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Sturgeons are an ancient fish, harkening back 350 million years. While the sturgeon were among the first bony fishes, as they evolved their internal bone structure gave way to cartilage. However, they have an external bony armor called scutes - razor sharp plates.
The Gulf sturgeon is a subspecies that evolved from the Atlantic sturgeon when it became marooned in the Gulf of Mexico during the last ice age.
Gulf sturgeons are anadromous fish, living in both salt and fresh water. Gulf sturgeons return to their natal rivers each year to spawn. And here is their great tragedy - each year there are fewer and fewer undammed rivers to which they can return. Gulf sturgeon are bottom dwelling fish and therefore they are unable to climb fish ladders. Dams and weirs are insurmountable obstacles that prevent them from returning to their spawning grounds.
Sturgeon grow rapidly at about a foot a year, and mature at about eight feet long. The Suwannee River, with the largest remaining sturgeon population is still a free-running river. It may be the only hope for the Sturgeon's survival. |
