SPAWNING AND CULTURE OF SHORTNOSE STURGEON, Acipenser brevirostrum1

In 1983 and 1984, the endangered shortnose sturgeon, Acipenser brevirostrum, was successfully spawned and progeny reared as part of a cooperative culture program between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the State of South Carolina. Wild-caught adults were induced to spawn through injection of either carp or sturgeon pituitaries. Ovulated eggs were removed through an abdominal incision or through manual stripping. In one case, an uninjected female spawned in a tank with ripe males. Hatching began at 111–121 hours at 20°C and 136 hours at 18°C. Fish hatched at a mean size of 9.6 mm TL and grew to 28.9 mm by day 35. Tank-held spawned brood stock and wild-caught non-brood stock decreased in size in spite of the availability of natural foods, however, pond-held adults grew in size.