This offers other benefits, he says. Habitat diversity in our large rivers has greatly declined. But different species at different periods of their lives rely on vastly different habitats. The SIUC team has not found large pallid sturgeon in the middle Mississippi. More ominously, only three young have been found in the past five years.
Hybrids are probably the result of male pallid sturgeon fertilizing shovelnose eggs.
Sheehan advocates temporarily closing the burgeoning shovelnose fishery so scientists can gather data to set acceptable harvest limits. That would also keep the pallid sturgeon safe while scientists refine the genetic testing methods needed to protect it permanently. This research has been funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service , the St. Louis District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers , SIUC, and UC-Davis.