Atlantic and Shortnose Sturgeon Workshop
2016 workshop sponsored by NOAA Fisheries and the U.S. Geological Survey to foster collaboration and the exchange information among Atlantic and shortnose sturgeon researchers.
NOAA Fisheries and the U.S. Geological Survey were proud sponsors of the Atlantic and Shortnose Sturgeon 2016 Workshop, which was held at the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, and at the U.S. Geological Survey in Kearneysville, West Virginia, on May 16-18, 2016. The intent of the workshop was to exchange information and foster collaboration among Atlantic and shortnose sturgeon researchers. Following the workshop, on May 19-20, 2016, NOAA Fisheries and U.S. Geological Survey held a session with managers and a limited number of researchers to discuss future research needs and inform recovery actions. The results of this session are available in the link below.
Read the final report and action items.
Abstracts
The steering committee invited abstract submissions for oral presentations for the Atlantic and Shortnose Sturgeon 2016 Workshop. The titles below link to those abstracts.
Presentations were on the following topics:
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Genomics
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Population dynamics
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Telemetry
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Threats
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New technology and new techniques
The first author listed on each abstract was the presenting author. More information about the types of presentations can be found below. Please direct inquires to Jason Kahn at jason.kahn@noaa.gov.
Agenda
Atlantic and Shortnose Sturgeon Research and Management:
Past, Present, and Future
May 16–20, 2016
Overarching goals
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Where should we focus upcoming research efforts?
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Threats based or demographics.
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Specific life stage.
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Genetics.
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What are the greatest management needs to avoid jeopardizing populations at the present? What about in the future with critical habitat designation?
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NOAA Fisheries' data and publication policy directives—discuss how this directive defines "data sharing" and what it means for the telemetry and genetic data issues.
Monday, May 16
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12:00–12:30 |
Check in to National Conservation Training Center |
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12:30–12:50 |
Welcome: Kris Petersen, NOAA Fisheries, and Tim King, U.S. Geological Survey |
Session: Threats
Moderator: Andy Herndon
Panel members: Andy Herndon, Stephania Bolden, Kim Damon-Randall
Session goals:
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Identify any new threats since 2012.
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Extent of threats in each region—top two limiting factors.
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Identify habitat fragmentation, habitat degradation (dams, spawning habitat, water quality), bycatch, and vessel strike.
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12:50–13:00 |
Introduction to Threats Session |
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13:00–13:20 |
Thermal Effects on the Early Life-Stages of Shortnose and Atlantic Sturgeons Chambers, R.C., E.A. Habeck, K.M. Habeck, and I. Wirgin |
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13:20–13:40 |
McIntyre, A., G. Garman, A. Filippas, and C. Deloglos |
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13:40–14:00 |
Contaminant and Co-stressor Effects on the Early Life-Stages of Shortnose and Atlantic Sturgeons Chambers, R.C., A.C. Candelmo, E.A. Habeck, K.M. Habeck, and I. Wirgin |
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14:00–14:20 |
An Overview of Adult and Juvenile Atlantic Sturgeon Research in the James River, Virginia Balazik, M., G. Garman, and A. Spells |
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14:20–14:40 |
Kahn, J.E., C. Hager, and C. Watterson |
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14:40–15:00 |
A Case Study of Atlantic Sturgeon on the Altamaha River, Georgia: Are We on the Road to Recovery? Bednarski, M.S., and D.L. Peterson |
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15:00–15:20 |
2016 Review of the Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Sturgeon Appelman, M. |
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15:20–15:40 |
BREAK |
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15:40–17:00 |
Panel Discussion |
Tuesday, May 17
Location: U.S. Geological Survey
Session: Genetics and Genomics
Moderator: Tim King
Panel: Tim King, Ike Wirgin, Kim Scribner
Session Goals:
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Agree on data management and tissue repository ownership and accessibility.
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Discuss phylogenetics and population structuring—what we have, what we need.
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Section 7 needs.
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Recovery utility.
