Section 7 Species Presence Table: Shortnose Sturgeon in the Greater Atlantic Region
Information on shortnose 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 Minas Basin, Nova Scotia, Canada, to the St. Johns River, Florida; only adults occur in marine waters, with some adults making coastal migrations between river systems (e.g., Penobscot River to Merrimack River via the Gulf of Maine; Merrimack River to Connecticut River via the Gulf of Maine and Long Island Sound; Connecticut River to Hudson River via Long Island Sound and the East River); typically, distribution in rivers and inshore bays occurs from the estuary or river mouth up to the first impassible barrier (e.g., a dam or falls); comprehensive information on species biology and distribution is available in the Shortnose Sturgeon Status Review Team's Biological Assessment (SSSRT 2010)
Disclaimer: The best available information on shortnose sturgeon presence within the Greater Atlantic Region is presented below; waterbodies included are ones where we have information specific to shortnose sturgeon use of the area that would be helpful for action agencies reviewing proposed actions and their potential effects on shortnose sturgeon; for waterbodies not listed below, we have no data on usage by shortnose sturgeon; however, we expect the species may be present in other coastal waters in the Gulf of Maine and along the U.S. Atlantic coast between the Merrimack and Hudson Rivers; bracketed footnotes are provided in the table to match up "Use of the Watershed" information to the specific reference(s) from which it came; a description of shortnose 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Narraguagus River (ME) | Up to Cherryfield Dam (RKM 10.6) | adults | Foraging - May be used for foraging; tag detections indicate that usage of the river is for short periods during coastal migrations[1] | [1] Dionne et al. 2013 |
| Penobscot River (ME) | Up to Milford Dam (RKM 62) | adults documented; other life stages assumed but unknown |
Spawning - Not documented to date; suitable spawning habitat is accessible[3] Foraging - Foraging concentrations from RKM 10-24.5 during the summer months as well as throughout the lower and middle estuary; RKM 21-45 by mid-July and August[1] Overwintering - Aggregations located from RKM 36.5-42 from mid-August to mid-April[2] |
[1] Fernandes et al. 2010; [2] Lachapelle 2013; [3] Johnston 2016 |
| St. George River (ME) | Up to RKM 39 in lower estuary | adults | Foraging - May be used for foraging; tag detections indicate that usage of the river is for short periods during coastal migrations[1][2] | [1] Zydlewski et al. 2011; [2] Dionne et al. 2013 |
| Medomak River (ME) | Up to RKM 17.5 | adults | Foraging - May be used for foraging; tag detections indicate that usage of the river is for short periods during coastal migrations[1][2][3] | [1] Zydlewski et al. 2011; [2] Dionne et al. 2013; [3] Johnston 2016 |
| Damariscotta River (ME) | Up to Damariscotta Lake Dam (RKM 30.3) | adults | Foraging - May be used for foraging; tag detections indicate that usage of the river is for short periods during coastal migrations[1][2] | [1] Zydlewski et al. 2011; [2] Dionne et al. 2013 |
| Sheepscot River (ME) | Up to Head Tide Dam (RKM 35) | adults |
Foraging - Montsweag Bay during the summer [1] Overwintering - Suspected to occur in the estuary[2] |
[1] Fried and McCleave 1973; [2] SSSRT 2010 |
| Kennebec River (ME) | Up to Lockwood Dam (RKM 103), also includes Merrymeeting Bay, Sagadahoc Bay, and the entirety of the Back, Sasanoa, Eastern, and Cathance Rivers | eggs, larvae, YOY, juveniles, and adults |
