12-03-2008, 12:10 PM
California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) biologists recently completed a successful season tagging sturgeon in Bay Area waters. The tagging operation is part of a population study aimed at managing California's white and green sturgeon. Green sturgeon are currently protected in California under the Federal Endangered Species Act.
Information developed from the 2008 tagging effort will be complemented by information provided by anglers from their sturgeon fishing report cards. Anglers record data on species, location and date of catch on their card. The card was implemented in 2007 as part of a suite of significant changes to regulations on sturgeon fishing.
"Research, management and enforcement go hand in hand to protect sturgeon," DFG Supervising Biologist Marty Gingras said. "Knowing how many sturgeon are caught, where and when they are taken and what size they are is key. Data from sturgeon fishing report cards and from our tagging study give us tremendous insight into the status and ecology of California's sturgeon populations."
Tagging this year was lead by DFG Associate Biologist Ryan Mayfield and the crew of the DFG Research Vessel Striper II. They started the survey Aug. 11 and finished Oct. 29. Working in Suisun Bay they caught 615 white sturgeon and 14 green sturgeon. A 78-inch white sturgeon was the biggest fish captured.
A 49-inch white sturgeon was the last to be captured. A DNA sample was taken, a reward tag was secured to its dorsal fin, and it was released in good condition. An angler catching this fish will receive $20 for returning the tag and DFG will gather additional information on where and when it was caught.
"We tag hundreds of sturgeon each year," said Mayfield. "The catch is often upward of 100 white sturgeon to each green sturgeon. Tagging data combined with sturgeon fishing report card information provides a good picture of what is happening with sturgeon in our bays and rivers."
Sturgeon can live more than 100 years and weigh over 500 pounds, but anglers most-often catch fish around 4 feet in length. The Sacramento-San Joaquin system is the southern-most spawning grounds for both white and green sturgeon. The California fishery was once closed for decades due to overfishing. Managing these fish requires both extensive information on their life history and strong measures for their protection.
In 2007, significant changes to sturgeon fishing regulations took effect. In addition to the sturgeon fishing report card, a three-fish annual bag limit on white sturgeon replaced a one-fish daily bag limit on green sturgeon and white sturgeon (combined). Green sturgeon must now be released.
Serialized tags are provided with each sturgeon report card to help enforce the annual bag limit. Anglers must permanently fix a tag to each kept white sturgeon until the fish is processed for consumption, enabling law enforcement to cross-reference the tag with a particular card.
In 2007, a new law substantially increased the penalty for illegal commercialization of sturgeon and eased the establishment of intent to illegally commercialize sturgeon.
Sturgeon fishing report card holders are reminded they must return their card by Jan. 31 of the following year to the address specified on the card. Once returned, data from the cards can be assembled for research and study.
Media Contact
Marty Gingras, DFG Supervising Biologist, 209-948-3702<br />
Harry Morse, DFG Communications, 916-322-8962
Information developed from the 2008 tagging effort will be complemented by information provided by anglers from their sturgeon fishing report cards. Anglers record data on species, location and date of catch on their card. The card was implemented in 2007 as part of a suite of significant changes to regulations on sturgeon fishing.
"Research, management and enforcement go hand in hand to protect sturgeon," DFG Supervising Biologist Marty Gingras said. "Knowing how many sturgeon are caught, where and when they are taken and what size they are is key. Data from sturgeon fishing report cards and from our tagging study give us tremendous insight into the status and ecology of California's sturgeon populations."
Tagging this year was lead by DFG Associate Biologist Ryan Mayfield and the crew of the DFG Research Vessel Striper II. They started the survey Aug. 11 and finished Oct. 29. Working in Suisun Bay they caught 615 white sturgeon and 14 green sturgeon. A 78-inch white sturgeon was the biggest fish captured.
A 49-inch white sturgeon was the last to be captured. A DNA sample was taken, a reward tag was secured to its dorsal fin, and it was released in good condition. An angler catching this fish will receive $20 for returning the tag and DFG will gather additional information on where and when it was caught.
"We tag hundreds of sturgeon each year," said Mayfield. "The catch is often upward of 100 white sturgeon to each green sturgeon. Tagging data combined with sturgeon fishing report card information provides a good picture of what is happening with sturgeon in our bays and rivers."
Sturgeon can live more than 100 years and weigh over 500 pounds, but anglers most-often catch fish around 4 feet in length. The Sacramento-San Joaquin system is the southern-most spawning grounds for both white and green sturgeon. The California fishery was once closed for decades due to overfishing. Managing these fish requires both extensive information on their life history and strong measures for their protection.
In 2007, significant changes to sturgeon fishing regulations took effect. In addition to the sturgeon fishing report card, a three-fish annual bag limit on white sturgeon replaced a one-fish daily bag limit on green sturgeon and white sturgeon (combined). Green sturgeon must now be released.
Serialized tags are provided with each sturgeon report card to help enforce the annual bag limit. Anglers must permanently fix a tag to each kept white sturgeon until the fish is processed for consumption, enabling law enforcement to cross-reference the tag with a particular card.
In 2007, a new law substantially increased the penalty for illegal commercialization of sturgeon and eased the establishment of intent to illegally commercialize sturgeon.
Sturgeon fishing report card holders are reminded they must return their card by Jan. 31 of the following year to the address specified on the card. Once returned, data from the cards can be assembled for research and study.
Media Contact
Marty Gingras, DFG Supervising Biologist, 209-948-3702<br />
Harry Morse, DFG Communications, 916-322-8962