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Status
Ancestry & History
Federally listed as threatened on September 30, 1991.
Gulf Sturgeon Fast Facts
Fossil ancestry of this primitive fish dates back 200 million years. In the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, sturgeon were harvested for their edible flesh and their eggs used for caviar.
Description
The Gulf sturgeon's fossil ancestry dates back 200 million years.
Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi
USFWS volunteer holding a Gulf sturgeon captured in Florida's Choctawhatchee River in October 2001. The fish was one of many caught and released during the sampling trip to acquired scientific data to help recover the species. Life History: Spends most of its time in rivers. Long-lived up to 70 years, and requires 9-12 years to reproduce.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service fisheries biologist attaching a satellite tracking tag to a grand Gulf sturgeon. During the early part of the 20th Century, overfishing of the Gulf sturgeon nearly resulted in the extinction of the species. Today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other agencies diligently work to recover the Gulf sturgeon. USFWS volunteer biologist drawing a blood sample to test the health of the fish.
Threats to Survival
 Habitat: Gulf of Mexico. Bays and estuaries in Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. Major freshwater rivers from the Suwannee River, Fla., to the Mississippi River. Easily recognized by rows of bony plates, or scutes, along body. Can grow longer than nine feet and weigh in excess of 300 pounds. Has a suction-type mouth located beneath the head.
  • Barriers to spawning grounds (dams).
  • Habitat loss.
  • Poor water quality.
Spawning: This anadromous species migrates from salt water into coastal rivers to spawn.
Diet: Bottom dwelling organisms; amphipods, isopods, crustaceans and marine worms.
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