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8:00–8:10 |
Introduction to Genetics Section |
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8:10–8:30 |
King, T.L., A.P. Henderson, B.E. Kynard, M.C. Kieffer, D.L. Peterson, A.W. Aunins, B.L. Brown |
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8:30–8:50 |
Population Structure in Gulf Sturgeon Kreiser, B. |
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8:50–9:10 |
King, T., J. Kahn, B. Lubinski, M. Rasser, R. Johnson, M. Eackles, I. Wirgin, L. Maceda, and B. Lellis |
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9:10–9:30 |
Use of Individual Based Assignment Tests in the Coastwide Management of Atlantic Sturgeon Wirgin, I., D. Fox, T. Savoy, and M. Stokesbury |
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9:30–9:50 |
Farrae, D.J., T.L. Darden, and W.C. Post |
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9:50–10:10 |
Wirgin, I., T. Savoy, and D.L. Peterson |
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10:10–10:30 |
Transitioning Atlantic Sturgeon from Population Genetics to Population Genomics King, T.L., D. Kazyak, M. Eackles, R. Johnson, J. Kahn, and M. Rasser |
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10:30–10:50 |
BREAK |
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10:50–12:00 |
Panel Discussion |
Tuesday LUNCH
Session: Telemetry
Moderator: Heather Coll
Panel: Heather Coll, Carter Watterson, Dewayne Fox
Session Goals:
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Agree on data management and ownership and accessibility.
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Receiver placement, goals, and management.
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Coupling genetic database with telemetry database.
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Long-term, coast-wide telemetry strategies to lead to recovery.
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13:00–13:10 |
Introduction to Telemetry Session |
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13:10–13:30 |
Migration Patterns of the Pamunkey River Spawning Stock Hager, C., C. Watterson, and J. Kahn |
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13:30–13:50 |
Zydlewski, G.B., G.S. Wippelhauser, J. Sulikowski, M. Kieffer, M. Altenritter, and M. Kinnison |
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13:50–14:10 |
Coastal Spawning Migrations of Shortnose Sturgeon in the Gulf of Maine Kieffer, M., G. Wippelhauser, J. Sulikowski |
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14:10–14:30 |
Flowers, H.J., and J.E. Hightower |
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14:30–14:50 |
Osborne, J.H., R.W. Laney, R.A. Rulifson |
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14:50–15:10 |
Coastal Movements of Atlantic Sturgeon Within the Mid-Atlantic Bight Dunton, K.J., M.C. Melynchuk, A. Jordaan, K.A. McKown, and M.G. Frisk |
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15:10–15:30 |
Stewards of the Sea: the U.S. Navy's Efforts to Track Sturgeon Movements in the Chesapeake Bay Watterson, J.C., and C. Hager |
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15:30–15:50 |
BREAK |
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15:50–16:10 |
The U.S. Animal Telemetry Network: A Plan for Implementation Kocik, J., M. Weise, S. Simmons, and S. Hayes |
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16:10–17:00 |
Group Discussion |
Wednesday, May 18
Location: National Conservation Training Center
Session: Population Dynamics
Moderator: Julie Crocker
Panel: Julie Crocker, Dave Kazyak, Jared Flowers
Session Goals:
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Short-term goals—how are populations doing?
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Long-term goals—consistent and comparable monitoring strategies?
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Effective population size.
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Monitoring population health.
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8:00–8:10 |
Introduction to Population Dynamics Session |
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8:10–8:30 |
Abundance of Juvenile Atlantic Sturgeon in the Hudson River Estuary Higgs, A. |
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8:30–8:50 |
Hale, E.A., I.A. Park, M.T. Fisher, R.A. Wong, M.J. Stangl, and J.H. Clark |
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8:50–9:10 |
Fox, D.A., A.M. Comer, B.D. Jenkins, M.W. Breece, L.M. Brown, D.C. Kazyak, A.L. Higgs, J. Madsen, and K.W. Wark |
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9:10–9:30 |
The Reproductive Status, Diet, and Prey Distribution of Atlantic Sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) in the Saco River, Maine Novak, A., C. Wheeler, G. Wippelhauser, G. Zydlewski, M. Kinnison, and J. Sulikowski |
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9:30–9:50 |
Recent and Historic Status of Shortnose Sturgeon in the Altamaha River, Georgia Bednarski, M.S., and D.L. Peterson |
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9:50–10:10 |
Atlantic and Shortnose Sturgeon Recruitment in the Savannah River, Georgia Cummins, A.J., D. Bahr, and D.L. Peterson |
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10:10–10:30 |
Peterson, D.L. |
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10:30–10:50 |
BREAK |
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10:50–12:00 |
Panel Discussion |
Wednesday LUNCH
Session: New Technology, New Techniques
Moderator: Jason Kahn
Panel: Jason Kahn, Dana Wetzel, Doug Peterson
Session Goals:
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Identify new research techniques: sex identification in the field, suture materials and techniques, tagging and tag types, electrofishing, side scan sonar, others?
