Other efforts include producing hatchery-reared fish for further study and for possible release into the wild, and raising the minimum size limit on the Atlantic sturgeon fishery. Virginia has closed its Atlantic sturgeon fishery entirely. In the Chesapeake Bay, no Atlantic sturgeon greater than 7 feet has been caught since 1970. It will take more than the reduction of fishing pressure and the stocking of fish to bring the Atlantic sturgeon back. Eggs need to attach to forest litter to keep from being swept downstream.
Water quality is critical to the survival of adults and juveniles.
Excessive amounts of nutrients in waterways can create sudden blooms of phytoplankton. After the phytoplankton die, decomposition uses up large amounts of oxygen. This can lead to dangerously low dissolved oxygen levels along the bottom where sturgeon feed. Like all anadromous fish, Atlantic sturgeon must have access to their spawning grounds. By removing blockages or altering the design of dams to accommodate fish passage, sturgeon can reach the upstream areas so critical to their reproduction.