Alabama sturgeon
Encyclopedia
The Alabama sturgeon, Scaphirhynchus suttkusi, is a critically endangered species of sturgeon
native to the United States of America
and now only believed to exist in 130 miles (209.2 km) of the lower Alabama River
. The fish has a distinctive yellowish-orange color, grows to a size of about 30 inches long and 2 to 3 pounds, and is believed to have a lifespan of 12 to 20 years. Biologists have known of the fish since the 1950s or 1960s, but the large diversity of aquatic species in Alabama
prevented formal identification until 1991.
, sued the Service and, in 2000, won, requiring Fish and Wildlife to list the fish for protection.
It was hoped that the tagged fish would lead to others of its species, but in a year of tracking to date, this has not happened.
In May 2008, the Fish and Wildlife Service proposed designating 245 miles (394.3 km) of the Alabama River and 81 miles (130.4 km) of the lower portion of its tributary, the Cahaba River
, as critical habitat for the fish. Although the rivers are dammed at multiple locations, management of the river flows is expected to continue unchanged. A final decision on the habitat designation is due in May 2009.
In July 2009, fish researchers lost contact with the only known live Alabama Sturgeon. The fish had been given an electronic tracking device in hopes that the fish would lead them to other members of the species, but the device stopped working.
Sturgeon
Sturgeon is the common name used for some 26 species of fish in the family Acipenseridae, including the genera Acipenser, Huso, Scaphirhynchus and Pseudoscaphirhynchus. The term includes over 20 species commonly referred to as sturgeon and several closely related species that have distinct common...
native to the United States of America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and now only believed to exist in 130 miles (209.2 km) of the lower Alabama River
Alabama River
The Alabama River, in the U.S. state of Alabama, is formed by the Tallapoosa and Coosa rivers, which unite about north of Montgomery.The river flows west to Selma, then southwest until, about from Mobile, it unites with the Tombigbee, forming the Mobile and Tensaw rivers, which discharge into...
. The fish has a distinctive yellowish-orange color, grows to a size of about 30 inches long and 2 to 3 pounds, and is believed to have a lifespan of 12 to 20 years. Biologists have known of the fish since the 1950s or 1960s, but the large diversity of aquatic species in Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
prevented formal identification until 1991.
Protected status controversy
The Alabama sturgeon was first proposed for protected status in the early 1990s, although by then the fish was already so rare its survival was uncertain. The sturgeon's protection was opposed by a variety of industries located along Alabama's rivers for the feared economic impact. The opponents' main arguments were that it was already extinct or that it was not a distinct species. In response to this opposition, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ceased efforts to place the fish on the Endangered Species List. Then Ray Vaughan, an environmental lawyer in Montgomery, AlabamaMontgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
, sued the Service and, in 2000, won, requiring Fish and Wildlife to list the fish for protection.
Recent efforts
In 1993, state and federal biologists began a program to help save the Alabama sturgeon through a captive breeding program. Unfortunately, only six fish have been captured since then, all male. The last fish held in captivity died in 2002. The most recent specimen was captured in April 2007. After determining the fish was a male, sperm were collected, a small tracking device implanted, and it was released once it had fully healed.It was hoped that the tagged fish would lead to others of its species, but in a year of tracking to date, this has not happened.
In May 2008, the Fish and Wildlife Service proposed designating 245 miles (394.3 km) of the Alabama River and 81 miles (130.4 km) of the lower portion of its tributary, the Cahaba River
Cahaba River
The Cahaba River is the longest free-flowing river in Alabama and is among the most scenic and biologically diverse rivers in the United States. The Cahaba River is a major tributary of the Alabama River and part of the larger Mobile River Basin...
, as critical habitat for the fish. Although the rivers are dammed at multiple locations, management of the river flows is expected to continue unchanged. A final decision on the habitat designation is due in May 2009.
In July 2009, fish researchers lost contact with the only known live Alabama Sturgeon. The fish had been given an electronic tracking device in hopes that the fish would lead them to other members of the species, but the device stopped working.
External links
- Alabama sturgeon page of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Endangered Species Program site
- Alabama Sturgeon of the Mobile basin at the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
- WKRG News 5 - Scientists lose contact with lone Alabama sturgeon