Longest documented coastal migrations of shortnose sturgeon.

Abstract

The shortnose sturgeon (SNS; Acipenser brevirostrum) is a United States federally endangered diadromous species. Although SNS spend much of their time in riverine habitat, inter-river migrations have been documented in northern populations. However, the inter-river migratory behaviour and distance capabilities of southern SNS are poorly understood. In this communication, we describe two SNS that migrated approximately 425 km across the coast, far exceeding the previously reported maximum coastal migration distance for the species. These observations offer critical updates for species descriptions and management regarding the coastal migration ability of SNS.