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13:00–13:10 |
Introduction to New Technology Section |
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13:10–13:30 |
Population Viability of Shortnose Sturgeon in the Gulf of Maine: How Are Acutes Involved? Zydlewski, G.B., M. Altenritter, M. Kinnison, M. Kieffer, and G. Wippelhauser |
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13:30–13:50 |
Wetzel, D.L., M.T. Randall, J.E. Reynolds, and K.J. Sulak |
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13:50–14:10 |
Proof-of-Concept of Environmental DNA Tools for Atlantic Sturgeon Management Hinkle, J., G. Garman, M. Balazik, M. Fine, and R. Dyer |
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14:10–14:30 |
Rulifson, R.A., C. Bangley, and J.J. Luczkovich |
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14:30–14:50 |
Vogt, B., D. Bruce, J. Lazar, and J. McGowan |
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14:50–15:10 |
Satellite Derived Seascapes Predict Occurrence of an Endangered Species in the Coastal Ocean Breece, M.W., D.A. Fox, K.J. Dunton, M.G. Frisk, A.Jordaan, and M.J. Oliver |
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15:10–15:30 |
BREAK |
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15:30–17:00 |
Panel Discussion and Departure |
Thursday and Friday, May 19–20
Location: National Conservation Training Center
Session Goals:
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Continue more detailed discussion geared toward management about panel discussions of threats, genomics, telemetry, population dynamics, and new technologies.
Attendees
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Researcher |
U.S. Geological Survey |
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Dave Kazyak |
U.S. Geological Survey |
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Jason Kahn |
NOAA Fisheries |
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Malcolm Mohead |
NOAA Fisheries |
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Kris Petersen |
NOAA Fisheries |
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Amy Sloan |
NOAA Fisheries |
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Kim Damon-Randall |
NOAA Fisheries |
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Julie Crocker |
NOAA Fisheries |
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Steph Bolden |
NOAA Fisheries |
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Andy Herndon |
NOAA Fisheries |
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Heather Coll |
NOAA Fisheries |
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Lisa Manning |
NOAA Fisheries |
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Angela Somma |
NOAA Fisheries |
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Bill Post |
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources |
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Doug Peterson |
University of Georgia |
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Wilson Laney |
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
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Isaac Wirgin |
New York University |
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Kim Scribner |
Michigan State University |
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Carter Watterson |
U.S. Navy |
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Gayle Zydlewski |
University of Maine |
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James Sulikowski |
University of Maine |
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Dewayne Fox |
Delaware State University |
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Hal Brundage |
Environmental Research and Consulting |
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Max Appelman |
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission |
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Tanya Darden |
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources |
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Daniel Farrae |
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources |
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Amy Welsh |
West Virginia University |
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Katharine Coykendall |
U.S. Geological Survey |
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Brian Kreiser |
Southern Mississippi University |
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Mike Arndt |
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources |
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Fritz Rohde |
NOAA Fisheries |
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Mike Loeffler |
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality |
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Jared Flowers |
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality |
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Dana Wetzel |
Mote Marine Laboratory |
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John Reynolds |
Mote Marine Laboratory |
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Ian Park |
Delaware Department of Natural Resources |
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Matt Balazik |
Virginia Commonwealth University |
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Bruce Vogt |
NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office |
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Albert Spells |
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
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Chris Hager |
Chesapeake Scientific |
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Micah Kieffer |
U.S. Geological Survey |
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Gail Wippelhauser |
Maine Department of Natural Resources |
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Keith Dunton |
Monmouth University |
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Matt Oliver |
University of Delaware |
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Amanda Higgs |
New York Department of Conservation |
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Justin Krebs |
AKRF Inc. |
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John Kocik |
NOAA Fisheries |
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Mike Bednarski |
Massachusetts Department of Natural Resources |
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Roger Rulifson |
East Carolina University |
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Jillian Osborne |
NC DFW |
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Chris Chambers |
NOAA Fisheries |
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Ed Hale |
Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control |
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Heather Corbett |
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection |
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Aaron Malloy |
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
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James Henne |
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
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Gregg Kenney |
New York Department of Environmental Conservation |
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Christine Lipsky |
NOAA Fisheries |
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Greg Garman |
Virginia Commonwealth University |
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Donna Bilkovic |
Virginia Institute of Marine Science |
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Lisa Moss |
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
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Lynn Lanksher |
NOAA Fisheries |
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Bob Greenlee |
Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries |
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Kate Drew |
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission |
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Kristin Anstead |
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission |
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Andrew McIntyre |
Virginia Commonwealth University |
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Jameson Hinkle |
Virginia Commonwealth University |
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Anne Henderson |
U.S. Geological Survey |
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Evan Ingram |
SUNY Stonybrook |
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Mike Frisk |
SUNY Stonybrook |