Sturgeon are extremely long-lived, living to 60 plus years old. They are slow to mature and generally do not spawn for the first time until they are nine to 23 years old, depending on the species. Mature sturgeon do not spawn every year. During spawning, the eggs are broadcast over a large area and left unattended to hatch in eight to ten days. A large female sturgeon can lay as many as two million eggs.
Sturgeon live only in the Northern Hemisphere.
The largest of New York's sturgeons, Atlantic sturgeon in the Hudson River occasionally reach over 200 pounds in weight and six to eight feet in length. Individuals up to 14 feet long and 800 pounds have been recorded from New Brunswick, Canada. The Atlantic sturgeon is olive green to blue-black on its back and upper sides, shading to white on the belly. It can be told apart from its cousins by its long, narrow snout with a relatively small underslung mouth and four barbels. Life History Atlantic sturgeon are anadromous, migrating from saltwater to spawn in freshwater.