Now they want to know whether the shortnose sturgeon recovery is happening at the expense of a heavily fished but increasingly scarce species, the Atlantic sturgeon. The shortnose are benefitting from 20 years of protection by the Endangered Species Act, Bain reported July 29 to the International Conference on Sturgeon Biodiversity and Conservation.
Sturgeon can live as long as humans, although little is known about their life cycles.
Before releasing the fish, biologists take tissue samples and attach sonic and visual identification tags, hoping to track their movements and make better population estimates. More of the missing Atlantic sturgeon are ending up on dinner plates. Whereas about 100 Atlantics a year were fished from the Hudson until this year, this spring's catch in coastal waters were about six times that and the fall season lies ahead. Continuing study of Hudson River sturgeon, which is supported by the Hudson River Foundation and Cornell's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, will seek reasons for the decline of Atlantic sturgeon. Among the possibilities are over-fishing, reproductive failure or poor survival for environmental reasons, and shortnose that may be eating Atlantic sturgeon eggs.