These large, primitive bony
fish are found in North American waters from Quebec's Ungava Bay south
to Florida. They inhabit coastal waters and ascend rivers from the sea
for breeding. Five species of sturgeons are found in Canada. The
Atlantic and shortnose are found in Atlantic coastal waters and rivers.
The lake sturgeons are found in fresh water east of the Rockies,
while white and green sturgeons flourish the Pacific waters and rivers.
Caviar is made from Atlantic sturgeon eggs and their flesh is
considered delicious fresh or smoked.
The Atlantic sturgeon, which can grow over three metres long, is blue
black in colour. It has an elongated head and body, a long upper-tail
lobe and five rows of bony plates instead of scales. All sturgeon have
four barbels in front of a toothless mouth. They use these hairlike
appendages to locate food as they move across the bottom.
The female Atlantic sturgeon will deposit from 800,000 to 2.4
million eggs in a two-week hatching period. The young sturgeon remain
in fresh water for up to four years before migrating to the sea. The
Atlantic sturgeon can live to at least 60 years of age, measure over
265 cm in length and weigh up to 160 kg.
NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office
Sturgeon of the Hudson River Homepage
Chesapeake Bay Program Office
Status of Fisheries Resources off Northeastern United States
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
Hudson River Estuary Program
Biodiversité au Québec
Société de la faune et des parcs du Québec
Esturgeons du Québec