Spawning - Occurs at two sites: below the former Edwards Dam[7] (RKM 58-74) and downstream of the Lockwood Dam[8] (RKM 87- 103) Rearing - Eggs and larvae occur in freshwater reaches below the spawning sites[8] Foraging - Throughout the lower estuary to the mouth of the river[4][5][8] (below RKM 70) with concentration areas near Bath[3][5][8] (RKM 16-29) including Sagadahoc Bay[6] and the Back and Sasanoa Rivers[1][5][8] Overwintering - Majority in Merrymeeting Bay [5][7] (RKM 37-40 and 40-42), also Bluff Head [2][5] (RKM 15), and in the lower portions of the Eastern and Cathance Rivers (tributaries to Merrymeeting Bay)[2] |
[1] McCleave et al. 1977; [2] Squiers and Robillard 1997; [3] Squiers 2003; [4] Fernandes et al. 2010; [5] SSSRT 2010; [6] Fire et al. 2012; [7] Wippelhauser and Squiers 2015; [8] Wippelhauser et al. 2015 |
| Androscoggin River (ME) | Up to Brunswick Dam (RKM 8.4) | eggs, larvae, YOY, juveniles, and adults |
Spawning - Below Brunswick Dam to the Rt. 201 Bridge (RKM 7.7-8.4)[2] Rearing - Eggs and larvae occur in freshwater reaches below the spawning sites[3] Foraging - Montsweag Bay during the summer [1] |
[1] McCleave et al. 1977; [2] Wippelhauser and Squiers 2015; [3] Wippelhauser et al. 2015 |
| Presumpscot River (ME) | Up to Presumpscot Falls (RKM 4) | adults | Foraging - May be used for foraging[1] | [1] Yoder et al. 2009 |
| Saco River (ME) | Up to Cataract Dam (RKM 10) | adults | Foraging - Used seasonally May-November[1] | [1] Little et al. 2013; [2] Hodgdon et al. 2018 |
| Piscataqua River (NH) | Entirety of Piscataqua River including Cocheco River from its confluence with Piscataqua River upstream to Cocheco Falls Dam and waters of Salmon Falls River from its confluence with Piscataqua River upstream to the Route 4 Dam | adults | Foraging - Used seasonally for foraging and resting during spring and fall migrations; tracking data indicates that use by individual sturgeon is limited to days or weeks[1] | [1] Kieffer and Trefry, pers. comm., April 18, 2017 |
| Merrimack River (MA) | Up to Essex Dam (RKM 46) | eggs, larvae, YOY, juveniles, and adults |
Spawning - Near Haverhill[2] (RKM 30-32) Rearing - Eggs and larvae present in spawning grounds four weeks after spawning occurs, following which they would begin to move downstream continuing their development in the freshwater reach of the river[1] (RKM 16-32) Foraging - Lower river with concentrations near Amesbury and the lower islands[1][3] (RKM 6-24) Overwintering - Late fall to early spring[1]; multiple overwintering sites from RKM 15-29 in freshwater reaches beyond the maximum salt penetration[4] |
[1] Kieffer and Kynard 1993; [2] Kieffer and Kynard 1996; [3] Kynard et al. 2000; [4] Wippelhauser et al. 2015 |
| Narragansett Bay (RI) | Throughout the bay | adults | Foraging - Potentially occurs where suitable forage is present[1] | [1] NMFS 1998 |
| Thames River (CT) | Up to the Greenville Dam (RKM 28) | adults undocumented, but assumed based on documented occurrences of Atlantic sturgeon in the river | Foraging - Assumed to occur where suitable forage is present[1] | [1] The Day June 17, 2016 |
| Connecticut River (CT/MA) | Up to Turners Falls Dam, MA (RKM 198) | eggs, larvae, YOY, juveniles, and adults |
Spawning - Below Turners Falls Dam/Cabot Station at two locations depending on river conditions[3] (RKM 193-194); limited spawning may occasionally occur below Holyoke Dam[3] (RKM 139-140) Rearing - Eggs and larvae spawned upstream documented up to 20 km downstream of the spawning site[3]; if spawning is successful downstream of Holyoke, early life stages would be present in downstream freshwater reaches[1][3] (RKM 13-194) Foraging - Concentrations above the Holyoke Dam in the Deerfield Concentration Area[3] (RKM 144-192), Agawam Concentration Area [1] (RKM 114-119), and the lower Connecticut Concentration Area[3] (RKM 0-110) Overwintering - Concentrations above the Holyoke Dam in the Deerfield Concentration Area[3] (RKM 144-192); below the Holyoke Dam concentrations near Holyoke[2] (RKM 137-140), Agawam[3] (RKM 114-119), Hartford [2] (RKM 82-86), Portland, CT[3] (RKM 46), and the lower river[2] (RKM 0-25) |
