Sturgeon in the Hudson

[davehunt]

Saw something interesting while walking through Hudson River Park during lunch (along West Street in the West Village).

There was a small fishing boat dragging a net a couple of hundred yards out. Once they pulled in the net they moved in very close to the northern most pier (this one has a playground on it). I could then make out the markings, it had a Cornell University emblem on it and the name of the boat is R/V Acipenser.

I waved to the pilot but they weren't close enough to have a conversation with so I did a little research when I got back to my desk. Acipenser is the scientific name for sturgeon! Here is a link I found regarding this research.

http://www.dnr.cornell.edu/hydro2/sturgeon/stnews.htm

When they were close enough I could see them photographing something small, I assume now it may have been a juvenile sturgeon!

[julesvaughan2]

A few weeks back there was an article in the Richmond paper on a sunday about some kids on a field trip netting a baby sturgeon in the James river. Here is all I could get of the article for free, maybe someone else can bring up more....

SIX INCHES OF HOPE FISHED FROM THE RIVER ; STUDENTS CATCH A BABY STURGEON, SUPPORTING GROWTH OF POPULATION:[City Edition]
Lawrence Latane III, Contact Lawrence Latane III at (804) 333-3461\ or llatane@timesdispatch.com. Richmond Times - Dispatch. Richmond, Va.: Mar 28, 2004. pg. B.1

People: Spells, Albert, Gillingham, Lewis
Section: AREA/STATE
Text Word Count 884

Abstract (Article Summary)
[Albert Spells] said biologists long have assumed that a remnant population of sturgeon still venture from the ocean each spring to mix their eggs and sperm in select gravel-covered depths of the freshwater tidal James. But until Wednesday's discovery, a young- enough fish had never been found to confirm reproductive success.

The stuff of legends - the sight of monstrous sturgeon leaping on their spawning ...



:eek:

[Digger]

Hurricane Floyd Broke a Dam(Lake Powell)that held several large(10-12 foot long) Sturgeon that released them into the James River.
They had been land locked since I believe the 1930's(I think that was what I was told). I had seen some of these fish and they were huge. So we may have had a jump start with these monsters. I can only hope.

[Tater Salad]

I am an avid conservationist and i take proactive steps with my fishing to ensure healthy populations for the future. I keep virtually nothing.

But i think the sturgeon is probably SOL. (too little too late). It is just an evolutionarily flawed prehistoric beast that doesn't seem to stand a chance of coexisting with people. Fish such as bass, catfish, bluegill, and a like are survivors. The reproduce quickly and the population can take a hit and recover.

Sturgeons are like sharks in that they are K strategy reproducers and likewise are somewhat flawed. They live for years and years, but it also takes forever for them to reach sexual maturity. Likewise that are not going to get along well with people and people seem to be here to stay for at least a little while.

[Manayunk Jake]

Greetings All!

I'm old enough to remember when Atlantic Sturgeon were legal to keep in the Delaware River (minimum size was five feet.) Now they are listed as endangered and protected (assuming the fish is caught by a law-abiding fisherman.) The smaller shortnose sturgeon is makng a slow recovery in the Big 'D', but the giant Atlantic Sturgeon may be biologically extinct.

Brinkman's Bait & Tackle in NE Philly has a picture of a ten footer that was found dead on the bank. The only other sturgeon I have ever heard about was a nine footer caught by a Fortescue charter boat in the early 70s (it was promptly filleted at the dock.) It would be great to see these prehistoric monsters make a comeback, even if they remained off-limits to fishermen.