Section 7 Species Presence Table: Atlantic Sturgeon in the Greater Atlantic Region
Information on Atlantic sturgeon presence in the New England/Mid-Atlantic area for Section 7 consultations.
General distribution: Atlantic Ocean waters and associated bays, estuaries, and coastal river systems from Hamilton Inlet, Labrador, Canada, to Cape Canaveral, Florida; only subadult and adult lifestages occur in marine waters, where they are typically found in waters 5-50 meters in depth (Stein et al. 2004; ASMFC TC 2007); subadults and adults may travel long distances in marine waters, aggregate in both ocean and estuarine areas at certain times of the year, and exhibit seasonal coastal movements in the spring and fall; distribution in rivers and inshore bays typically occurs from the estuary or river mouth generally up to the first impassible barrier (e.g., a dam or falls); Atlantic sturgeon generally use the deepest habitats available to them in rivers, but they have also been collected over shallow (2.5 meters), tidally influenced flats and substrates ranging from mud to sand and mixed rubble and cobble (Savoy and Pacileo 2003).
Disclaimer: The best available information on Atlantic sturgeon presence within coastal rivers, estuaries, and bays of the Greater Atlantic Region is presented below; waterbodies highlighted below are ones where we have information specific to Atlantic sturgeon use of the area that would be helpful for action agencies reviewing proposed actions and their potential effects on Atlantic sturgeon; however, they may occur in other watersheds within this range for which we do not currently have specific information; note: individuals from any of the five listed DPSs (Gulf of Maine, New York Bight, Chesapeake Bay, Carolina, and South Atlantic) may occur in any of the areas identified throughout the species' range; a description of Atlantic sturgeon life history stages are included at the end of the table below.
| Body of Water (State) | Distribution/Range in Watershed | Life Stages Present | Use of the Watershed | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cobscook Bay/St. Croix River (ME) | Up to the Milltown Dam at Calais, ME (RKM 16) | subadults and adults | Foraging - assumed to occur wherever suitable forage is present[1] | [1] Zydlewski (UMaine) pers. comm., September 21, 2015 |
| Penobscot River (ME) | Up to the Milford Dam (RKM 62) | subadults and adults (potentially eggs, larvae, YOY, and juveniles) |
Spawning - undocumented, but 12 km of suitable spawning habitat is accessible[2] Foraging - wherever suitable forage is present, documented in the lower river (RKM 21-24.5)[1] |
[1] Fernandes et al. 2010; [2] Wippelhauser et al. 2017 |
| Damariscotta River (ME) | Up to Damariscotta Lake Dam (RKM 30.3) | subadults and adults | Foraging - assumed to occur wherever suitable forage is present; tag detections indicate that usage of the river is for short periods during coastal migrations[1] | [1] Picard and Zydlewski 2014 |
| Sheepscot River (ME) | Up to the head-of-tide dam (RKM 35) | subadults and adults | Foraging - assumed to occur wherever suitable forage is present; may occur in Montsweag Bay as shortnose sturgeon foraging has been documented there[1]; subadults have been captured in the river[2] | [1] Fried and McCleave 1973; [2] ASSRT 2007 |
| Kennebec River (ME) | Up to the Lockwood Dam (RKM 102), also includes the entirety of the Back and Sasanoa Rivers | eggs, larvae, YOY, juveniles, subadults, and adults |
Spawning - April-August[3]; documented via captures of spawning condition adults and larvae (RKM 52.8-76)[3]; potentially occurs as far upstream as the Lockwood Dam in the restored spawning habitat (RKM 87-102)[3] Rearing - ELS have been documented near the spawning grounds[3]; juveniles have also been documented in the river[2] Foraging - assumed to occur wherever suitable forage is present (documented from RKM 0-42)[3]; also documented in the Sasanoa and Back Rivers[1][2] |
[1] Wippelhauser 2012; [2] Wippelhauser and Squiers 2015; [3] Wippelhauser et al. 2017 |
| Androscoggin River (ME) | Up to the Brunswick Dam (RKM 8.4) | eggs, larvae, YOY, juveniles, subadults, and adults |
Spawning - April-August[2]; capture of a ripe male[2] in the summer below the Brunswick Dam (RKM 7.7-8.4)[1] indicates that spawning is likely occurring Rearing - Juveniles likely present throughout the river year-round Foraging - assumed to occur wherever suitable forage is present |
