Sturgeon fish

Sturgeons are ancient fish with roots dating back to the age of dinosaurs. The word "sturgeon" comes from the German word "sturgeon", meaning "to wander around", reflecting their eating habits. Belonging to the Acipenseridae family, sturgeons share a relationship with paddlefish.

natural habitat

There are more than 20 sturgeon species, all of which inhabit shallow waters in the Northern Hemisphere. While many live in the oceans and move into freshwater rivers to breed, others spend their entire lives in freshwater environments. Sturgeon are commonly found in North American freshwater bodies and along its east coast. They also inhabit the rivers and seas of southern Russia and Ukraine.

Physical Characteristics

Sturgeons are some of the largest freshwater bony fish. For example, the beluga sturgeon can reach a length of up to 24 feet (7.5 m) and weigh about 2,900 pounds (1,300 kg). Their color generally ranges from brown to olive-green or brownish-violet, with a white underside. The fish has five rows of bony plates along its long body and barbels beneath its pointed snout. The eyes are located on the top of the head, covered with bone plates. The hind fin is located near the tail.

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Behaviour

They use their sensitive barbels to find food, and when they do, they vacuum it up along with soil or sand into their toothless mouth. If startled, sturgeon can surface with remarkable speed and leap above the water.

When caught in fishing line, sturgeon do not initially put up much of a fight, but once entangled in fishing line, their sharp, plate-covered tail can pose a risk. Sturgeons may also enter a hibernation-like state during the cold winter months.

Life Cycle

Sturgeon migrate to breed in the spring and early summer, often moving from the ocean to freshwater rivers or lake shores to spawn. Females can produce up to 3 million sticky eggs during a season, which become attached to each other and the river bed. These eggs hatch in three to seven days, and the babies, about half an inch (1.3 cm) long, grow rapidly until adulthood. Most sturgeon species then leave the rivers and move to the ocean, and continue to grow slowly as adults.

Sturgeon and Man

Sturgeon eggs, known as caviar, are highly prized delicacies around the world. The females are captured, stripped of their eggs and then released. Sturgeon are also caught for their meat, which is available fresh, pickled or smoked. Additionally, the lining of the swim bladder is used to produce gelatin.

The largest commercial sturgeon fisheries are found in southern Russia and Ukraine. Due to the high demand for sturgeon products, overfishing and pollution have significantly impacted the population. As a result, sturgeon fishing is heavily regulated in an effort to preserve these ancient creatures.