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Stock composition of Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) encountered in marine and estuarine environments on the U.S. Atlantic Coast

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Abstract

Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) is a large, anadromous fish native to the Atlantic Coast of North America. Although this species once supported important fisheries, centuries of exploitation and habitat degradation have resulted in dramatic declines, presumed extirpation in some rivers, and ultimately listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA). Under the ESA, Atlantic sturgeon are listed as five separate Distinct Population Segments (DPSs), which form the basis for federal management. Despite state and federal protections Atlantic sturgeon still face significant threats to their recovery, including fisheries bycatch mortality, marine construction, dredging, dams, and vessel strikes. However, because subadult and adult Atlantic sturgeon migrate extensively across estuarine and marine environments and frequently form mixed-stock aggregations in non-natal habitats, it can be difficult to determine how these threats impact specific populations and DPSs. To better understand ontogenetic shifts in habitat use and stock-specific exposure to anthropogenic threats, we performed a mixed-stock analysis of 1704 Atlantic sturgeon encountered across the U.S. Atlantic Coast. Collections made north of Cape Cod, MA and south of Cape Hatteras, NC were dominated by individuals from regional stocks; however, we found extensive stock mixing in the mid-Atlantic region, particularly in coastal environments where individuals from all five DPSs were commonly observed. Subadults and adults that were encountered in offshore environments had moved, on average, 277 km from their natal source; however, 23% were sampled over 500 km from their natal river suggesting long-distance movements are relatively common in these age classes. Overall, our work highlights that Atlantic sturgeon populations are vulnerable to threats over vast areas and emphasizes the need for continued genetic monitoring to track recovery progress.

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Acknowledgements

We extend a special thank you to the many individuals and agencies who have provided tissue samples from Atlantic sturgeon encountered in the field. We specifically thank the Northeast Fisheries Observer Program, Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Bill Post, Ramsey Noble, Carter Griggs, Gabriel Irigaray, Kirk Moore, Noelle Mathies, Jay Russo, Tracy Massey, Craig Marcusson, Maddie Speirs, April Deacy, Desiree Nuckols, Matthew Fisher, John O’Herron, Normandeau Associates, Guy Verreault, Gail Wippelhauser, Jerre Mohler, Hal Brundage, Jason Kahn, Christian Hager, Albert Spells, Matt Balazik, Michael Loeffler, Darren Wray, Corbet Norwood, Doug Peterson, Adam Fox, Mark Fritts, and Carter Watterson. Without their contributions, it would be intractable to draw inferences over such a large spatial scale. The genetic baseline and microsatellite panel used in this study reflects substantial contributions by the late Dr. Tim King, who helped advance our understanding of stock structure in Atlantic sturgeon and was a mentor to several coauthors. Ike Wirgin (New York University) and Tanya Darden (South Carolina Department of Natural Resources) shared tissue samples and genotypic data which substantially enhanced our analysis. We apologize to anyone we may have inadvertently missed who contributed to this effort over the many years of collections and laboratory research. The Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office and Southeast Regional Office of the National Marine Fisheries Service provided funding to USGS conduct this research. Use of trade, product, or firm names does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

Funding

This study was funded by the National Marine Fisheries Service through an interagency agreement to the U.S. Geological Survey.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Leetown Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, 11649 Leetown Road, Kearneysville, WV, 25430, USA

    David C. Kazyak, Shannon L. White, Barbara A. Lubinski, Robin Johnson & Michael Eackles

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  1. David C. Kazyak
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  3. Barbara A. Lubinski
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Contributions

DCK designed the study, performed statistical analyses, and drafted the manuscript. BAL, RJ, and ME located samples, performed laboratory analyses, and contributed to manuscript preparation, SLW distilled an agency report and turned it into a viable manuscript and performed GIS and ggplot wizardry.

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Correspondence to David C. Kazyak.

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Kazyak, D.C., White, S.L., Lubinski, B.A. et al. Stock composition of Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) encountered in marine and estuarine environments on the U.S. Atlantic Coast. Conserv Genet 22, 767–781 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-021-01361-2

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