What do you know about sturgeon?
Gulf sturgeon is one of the creatures listed as threatened species by the federal Endangered Species Act of Florida.
Are Sturgeon Protected In Florida?
The fish is protected by law in Florida.
You will find Gulf sturgeon in Suwannee River, and many other rivers in Northwest Florida such as Yellow, Blackwater, Apalachicola, Choctawhatchee, Escambia, Pearl, and Pascagoula.
Are Sturgeon Protected In Florida?
Yes, sturgeon is protected by the law of Florida.
The law protects them from being fished or harvested.
It is unlawful to keep or injure a Gulf sturgeon in Florida.
The history of the Gulf sturgeon is dated back to about 200 million years ago.
For ages, the Gulf sturgeon announces its presence by jumping out of the water.
A full-grown adult of the fish grows to about 8 feet in length and can weigh as much as 200 pounds.
This fish can make a big splash of water.
What to Know about Sturgeons
Some people on the boat sustained an injury when they had a collision with the jumping fish.
In other instances, some passengers on boats have been hit as they sat on the bow.
The sturgeon just jumps without warning.
It will be very dangerous if a boat should be in transit while the fish is in the air.
There is a high chance of injury.
Many years ago, there were cases where boaters were injured when they had a collision with sturgeon.
There were reports of five accidents of sturgeon strikes in 2015.
Suwannee River witnessed three of these accidents, and the other two were recorded at the Santa Fe River.
One person lost his life, and eight people sustained different degrees of injury.
Sturgeon Jump
According to a Scientific report, surgeons jump as a way of communication with other sturgeons.
By jumping the fish refills its swim bladder to be able to maintain neutral buoyancy.
The fish makes an impression with its aerial maneuvers.
Although sturgeon can jump at any location in the water, it has been observed that the fish in the Suwannee jumps at any place they gather in holding areas.
You will get the major holding areas in the Suwannee above Jack’s Sandbar, below Manatee Springs, between Fanning Springs and Usher Landing, below Old Town Trestle, below the confluence of the Santa Fe and Suwannee rivers, near Rock
What Boaters Can Do
· Go slow
The best way to avoid sturgeon is to slow down.
As a captain or kayaker, you will have enough time to react, and even when the fish hits your boat, the force will be less when you are moving at 10 mph compared to when you are moving at 35 mph.
Move at a slow speed to enjoy the river.
· Wear your life jacket
Most boaters do not like to wear a life jacket because it is bulky and does not fit them.
The good news is that you can get another lighter, more compact, and less restrictive model of life jacket on the market.
These life jackets are lightweight, over-the-shoulder and belt-type inflatables, and vest-type life jackets.
In case the sturgeon knocks you out of the boat, and you are hurt and unconscious, the life jacket will keep you afloat on water.
· Stay off the bow
Do not let your passengers sit on the bow of your boat if you are paddling through an area that is known to be sturgeon pron.
There have been many instances where passengers seated on the bow were injured when the sturgeon struck them.
· Be alert
Be attentive to your surroundings always.
When you see a jumping sturgeon, slow down.
You will always see the fish on the deeper side of the water.
It does not come to the shoreline.
· Designate an operator
When you drink, do not go boating.
In such a condition, you will react slowly to issues.
If you are drinking on board the boat, hand over the operation to another person.
One of the most beautiful places Florida has to offer is the Suwannee River, and it has to be enjoyed.
Boaters have been warned that sturgeon is in this river, and they always jump.
You have to be ready, go slow, wear your life jacket and catch your fun.
Three Species of Sturgeon
There are three species of sturgeon in Florida.
They are, the Atlantic sturgeon (Acipsener oxyrinchus oxyrinchus), Gulf sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi) and shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum).
The body of every one of these three species of shortnose is round.
They have an armor of five rows of bony plates or scutes.
Their skeleton is not bony, and they do not have teeth.
Just like sharks, the upper lobe of their tail is longer than the lower lobe.
The three of them can go spawning both in saltwater and freshwater, meaning they are anadromous.
The Florida sturgeon has a long life expectancy, sometimes they live beyond 25 years.
You will see the Atlantic sturgeon along the northeast Atlantic coast and the Gulf sturgeon.
You will see a subspecies of the Atlantic sturgeon along the gulf coast.
Sturgeons with short noses were found in the St.
John’s River, but it has been discovered that their population is small.
Danger to Humans
The gulf sturgeon is known for being a flying fish in the Suwannee River but not to be dangerous to human beings.
Many times, the gulf sturgeon leaped out of the water and injured people on boats.
Many people have been knocked unconscious because of its large size and heavy body armor.
There were instances where some of its victims sustained fractured spines, collapsed lungs, ruptured spleens, broken ribs, and facial wounds that required plastic surgery.
There was a time one of its victims lost his four fingers, fortunately, three of the fingers were reattached.
In another instance, two men while trying to avoid the jumping fish crashed their boat into a bridge and sustained injuries.
There has been a campaign embarked upon by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to warn the public about the dangers of gulf sturgeon in the Suwannee River and to educate them on its biology and behaviors.
FAQs
Where Are Sturgeon Found in Florida?
The Suwannee River and many other rivers in Northwest Florida like the Blackwater, Escambia, Pearl, Apalachicola, Choctawhatchee, Yellow, and Pascagoula are home to gulf sturgeon.
What to Do if You Accidentally Catch a Sturgeon in Florida?
If by accident you caught a sturgeon, just remove your hook and throw it back into the water.
Cut the line if the hook is too deep into the fish.
Use wet hands or a wet rag to support the belly of the fish if you must get it out of the water to remove the hook.
Is it legal to catch sturgeon in Florida?
The law of Florida protects gulf sturgeon by listing it as one of the threatened species under the federal Endangered Species Act.
The law forbids its fishing or another harvest.
It is against the law to keep or injure a gulf sturgeon.