[1] Buckley and Kynard 1983; [2] Buckley and Kynard 1985; [3] Kynard et al. 2012 |
| Deerfield River (MA), tributary of the Connecticut River | Up to Deerfield No. 2 at Shelburne Falls (RKM 22.5) | adults documented in lower 3 km; larvae spawned in Connecticut River may be present during certain flow conditions |
Rearing - Water flow could potentially draw migrating larvae into unfavorable habitat in the Deerfield River[1]; potential refuge area during high flows[2] Foraging - Spring through fall in lower river[2] (RKM 0-3.5) Overwintering - May be used as an overwintering area potential pre-spawning staging area for adults[1] |
[1] Kieffer and Kynard 1992; [2] Kynard et al. 2012 |
| Westfield River (MA), tributary of the Connecticut River | Up to DSI Dam (RKM 9.5) | adults | Foraging - Assumed to occur where suitable forage is present[1] | [1] USFWS 2007 in SSSRT 2010 |
| Quinnipiac River (CT) | Up to Wallace Dam (RKM 27) | adults undocumented, but assumed based on documented occurrences of Atlantic sturgeon in the river | Foraging - Assumed to occur where suitable forage is present[1] | [1] Hartford Courant September 30, 1994 |
| Housatonic River (CT) | Up to Derby Dam (RKM 23.5) | adults |
Spawning - Historical spawning occurred above the Derby Dam, none known to occur currently[1] Foraging - Potentially occurs where suitable forage is present[1] |
[1] Savoy and Benway 2006 in SSSRT 2010 |
| Long Island Sound (CT/NY) | Full length of Long Island Sound in nearshore coastal waters | adults | Foraging - Potentially occurs where suitable forage is present[1] | [1] Savoy 2004 in SSSRT 2010 |
| East River (NY) | Full length of the East River | transient adults undocumented, but assumed based on detections of Atlantic sturgeon and occasional movements of shortnose sturgeon from Hudson River to Connecticut River | Foraging - Potentially occurs where suitable forage is present[1] | [1] Savoy 2004 in SSSRT 2010 |
| Hudson River (NY/NJ) | Up to Troy Dam, NY (approximately RKM 246) | eggs, larvae, YOY, juveniles, and adults |
Spawning - Documented from late March to early May when water temperatures reach 10°-18°C[1] from Coxsackie to below the Federal Dam at Troy[1][3] (RKM 190-246) Rearing - Eggs on the spawning grounds; larvae downstream to at least RKM 104; YOY downstream to at least RKM 64[1] Foraging - Throughout the Hudson River (RKM 38-175) [3][5] with concentrations in Haverstraw Bay[1] (RKM 56-64) Overwintering - Late fall to early spring[3]; largest area (mainly spawning adults) near Kingston[2] (RKM 137-149); smaller overwintering areas are located from Saugerties to Hyde Park[2] (RKM 123-170) and in the Croton-Haverstraw Bay area[2] (RKM 54- 61); many juveniles overwinter in the lower river (RKM 0-64)[1] (RKM 55-63) [4] |
[1] Dovel et al. 1992; [2] Geoghegan et al. 1992; [3] Bain 1997; [4] Bain et al. 2007; [5] Pendleton et al. 2018 |
| Delaware River and Bay (NJ/DE/PA) | Up to Lambertville, PA (RKM 240) | eggs, larvae, YOY, juveniles, and adults |
