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Acipenser brevirostrum LeSueur, 1818
Shortnose Sturgeon
Federal Protection: Listed Endangered
State Protection: Endangered
Global Rank: G3
State Rank: S2
Element Locations Tracked in Biotics: Yes
SWAP 2015 Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN): Yes
SWAP 2025 Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN): Yes
2025 SGCN Priority Tier: High Conservation Concern
Element Occurrences (EOs) in Georgia: 10
Habitat Summary for element in Georgia: Estuaries; lower end of large rivers in deep pools with soft substrates
The Shortnose Sturgeon is a member of family Acipenseridae, within order Acipenseriformes. A total of 27 sturgeon species can be found across the northern hemisphere; nine species are native to North America, and four were historically found in Georgia. Like other sturgeons, Shortnose Sturgeon are characterized by a heterocercal tail and five rows of bony scutes along their lateral and dorsal surfaces. The mouth is located on the underside of the flattened, shovel-like snout, behind 4 long barbels. The mouth is toothless, fleshy, and protrusible. The upper body color varies from yellowish-brown to dark brown or bronze; the underside of the body is lighter in color. The Shortnose Sturgeon is the smallest of the Acipenser genus in eastern North America. Females attain total lengths up to 1 m (3.3 ft) in the southern portion of their range, but may reach 1.4 m (4.6 ft) in northern rivers. Shortnose Sturgeon can weigh up to 24 kg (52.8 lbs). Males are somewhat smaller than females. The maximum documented ages for Shortnose Sturgeon are from populations in Canada: 67 years for females and 32 years for males. In Georgia, the species’ lifespan is estimated to be 10-25 years.
The Atlantic Sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) has a similar appearance, although it is larger at adulthood than the Shortnose Sturgeon. The two species are easily distinguished by size, length of snout, color, and several other characteristics. Atlantic Sturgeon may reach a maximum size of more than 2.5 m (8.2 ft). The snout (rostrum) of the Atlantic Sturgeon is approximately 30-50% of head length, whereas the snout of the Shortnose Sturgeon is only 25-40% of head length. Atlantic Sturgeon generally have a narrower mouth relative to rostrum width, compared to Shortnose Sturgeon. Colors are variable, but Shortnose Sturgeon are typically brown or bronze and Atlantic Sturgeon are grey with a white underside. Atlantic Sturgeon have two ventral scutes posterior to the vent, and Shortnose Sturgeon have one. Atlantic Sturgeon also have a larger anal ray count (usually 26-28 rays) than Shortnose Sturgeon (usually 19-22 rays).
The Shortnose Sturgeon is an amphidromous species that is well adapted to a benthic existence in the large coastal rivers where they reside. Adults spend much of their time near the fresh-saltwater interface, at salinities of 0-6 ppt. Individuals will occasionally move into marine waters. Shortnose Sturgeon migrate upstream to spawning areas near the fall line. Spawning occurs over hard substrates such as gravel or cobble. Larval Shortnose Sturgeon begin a gradual migration downstream to the estuarine nursery habitats they will inhabit as juveniles.
Shortnose Sturgeon feed on aquatic invertebrates of all types. In freshwater habitats, food items include insect larvae, crustaceans, oligochaetes, and mollusks. In marine waters, Shortnose Sturgeon will feed on polychaete worms, crustaceans, and mollusks. Some small fishes are also consumed.
Between January and March, when river temperatures are 9-12 °C (48-54 °C), adult Shortnose Sturgeon migrate upriver to suitable spawning habitat near the fall line. Adhesive eggs are broadcast over hard-bottom substrates, and a single female can produce 27,000-208,000 eggs. After spawning, adults move back downriver. The eggs will incubate for 7-13 days, depending on water temperature. Upon hatching, larval Shortnose Sturgeon seek cover and hide until they absorb their yolk-sacs, then drift downstream to habitats near head of tide. Both juvenile and adult Shortnose Sturgeon inhabit the lower reaches of their home river. When water temperatures exceed 27 °C (81 °F), they will seek thermal refuges in deep areas of rivers when water temperatures exceed. Adults will occasionally move into marine waters for short periods to forage. In the southern portion of their range, male Shortnose Sturgeon mature at 2-3 years of age, and females mature 3-5 years. Both males and females are intermittent spawners – they typically do not spawn every year. Males may spawn every 1-2 years, and females may spawn every 2-3 years.
