely that economic conflicts will arise due to conservation efforts undertaken to recover the fish. The Alabama sturgeon is a slender fish, growing to about 30 inches in length and is a golden-yellow color. A mature fish weighs 2 to 3 pounds. The head is broad, and flattened shovel-like at the snout.
Bony plates cover the head, back, and sides.
The body narrows abruptly to the rear to form a narrow stalk between the body and tail. The upper lobe of the tail fin is elongated and ends in a long filament. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.