[1] Wippelhauser and Squiers 2015; [2] Wippelhauser et al. 2017 |
| Presumpscot River (ME) | Up to Presumpscot Falls (RKM 3) | subadults and adults | Foraging - assumed to occur wherever suitable forage is present; an Atlantic sturgeon was caught below Presumpscot Falls[1] | [1] Yoder et al. 2009 |
| Scarborough River (ME) | Throughout the entire river | subadults and adults | Foraging - assumed to occur wherever suitable forage is present[1] | [1] Wippelhauser et al. 2017 |
| Saco River (ME) | Up to Cataract Dam (RKM 10) | juveniles, subadults, and adults | Foraging - assumed to occur wherever suitable forage is present[1] | [1] Novak et al. 2017 |
| Piscataqua River Watershed including Salmon Falls and Cocheco tributaries (NH) | Up to the confluence with the Salmon Falls and Cocheco Rivers (RKM 15) and including Great Bay; Salmon Falls River – up to the Route 4/South Berswick Dam (RKM 7); Cocheco River – up to the Cocheco Falls Dam (RKM 6) | subadults and adults (eggs, larvae, YOY, and juveniles possible) |
Spawning - potentially occurs in the Salmon Falls and Cocheco rivers based on the presence of features necessary to support reproduction and recruitment as well as the capture of an adult female Atlantic sturgeon in spawning condition in 1990[1][3] Rearing - Juveniles potentially present throughout the river year-round Foraging - used seasonally for foraging and resting during spring and fall migrations; tagging data indicates that use by individual sturgeon is limited to days or weeks[2] |
[1] ASSRT 2007; [2] Kieffer and Trefry 2017 pers. comm.; [3] NMFS 2017 |
| Merrimack River (MA) | Up to the Essex Dam (RKM 46); often found around the lower islands reach (RKM 3-12) and the mouth of the river | subadults and adults (potentially eggs, larvae, YOY, and juveniles) |
Spawning - potentially occurs due to the presence of features necessary to support reproduction and recruitment[4] Rearing - data suggests it is used as a nursery area for juveniles[3] Foraging - mouth of the river and the lower islands area (RKM 0-12); subadults use RKM 7-12[1][2] |
[1] Kieffer and Kynard 1993; [2] Kynard et al. 2000; [3] ASSRT 2007; [4] NMFS 2017 |
| Charles River (MA) | Up to Charles River Locks (RKM 5.5) | subadults and adults | Foraging - assumed to occur wherever suitable forage is present; a sturgeon was spotted in the river [1] | [1] CBS Boston, February 20, 2012 |
| North River (MA) | Up to Dam #1 on the Indian Head Reservoir at Luddam's Ford (RKM 21) | subadults and adults | Foraging - assumed to occur wherever suitable forage is present; an adult was found in the North River, 4 miles from the mouth in 2012[1] | [1] The Patriot Ledger June 1, 2012 |
| Taunton River (MA) | Up to the convergence of the Town River and Matfield River | subadults and adults | Foraging - assumed to occur wherever suitable forage is present[1][2] | [1] Buerkett and Kynard 1993; [2] ASSRT 2007 |
| Narragansett Bay (RI) | Throughout the bay | subadults and adults | Foraging - assumed to occur wherever suitable forage is present[1] | [1] ASSRT 2007 |
| Thames River (CT) | Up to the Yantic Dam in the Yantic River and up to the Greenville Dam in the Shetucket River | subadults and adults | Foraging - assumed to occur wherever suitable forage is present[1][2][3] | [1] Whitworth 1996; [2] ASSRT 2007; [3] The Day June 17, 2016 |
| Connecticut River (CT/MA) | Up to the Holyoke Dam (RKM 140); mainly stay in the summer range of the salt wedge (RKM 0-26) | eggs, larvae, YOY, juveniles, subadults, and adults |
Spawning/Rearing - captures of premigratory juvenile sturgeon in the river strongly suggests that spawning is occurring in this river[3] Foraging - assumed to occur wherever suitable forage is present[1][2] |
[1] Savoy and Shake 1993; [2] Savoy and Pacileo 2003; [3] Savoy et al. 2017 |
| Quinnipiac River (CT) | Up to bridge at Quinnipiac Street and River Road in Wallingford (RKM 27) | subadults and adults | Foraging - assumed to occur wherever suitable forage is present[1] | [1] Hartford Courant September 30, 1994 |
| Housatonic River (CT) | Up to the Derby Dam (RKM 23.5) | subadults and adults (potentially eggs, larvae, YOY, and juveniles) |
Spawning - not documented; potentially occurs due to the presence of features necessary to support reproduction and recruitment[3] Foraging - assumed to occur wherever suitable forage is present[1][2] |