Assuming that appropriate state and federal permits are obtained, this species is best surveyed with anchored gill and trammel nets set during a slack tide. Drifted gill nets may also be useful for sampling adult Shortnose Sturgeon. The potential for sampling mortality should be minimized by limiting net sets to 30 minutes or less at temperatures ≥27 °C (81 °F) and eliminating sampling altogether at temperatures > 28 °C (86°F). Captured sturgeon should be kept in a floating net pen until biological data are collected. Handling time of sturgeon should be minimized to decrease the potential for mortality.
The historic range of the Shortnose Sturgeon extends from the Saint John River, New Brunswick, Canada, to the St. Johns River, Florida. Within Georgia, the species can be found in the Savannah, Ogeechee, Altamaha, Satilla, and St. Marys Rivers. Shortnose Sturgeon also use the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, and may occasionally be found in nearshore coastal waters.
Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, Shortnose Sturgeon populations suffered major declines due to a variety of anthropogenic factors. Historically, they were over-harvested for both their meat and roe (caviar). Additionally, the construction of impoundments in spawning rivers impeded access to historic spawning sites and modified natural hydrologic flow and temperature regimes. Although Shortnose Sturgeon are protected from harvest, they may still be caught as bycatch in commercial fisheries, including the riverine American Shad fishery. In some areas, sturgeon are threatened by poaching. The species is also at risk of being struck by ships in busy ports and shipping channels. It is possible that non-native catfish (such as blue and flathead) may prey upon larval or juvenile sturgeon. Habitat modifications also pose a threat to sturgeon conservation and recovery. Dredging and construction may directly or indirectly impact sturgeon. These activities may result in habitat damage, sedimentation, or altered flow patterns that negatively affect spawning habitat or holding areas. Dredging related to the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project will affect Shortnose Sturgeon holding areas, and is predicted to increase salinity and decrease dissolved oxygen throughout the estuary. Deadhead logging is also likely to disturb river sediments, and may have a negative impact on sturgeon. Water quantity and quality are also important for Shortnose Sturgeon. Reduced flow may negatively impact recruitment. Water pollution adversely affects many fish populations, including sturgeon. In southern rivers, naturally poor water quality resulting from high temperatures and low dissolved oxygen pose a threat to conservation and recovery of Shortnose Sturgeon, and these problems may be exacerbated by climate change.
| Threat 1 | Threat 2 | Threat 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Threat | Transportation & service corridors | Natural system modifications | Residential & commercial development |
| Specific Threat | Shipping lanes | Dams & water management/use | Commercial & industrial areas |
The Shortnose Sturgeon was a charter member of the 1973 Endangered Species Act. The Savannah and Altamaha Rivers host two of the most robust Shortnose Sturgeon populations within the South Atlantic Bight. Movements between the Altamaha and Ogeechee Rivers have been documented, and these rivers may be subpopulations within a larger metapopulation. In recent years, small numbers of juvenile Shortnose Sturgeon have been documented in the Satilla River, suggesting a reproductive population may persist there. Several adult and subadult Shortnose Sturgeon have been captured during recent sampling in the St. Marys River, indicating that the St. Marys River remains important habitat for the species. However, the origin of those fish is not known, and it is unclear whether a natal population persists there.
