The Alabama sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus suttkusi) is a species of sturgeon native to the United States of America and now only believed to exist in 130 miles (210 km) of the lower Alabama River.[5] The fish has a distinctive yellowish-orange color, grows to a size of about 30 in (76 cm) long and 2 to 3 lb (0.9–1.4 kg), 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.
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, Alabama, sued the Service and, in 2000, won, requiring Fish and Wildlife to list the fish for protection.[5]
Recent effortsEdit
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.[6][7] 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.[8]
In May 2008, the Fish and Wildlife Service proposed designating 245 miles (394 km) of the Alabama River and 81 miles (130 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. 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.
In August 2013, the Fish and Wildlife Service released the "Recovery Plan for the Alabama Sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus suttkusi)".[9] It includes a plan to establish a captive stock that can produce fingerlings to be released back into the wild and to improve the habitat in the Alabama River through operational changes at Claiborne and Millers Ferry Lock and Dams.[10]
Studies from 2014 and 2015 indicated that despite the very few sightings over the last decade, the species is still extant. This is due to numerous traces of recent Alabama sturgeon DNA (environmental DNA) found in water samples gathered from the river.[11]
ReferencesEdit
^Kuhajda, B.; Rider, S. (2022). "Scaphirhynchus suttkusi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2022: e.T19942A81759618. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T19942A81759618.en. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
^Froese, R.; Pauly, D. (2017). "Acipenseridae". FishBase version (02/2017). Retrieved 18 May 2017.
^Van Der Laan, Richard; Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ronald (11 November 2014). "Family-group names of Recent fishes". Zootaxa. 3882 (1): 1–230. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3882.1.1. PMID 25543675.
^ abBouma, Katherine (2007-04-05). . The Birmingham News. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-04-06.
^Bouma, Katherine (2007-04-06). . The Birmingham News. Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2007-04-06.
^Bouma, Katherine (2007-04-18). . The Birmingham News. Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2007-04-06.
^Reilly, Sean (2008-05-27). . (Mobile, Alabama) Press-Register. Archived from the original on 2012-09-27. Retrieved 2014-01-20.
^. Montgomery Advertiser. 2007-08-07. Archived from the original on 2013-08-14. Retrieved 2014-01-20.
^. WTVY.com. 2013-08-06. Archived from the original on 2014-02-01. Retrieved 2013-08-14.
^"How Fish Forensics Uncovered the Long-Lost Alabama Sturgeon". Atlas Obscura. 2016-09-08. Retrieved 2018-05-13.
External linksEdit
Alabama sturgeon page 2013-02-16 at the Wayback Machine of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Endangered Species Program site
at the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2007). "Scaphirhynchus suttkusi" in FishBase. April 2007 version.
August 26, 2023
alabama, sturgeon, scaphirhynchus, suttkusi, species, sturgeon, native, united, states, america, only, believed, exist, miles, lower, alabama, river, fish, distinctive, yellowish, orange, color, grows, size, about, long, believed, have, lifespan, years, biolog. The Alabama sturgeon Scaphirhynchus suttkusi is a species of sturgeon native to the United States of America and now only believed to exist in 130 miles 210 km of the lower Alabama River 5 The fish has a distinctive yellowish orange color grows to a size of about 30 in 76 cm long and 2 to 3 lb 0 9 1 4 kg 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 Alabama sturgeonConservation statusCritically Endangered IUCN 3 1 1 CITES Appendix II CITES 2 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass ActinopterygiiOrder AcipenseriformesFamily AcipenseridaeGenus ScaphirhynchusSpecies S suttkusiBinomial nameScaphirhynchus suttkusiJ D Williams amp Clemmer 1991 3 4 Alabama sturgeon Contents 1 Protected status controversy 2 Recent efforts 3 References 4 External linksProtected status controversy EditThe 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 Alabama sued the Service and in 2000 won requiring Fish and Wildlife to list the fish for protection 5 Recent efforts EditIn 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 6 7 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 8 In May 2008 the Fish and Wildlife Service proposed designating 245 miles 394 km of the Alabama River and 81 miles 130 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 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 In August 2013 the Fish and Wildlife Service released the Recovery Plan for the Alabama Sturgeon Scaphirhynchus suttkusi 9 It includes a plan to establish a captive stock that can produce fingerlings to be released back into the wild and to improve the habitat in the Alabama River through operational changes at Claiborne and Millers Ferry Lock and Dams 10 Studies from 2014 and 2015 indicated that despite the very few sightings over the last decade the species is still extant This is due to numerous traces of recent Alabama sturgeon DNA environmental DNA found in water samples gathered from the river 11 References Edit Kuhajda B Rider S 2022 Scaphirhynchus suttkusi IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2022 e T19942A81759618 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2022 1 RLTS T19942A81759618 en Retrieved 6 March 2023 Appendices CITES cites org Retrieved 2022 01 14 Froese R Pauly D 2017 Acipenseridae FishBase version 02 2017 Retrieved 18 May 2017 Van Der Laan Richard Eschmeyer William N Fricke Ronald 11 November 2014 Family group names of Recent fishes Zootaxa 3882 1 1 230 doi 10 11646 zootaxa 3882 1 1 PMID 25543675 a b Bouma Katherine 2007 04 05 Alabama sturgeon caught in Wilcox raises hopes for possible breeding The Birmingham News Archived from the original on 2007 09 27 Retrieved 2007 04 06 Bouma Katherine 2007 04 06 Alabama sturgeon a male to be freed carrying tracker The Birmingham News Archived from the original on 2007 09 30 Retrieved 2007 04 06 Bouma Katherine 2007 04 18 Biologists hope tagged sturgeon will lead to others The Birmingham News Archived from the original on 2007 09 30 Retrieved 2007 04 06 Reilly Sean 2008 05 27 Critical habitat set for sturgeon Mobile Alabama Press Register Archived from the original on 2012 09 27 Retrieved 2014 01 20 Agency makes plans to save Alabama sturgeon Montgomery Advertiser 2007 08 07 Archived from the original on 2013 08 14 Retrieved 2014 01 20 Alabama Sturgeon Recovery Plan Released WTVY com 2013 08 06 Archived from the original on 2014 02 01 Retrieved 2013 08 14 How Fish Forensics Uncovered the Long Lost Alabama Sturgeon Atlas Obscura 2016 09 08 Retrieved 2018 05 13 External links EditAlabama sturgeon page Archived 2013 02 16 at the Wayback Machine 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 via the Internet Archive Wayback machine Scaphirhynchus suttkusi Integrated Taxonomic Information System Retrieved 6 April 2007 Froese Rainer Pauly Daniel eds 2007 Scaphirhynchus suttkusi in FishBase April 2007 version Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Alabama sturgeon amp oldid 1164523221, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
