Population Characteristics and Seasonal Movements of Shortnose Sturgeon in the Lower Ogeechee River, Georgia, with Notes on Atlantic Sturgeon
Shortnose sturgeon, Acipenser brevirostrum, were monitored as part of continuing studies in the Ogeechee and Canoochee Rivers adjacent to Fort Stewart, Georgia during 1999 and 2000. Over 13,000 net-meter-hours soak time and 1,700 person hours of effort were expended. The shortnose sturgeon population was estimated at approximately 195 individuals (95% CI = 143 to 306). Depressed young-of-year recruitment, rather than mortality, appears to limit the population. Shortnose sturgeon were fully recruited to sampling regimes, used in this and previous studies, at approximately age 8-9, and additional efforts should be made to characterize the younger segment of the population. Immigrated cultured shortnose sturgeon that were released into the Savannah River contributed substantially to year classes 8, 9, and 11. Age determination was validated though the capture of cultured fish. Because the shortnose sturgeon population size has remained statistically unchanged since 1993, immediate efforts should be made to identify factors limiting young-of-year recruitment, and population trends should be closely monitored. Spawning areas were not identified, but seasonal and short-term movement patterns of the shortnose sturgeon were analyzed in relation to environmental factors. Juvenile (ages 1 through 9) Atlantic sturgeon, Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus, were captured incidentally during sampling, and their populations were estimated at 134 and 186 during 1999 and 2000.
ETD, Shortnose sturgeon, Acipenser brevirostrum, Ogeechee River, Canoochee River, Fort Stewart, Georgia, Populations size, Young-of-year recruitment, Population trends, Atlantic sturgeon, Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus, Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology, Biology
Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations