SIZE:
1.4 to 3 m, up to 4.6 m.
LIFE EXPECTANCY:
Up to 60 years.
LIFE CYCLE:
Sexual maturity of the St. Lawrence Atlantic sturgeon is between 16 and 24 years for males and around 27 years for females.
In June and July, they migrate to fresh water, to locations where currents are strong or near waterfalls. They spawn on gravelly substrates at depths between 1 and 3 m. The species does not reproduce every year but every three years or more.
The female can lay up to 4 million slightly sticky eggs. These attach themselves to the substrate and hatch after three to seven days. The young remain in fresh water and migrate to salt water when they reach a size of 80 to 120 cm.
The Atlantic sturgeon has no scales. Instead, it has five rows of triangular bony plates called scutes. Its body is long, and its head is flat.
It has a long, slightly upturned, V-shaped snout with two large double nostrils. Its mouth is small and toothless, with four barbels at the front. The tail is asymmetrical with a longer upper lobe.
The colour of its back varies from olive green to bluish grey and can become almost black. Its belly is white.
Close to the bottom, ideally in a river connected to the sea, between 1 and 50 m depth.
Its habitat will vary throughout its life. The Atlantic sturgeon lives in salt water and migrates to fresh water to spawn. It is an anadromous fish. It favours the sandy or muddy bottoms of the estuary and the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
How do sturgeons use the St. Lawrence estuary?
To find out, scientists tagged over 3000 Atlantic sturgeon over more than 30 years. Fishermen, who were partners in this project, caught 673 tagged Atlantic sturgeon. Most sturgeon had travelled less than 35 km from the initial tagging site, showing that they navigate these waters on a very regular basis. A few individuals explored waters over 600 km away; the farthest capture was 1307 km away from the tagging site, eight years after its initial capture. In conclusion, the St. Lawrence estuary is a preferred habitat of juvenile and sub-adult (pre-adult) Atlantic sturgeon.
PREYS:
Worms
Molluscs
Small crustaceans
Small fish
PREDATORS:
Sea lampreys
The sturgeon has few known predators. It can, however, be the prey of lampreys, which will parasitize this species.
MACHINES:
Gillnet.
REGULATIONS:
- Season determined by fishing zone
- Release of sturgeon measuring over 86 cm
Quebec does not authorize the capture of Atlantic sturgeon for its caviar.
A big fish
The largest Atlantic sturgeon ever caught was a female measuring 4.6 m and weighing 365 kg. This fish was caught in the estuary of the Saint John River, New Brunswick in 1924.
BENEFITS:
Atlantic sturgeon is rich in vitamins A, D and B12, as well as in minerals such as phosphorus, potassium and calcium.
LET’S COOK:
High-quality, firm white flesh.
A flagship product, sturgeon eggs are highly sought-after, as they are the only eggs that can be called “caviar.” They are one of the world’s most expensive gourmet products.
OUR CULINARY ADVICE:
- Given its threatened status, we do not recommend eating sturgeon.