[1] Whitworth 1996; [2] ASSRT 2007; [3] NMFS 2017 |
| Long Island Sound (NY/CT) | All of Long Island Sound | subadults and adults | Foraging - where suitable forage is present; 85% of Atlantic sturgeon caught in Long Island Sound are over mud/transitional bottoms of 27-37 meters deep in the central basin[1] | [1] Savoy and Pacileo 2003 |
| East River (NY) | Full length of the East River | subadults and adults |
Migration - subadults and adults have been documented using this waterbody to move between the Hudson River and western Long Island Sound[1][2] Foraging - assumed to occur wherever suitable forage is present, but forage is limited[1][2] |
[1] Savoy and Pacileo 2003; [2] Tomichek et al. 2014 |
| Hudson River (NY/NJ) | Up to the Troy Dam (approximately RKM 246) | eggs, larvae, YOY, juveniles, subadults, and adults |
Spawning - April through July[7], notably around Hyde Park (RKM 129-135) [4] and Catskill (RKM 182)[2], as well as throughout RKM 113-184[4]; evidence strongly suggests that there is also spawning further upstream of RKM 193[6] Rearing - larvae and YOY - RKM 60-148[1] [3]; remain upstream of the salt wedge[2]; juveniles - RKM 63-140[1][3]; utilize the estuary up through Kingston (RKM 148)[1]; Newburgh and Haverstraw Bays (RKM 55-61) are areas of known juvenile concentrations[5] Foraging - assumed to occur wherever suitable forage is present Overwintering - juveniles - RKM 19-74 from fall through winter[1]; some juveniles were recorded in Esopus Meadows (RKM 134)[3] |
[1] Dovel and Berggren 1983; [2] Van Eenennaam et al. 1996; [3] Bain 1997; [4] Bain et al. 1998; [5] Sweka et al. 2006; [6] Dewayne Fox, DSU, and Kathy Hattala, NYDEC, personal communication April 2014; [7] Breece et al. 2021 |
| Newark Bay (NY/NJ) | Throughout the bay | subadults, and adults | Foraging - assumed to occur wherever suitable forage is present; a sturgeon was captured during a trawl survey in June 1993[1] | [1] Wilk et al. 1997 |
| Delaware River (NJ/DE/PA) | Up to the fall line near Trenton, NJ (RKM 211) | eggs, larvae, YOY, juveniles, subadults, and adults |
Spawning - documented and/or potential spawning habitat in April through July from the Marcus Hook Bar to the fall line at Trenton, NJ (RKM 125-211)[2][3][5][8] Rearing - YOY/juveniles - Deepwater to Roebling, NJ (RKM 105-199)[4] with most of the detections in the Marcus Hook Area (RKM 127-129)[7] Foraging - where suitable forage and appropriate habitat conditions are present Overwintering - juveniles - move between lower (RKM 100-150) and upper (RKM 185- 199) tidal areas[6]; may overwinter in tidal fresh water[1] |
[1] Lazzari et al. 1986; [2] Simpson and Fox 2006; [3] Simpson 2008; [4] Calvo et al. 2010; [5] Breece et al. 2013; [6] Stetzar et al. 2015; [7] Hale et al. 2016; [8] Breece et al. 2018 |
| C&D Canal (DE/MD) | Used at least occasionally to move from Chesapeake Bay to the Delaware River | juveniles, subadults, and adults | Foraging - Assumed to occur in areas with suitable forage [1][2] | [1] Simpson 2008; [2] Brundage and O’Herron 2009 |
| Chesapeake Bay (MD/VA) | Throughout the bay typically in spring through fall | juveniles, subadults, and adults |
Migration - April-November for adults[5] and subadults[1]; year round for juveniles[2] [3]; these lifestages wander among coastal and estuarine habitats[5] Foraging - typically in areas where suitable forage and appropriate habitat conditions are present; typically tidally influenced flats and mud, sand and mixed cobble substrates[4] |
[1] Dovel and Berggren 1983; [2] Secor et al. 2000; [3] Welsh et al. 2002; [4] Stein et al. 2004; [5] Horne and Stence 2016 |
| Susquehanna River (MD) | Up to the Conowingo Dam (RKM 16) | subadults and adults (potentially eggs, larvae, YOY, and juveniles) | Foraging - where suitable forage and appropriate habitat conditions are present [1] | [1] ASSRT 2007 |
| Choptank River (MD) | Range not confirmed, but they have been documented in this river (likely up to the dam at RKM 102) | subadults and adults (potentially eggs, larvae, YOY, and juveniles) |
Foraging - where suitable forage and appropriate habitat conditions are present [2] Spawning - not documented, but a gravid female was caught at the mouth of the river near Tilghman Island[1] |
[1] The Baltimore Sun June 13, 2007; [2] ASSRT 2007 |
