Species that are considered uncertain risk need a more in-depth assessment beyond the Risk Summary to better define the species’ risk to U.S. environments.
White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) is an anadromous fish species native to the eastern Pacific. It is used in commercial fisheries, game fishing, and aquaculture. This species is landlocked in the Columbia River drainage, Montana, and perhaps Lake Shasta in California. Introductions have been reported in Arizona, California, Georgia, Idaho, Oregon, Chile, Germany, Italy, and Israel. Introductions have failed in Arizona, Georgia, and Israel. Status is unknown in Germany and Chile. A. transmontanus is assumed to harm native fish in Chile through predation and competition, but there is not sufficient documentation to be certain. There is no well-documented evidence that A. transmontanus has negatively impacted native fish populations in any of the areas where it has been introduced. More research is needed to fully understand the impacts from introductions of this species; absence of this research makes the certainty of this assessment low. Climate match with the contiguous United States is high. Overall risk posed by this species is uncertain.
Publication date
Type of document
Uncertain Risk
Program