Spawning - Documented from late March through late May; water temperatures 6-18°C; between Trenton and Lambertville[6] (RKM 214-238) Rearing - Eggs and larvae between Trenton and Lambertville[6] (RKM 214-238); juveniles located upstream of the salt wedge from Wilmington to Philadelphia[3] (RKM 114-148) Foraging - Throughout the river, between the vicinity of Trenton south to Artificial Island[7] (RKM 79) Overwintering - November to March[1]; overwinter when waters reach 10°C (typically mid-November)[2]; many adults concentrate from RKM 190-212[1][4], but occur downstream below Wilmington[4] (RKM 116); juveniles overwinter from Philadelphia to below Artificial Island[5] (RKM 70-154); variety of behaviors from sedentary to active[6] |
[1] O'Herron et al. 1993; [2] USGS gauge at Philadelphia (01467200) during the 2003- 2008 time period; [3] Burton et al. 2005; [4] ERC 2006; [5] Brundage and O'Herron 2009; [6] ERC 2009; [7] SSSRT 2010 |
| Schuylkill River (PA), tributary of the Delaware River | Up to Fairmount Dam (RKM 13.6) | juveniles and adults | Foraging - Potentially occurs where suitable forage is present[1][2] | [1] Philadelphia Water Department November 7, 2014; [2] Brundage 2021 |
| C&D Canal (DE/MD) | Used at least occasionally to move from Chesapeake Bay to the Delaware River | adults | Foraging - Assumed to occur in areas with suitable forage[1] | [1] Welsh et al. 2002 |
| Chesapeake Bay (MD/VA) | Maryland and Virigina waters of mainstem bay and tidal tributaries including those specifically listed below. | adults documented; other life stage presence unknown | Foraging, Resting, and Overwintering - Assumed to occur in areas with suitable forage [1][2] | [1] SSSRT 2010; [2] Balazik 2017 |
| Susquehanna River (MD) | Up to Conowingo Dam (RKM 16) | adults documented; other life stages assumed but unknown |
Spawning - Historically occurred; currently unknown as suitability of habitat is likely impacted by dam operations[1] Foraging - Assumed to occur in areas with suitable forage[2] Overwintering - Not documented but assumed based on anecdotal reports of aggregations of sturgeon in deep holes near Lapidum and Perrysville[2] |
[1] Litwiler 2001; [2] SSSRT 2010 |
| Potomac River (MD/VA | Up to Little Falls Dam (RKM 189) | adults documented; other life stages assumed but unknown |
Spawning - Historically occurred; current spawning not documented but assumed based on presence of pre-spawning females and suitable habitat at RKM 185-187[1] Rearing - Eggs expected at RKM 185-187, larvae would be present downstream in freshwater[1] Foraging - Mainly in the deepwater channel from RKM 63-141[1][2] Overwintering - Near Mattawoman Creek; saltwater/freshwater reach near Craney Island [1][2] (RKM 63-141) |
[1] Kynard et al. 2007; [2] Kynard et al. 2009 |
| Rappahannock River (VA) | Range not confirmed, but they have been documented in this river (likely throughout the entire river) | adults | Foraging - Potentially occurs where suitable forage is present; one was captured in May 1998[1] | [1] Spells 1998 |
| York River (VA) | Range unknown (potentially throughout the river and tributaries) | adults | Foraging - Potentially occurs where suitable forage is present [1] | [1] Balazik, pers. comm., June 7, 2018 |
| James River (VA) | Range not confirmed, but likely up to Boshers Dam (RKM 182.3) | adults | Foraging/Spawning - Foraging potentially occurs where suitable forage is present; a sturgeon, possibly from the Potomac or Delaware River, was captured on March 13, 2016, at RKM 48[1]; on February 2018, a second sturgeon (a confirmed gravid female) was captured near RKM 48[2] (genetics results not yet available); spawning area unknown; the salinity at RKM 48 is usually low (brackish). | [1] Balazik 2017; [2] Balazik, pers. comm., February 10, 2018 |
Listing rule: 32 FR 4001, March 11, 1967; Recovery plan: NMFS 1998.
To view the full references, see Citations and References for All Species.