| Nanticoke River, including Marshyhope Creek and Broad Creek tributaries (MD) | Range not confirmed, but they have been documented in the Nanticoke River up to the mouth of Broad Creek; they have also been found up to Federalsburg, MD in Marshyhope Creek and up to Laurel, DE in Broad Creek[2] | subadults and adults (potentially eggs, larvae, YOY, and juveniles) |
Spawning - potential for spawning due to the presence of features necessary to support reproduction and recruitment in one of its tributaries (in Marshyhope Creek, spawn ready adults have been captured)[2] [3] Rearing - may be used as a nursery for juveniles[1] Foraging - assumed to occur wherever suitable forage is present[1] |
[1] ASSRT 2007; [2] Horne and Stence 2016; [3] Secor et al. 2021 |
| Pocomoke River (MD) | To the limit of tidal influence where Whiton Crossing Road crosses the river | subadults and adults | Foraging - assumed to occur wherever suitable forage is present[1] | [1] Horne and Stence 2016 |
| Potomac River (MD/VA) | Up to Little Falls Dam (RKM 189) | juveniles, subadults, and adults (potentially eggs, larvae, and YOY) |
Spawning - potentially occurs as three small juveniles[3] and a large mature female[2] have been captured and due to the presence of features necessary to support reproduction and recruitment[1][2] Rearing - three juveniles have been captured[3] Foraging - where suitable forage and appropriate habitat conditions are present [2] |
[1] Niklitschek and Secor 2005; [2] ASSRT 2007; [3] Kynard et al. 2007 |
| Rappahannock River (VA) | Range not confirmed, but they have been documented in this river (likely throughout the entire river) | subadults and adults (potentially eggs, larvae, YOY, and juveniles) |
Spawning - potentially occurs due to the capture of a male sturgeon in spawning condition in September 2015 and the presence of features necessary to support reproduction and recruitment[1][3] Rearing - may be used as a nursery for juveniles[2] Foraging - where suitable forage and appropriate habitat conditions are present [2] |
[1] Bushnoe et al. 2005; [2] ASSRT 2007; [3] NMFS 2016 |
| York River, including Mattaponi and Pamunkey River tributaries (VA) | York River - up to confluence with the Mattaponi and Pamunkey Rivers (RKM 55); Pamunkey River - up to RKM 150; Mattaponi River - up to RKM 120 | eggs, larvae, YOY, juveniles, subadults, and adults |
Spawning - potential for fall spawning due to the presence of features necessary to support reproduction in its tributaries (Mattaponi and Pamunkey Rivers) and recruitment in both the York River and its tributaries[1]; documented in the Pamunkey River through the capture of an adult female sturgeon in post-spawning condition in the fall and the presence of features necessary to support reproduction and recruitment[3]; may occur in the Pamunkey River as far upstream as RKM 150[4] Rearing - in freshwater reaches downstream of spawning sites; four age-0 Atlantic sturgeon were captured in the York River[2]; Juveniles likely present throughout the river year-round Foraging - where suitable forage and appropriate habitat conditions are present [1] |
[1] Bushnoe et al. 2005; [2] Balazik et al. 2012; [3] Hager et al. 2014; [4] Kahn et al. 2014 |
| James River including the Appomattox and Chickahominy River tributaries (VA) | Up to Boshers Dam (RKM 182.3); Appomattox River - Range not confirmed, but they have been documented in this river (likely up to Battersea Dam, RKM 21) | eggs, larvae, YOY, juveniles, subadults, and adults |
Staging - likely done by fall spawners, during summer and fall in brackish water before and after the fall spawn (RKM 22- 107)[4] Spawning - both a spring (likely at RKM 90-95)[4] and fall spawning event (likely between RKM 105 and the fall line near Richmond, VA at RKM 155)[3]; likely occurring in the Appomattox River due to the presence of sturgeon during the spawning season and the presence of features necessary to support reproduction[6] Rearing - freshwater reaches downstream of spawning locations[1][2]; Juveniles likely present throughout the river year-round Foraging - where suitable forage and appropriate habitat conditions are present [2][5] |
[1] Florida Museum of Natural History 2004; [2] ASSRT 2007; [3] Balazik et al. 2012; [4] Balazik and Musick 2015; [5] The Hopewell News 2013; [6] Balazik pers. comm. 2021 |
Listing rules: 77 FR 5880 and 77 FR 5914, February 6, 2012; Recovery plan: none published
To view the full references, see Citations and References for All Species.