Although the Savannah and Altamaha River populations of Shortnose Sturgeon appear fairly robust, other populations in Georgia are small or potentially extirpated. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has identified assessments of abundance estimates, age structure, and recruitment trends as important research needs. Establishing population baselines will help determine the recovery status of each population. Recruitment estimates and trends provide an early measure of recovery status, especially in rivers with small sturgeon populations. Continued monitoring of Shortnose Sturgeon in the Savannah River is especially important, given the potential effects of the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project. There is a need for assessments of environmental tolerances, which are lacking for Shortnose Sturgeon in the southern parts of their range. Successful conservation of Shortnose Sturgeon in Georgia will require the identification and protection of spawning habitats near the fall line – specific spawning locations have not been documented in any of Georgia’s unimpounded rivers. Protection of nursery and holding areas in Georgia’s estuaries is also critical. Minimizing anthropogenic mortality of Shortnose Sturgeon is important to the conservation of the species. NMFS recommends studies to assess the impacts of bycatch in order to better understand this potential source of mortality. Additionally, Shortnose Sturgeon may be vulnerable to vessel strikes in busy port areas. There is currently very little information on vessel strikes in Georgia, and studies quantifying this potential source of mortality may help identify ways to reduce ship-sturgeon interactions. Poaching remains a potential source of mortality that should be investigated. Most Georgia rivers are unimpounded below the fall line and sturgeon are able access most of their historic spawning habitat. There are, however, several dams located on the Savannah River. Fish passage at the New Savannah Bluff Lock and Dam is included as part of the mitigation for the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project, but studies will be necessary to assess how this will affect the Atlantic Sturgeon population there. Water pollution and sedimentation pose a chronic threat to many Shortnose Sturgeon populations, as they do to many other species. NMFS recommends studies to assess toxic contaminant impacts and thresholds, in order to determine how great a threat these contaminants pose to Shortnose Sturgeon.
Bahr, D. L., and D. L. Peterson, 2016. Shortnose Sturgeon in the Savannah River, Georgia. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 145:6, 1171-1178.
Hall, J. W., T. I. J. Smith, and S. C. Lamprecht. 1991. Movements and habitats of Shortnose Sturgeon Acipenser brevirostrum in the Savannah River. Copeia 1991: 695-702.
Kynard, B. 1997. Life history, latitudinal patterns, and status of the Shortnose Sturgeon, Acipenser brevirostrum. Environ. Biol. Fish. 48:319–334.
National Marine Fisheries Service. 1998. Final Recovery Plan for the Shortnose Sturgeon, Acipenser brevirostrum. Prepared by the Shortnose Sturgeon Recovery Team for the National Marine Fisheries Service, Silver Spring, Maryland. 104pp.
Peterson, D. L. and M. S. Bednarski. 2013.Abundance and size structure of Shortnose Sturgeon in the Altamaha River, Georgia. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 142:1444-1452.
Peterson, D. L., and D. J. Farrae. 2011. Evidence of metapopulation dynamics in Shortnose Sturgeon in the southern part of their range. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 140:1540-1546.
Richmond, A. M. And B. Kynard. 1995. Ontogenetic behavior of Shortnose Sturgeon, Acipenser brevirostrum Copeia 1995:172-182.
Rogers, S. G. and W. Weber. 1994. Movements of Shortnose Sturgeon in the Altamaha River System, Georgia. Contributions Series No. 57. Coastal Resources Division, Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Brunswick, Georgia.
Shortnose Sturgeon Status Review Team. 2010. A Biological Assessment of Shortnose Sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum). Report to Northeast Reg. Off., Natl. Mar. Fish. Serv., Gloucester, MA.
Byron J. Freeman, Daniel J. Farrae, Douglas L. Peterson, Alexander J. Cummins, and Adam G. Fox.
B. Freeman, 1999: Original account
K. Owers, January, 2009: Added picture, updated status and ranks, added fish atlas link, converted to new format, minor edits to text D. Farrae and D. Peterson, May 2009: general update of entire account D. Peterson, September 2013: added Satilla and St. Marys River to current range.
A. Fox and A. Cummins, December 2018: general update of entire account.
