Atlantic Sturgeon

The 2024 stock assessment update concluded that Atlantic sturgeon remain depleted coastwide. The “depleted” status was used instead of “overfished” because many factors (such as bycatch, habitat loss, and ship strikes), not just directed historical fishing, have contributed to the continued low abundance of Atlantic sturgeon. While overall levels of Atlantic sturgeon remain low, the population has shown signs of improvement with a significant positive trend over the time series and a high probability that abundance in 2022 was greater than abundance in 1998 at the start of the 40-year moratorium on harvest. Additionally, total mortality was low and had a low probability of exceeding the reference point. While Atlantic sturgeon is still considered a “data-poor” species, a tremendous amount of information has been collected on the species since 1998 that improve the abilities of managers and scientists to manage the species.

The coastwide Atlantic sturgeon population is made up of five distinct population segments (DPSs): (1) Gulf of Maine (GOM), (2) New York Bight, (3) Chesapeake Bay, (4) Carolina and (5) South Atlantic. At the individual DPS level, results were mixed. Most indices showed either a positive trend or no significant trend over the time series. While it was likely that the New York Bight and Carolina DPSs had higher abundance in 2022 than in 1998, it was unlikely to be the case for the Gulf of Maine, Chesapeake Bay, and South Atlantic DPSs. Additionally, total mortality estimates for each DPS were higher than for the full coastwide population, but only the Gulf of Maine had a greater than 50% probability of exceeding the reference point.

In 2012, following several status reviews, NOAA Fisheries declared the GOM DPS as threatened and the remaining DPSs as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The status review determined the most significant threats to all five DPSs are bycatch mortality, poor water quality, lack of adequate state and federal regulatory mechanisms, and dredging activities. Additional stressors include habitat impediments and ship strikes. In 2013, NOAA Fisheries published an Interim Final Rule for the threatened GOM DPS which essentially provides the same protection as an endangered listing. In April 2017, NOAA Fisheries published a final rule to designate Atlantic sturgeon critical habitat (i.e., specific areas that are considered essential to the conservation of the species) in each of the DPSs.

Since colonial times, Atlantic sturgeon have supported commercial fisheries of varying magnitude. In the late 1800s, they were second only to lobster among important fisheries, with landings estimated at seven million pounds per year just prior to the turn of the century.

Overharvesting of sturgeon for flesh and eggs (known as caviar) continued through the 1990s until the Commission and federal government implemented a coastwide moratorium in late 1997 and early 1998. Because the population has been severely overfished, the Commission’s Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Sturgeon calls for a coastwide moratorium through at least 2038, in order to build up 20 year classes. Several facilities culture Atlantic sturgeon for research purposes.