Distribution and Movement of Shortnose Sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum) in the Chesapeake Bay

• Published in: Estuaries Vol. 25; no. 1; pp. 101 - 104
• Main Authors: Welsh, Stuart A., Mangold, Michael F., Skjeveland, Jorgen E., Spells, Albert J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lawrence, KS Estuarine Research Federation 01.02.2002; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acipenser brevirostrum; Acipenser oxyrhynchus; Agnatha. Pisces; Anadromous fishes; Animal and plant ecology; Animal migration; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Autoecology; Biogeography; Biological and medical sciences; Brackish; Canals; Demecology; Estuaries; Fisheries science; Fishery resources; Freshwater fishes; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Marine fishes; Ocean fisheries; Rivers; Sturgeon; Tagging; Vertebrata; Watermen; United States; North America; Delaware River; America; Chesapeake Bay; USA, Chesapeake Bay; ANW, USA, Chesapeake Bay; USA, Delaware Canal; Brackish water environment; Vertebrata; Spatial distribution; Animal active movement; Endangered species; Pisces
• ISSN: 0160-8347; 1559-2723; 1559-2758; 1559-2731
• DOI: 10.1007/BF02696053

During a reward program for Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus), 40 federally endangered shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum) were captured and reported by commercial fishers between January 1996 and January 2000 from the Chesapeake Bay. Since this is more than double the number of published records of shortnose sturgeon in the Chesapeake Bay between 1876 and 1995, little information has been available on distributions and movement. We used fishery dependent data collected during the reward program to determine the distribution of shortnose sturgeon in the Chesapeake Bay. Sonically-tagged shortnose sturgeon in the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware River were tracked to determine if individuals swim through the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. Shortnose sturgeon were primarily distributed within the upper Chesapeake Bay. The movements of one individual, tagged within the Chesapeake Bay and later relocated in the canal and Delaware River, indicated that individuals traverse the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal.