1. THE ATLANTIC STURGEON (ACIPENSER OXYRINCHUS, MITCHILL, 1815) STOCK OF THE SAINT JOHN RIVER, NEW BRUNSWICK, CANADA
Cornel Ceapa1*, Michael Dadswell2, Rod Bradford3, Allen Curry4 and Michael Stokesbury2
1 Acadian Sturgeon and Caviar Inc., New Brunswick, Canada; Acadia University, Nova Scotia; 3 Population Ecology Division, Science Branch, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Nova Scotia; University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, New Brunswick

2. Live sturgeon Wild harvest Aquaculture development Market development
What we do?
Live sturgeon
Wild harvest
Aquaculture development
Market development

3. Geography Fishery Data Collection Results Discussion
Outline
Geography
Fishery
Data Collection
Results
Discussion

4. 1. Geography

5. 1. Geography Evandale Area Long Reach Area 2015 2009
Luke/Ted Finley (1 net)
Long Reach Area
2015
Cornel Ceapa/Bill Ford (8 nets)
Acadian Sturgeon Carters Point Hatchery

6. 2. Fishery
Began in 1880
1880 to 1887: virtually unregulated fishing for spawners
Minimum gillnet mesh size of 33 cm (13 inches)
Removed ~700 t
Estimated to represent between 7,000 and 14,000 adults
Fishery closed from 1888 to 1896

7. 2. Fishery Fishing has occurred in most years since 1887
Annual Landings ≤ 41 t (400 to 800 adults)
Close Time: June 1 to June 30
Minimum Size limit 120 cm Total Length (TL)
Minimum gill net mesh size: 33 cm
Declining interest in the fishery beginning ~1997
Virtually no fishery 1998 to 2006

8. 2. Fishery Fishing resumed in 2007 (3 t) on an exploratory basis
To assess potential to produce locally value added products (meat and caviar) from both wild-caught and cultured fish
Onset of systematic collection of biological data from the catch
Industry initiative

9. 2. Fishery BUT Increased landings since 2007 Licences non-transferable
Renewed interest in fishery
Licences non-transferable
Declining participation
Declining potential effort
BUT

10. 2. Fishery
Harvest quota as per CSA 2009 and 2013 assessment: fish/year (precautionary approach for CITES NDF) females and 175 males
Fishery is:
Low effort and low yield in nature
Limited entry
Presently 4 license holders, 3 active, 9 gillnets of 55 m
Subject to gear and season restrictions

11. 2. Fishery
Atlantic sturgeon may only be fished commercially with gill nets of ≥ 330 mm mesh size (13”)
It is illegal to retain or possess any Atlantic sturgeon < 120 cm in length (4 ft)
Applies to by-catch in all coastal and river fisheries
Season is closed in June to protect spawning adults
Capture tags and daily reporting to an independent catch reporting company

12. 3. Data collection
Set gill nets of ” stretched mesh, 30 fathoms (55 m)/net
24 h fishing, checked once/twice a day
Biometry/biology data (TL, FL, WT, sex, maturity stage)
Samples for age and genetics
Selective harvest, ~40% of fish released tagged (PIT and T-bars) for stock assessment
Capture tags reported daily against the quota
10-15 fish per year tagged with ultrasonic tags (65 at large)

13. 4. Results
Year
Nets
Total catch
Harvested
Released
Released tagged
Dead
Hatchery
Hatchery released tagged
Total released tagged
Total released alive
Verification
Tags harvested from previous years
Tags recaptured from previous years
2009 12
660
246
367
236 23 24 21
257
391
2010
439
129
249
234 37 30
264
286
2011
466
256
183
180 7 20
196
203 4
2012 6*
357
245
105
104 1 6 5
103
111
2013 9
492
305
144 18 25
161
169 8
2014
476
315
126 19 13 10
114
142 22 38
2015
424
338 71 68 61 77
421 14
Total
3314
1834
1248
1092 98
131
118
1156
1379
3311 54
112 %
100%
55%
38%
88% 3% 4%
90%
35%
42% 2%
10%
* Data collected only for 6 nets, other 2 nets active for other buyer
Note: Fish used to support fish culture activities are returned to the wild once spawned, but deducted from quota

14. 4. Results

15. 4. Results

16. 4. Results

17. 4. Results
Growth curve (Atlantic sturgeon >40 Years underrepresented: gill net selectivity a factor )
Stewart et al 2015

18. 4. Results - Length-frequency histograms

19. 5. Stock Assessment
Preliminary Census Population Size (presented at ISS7 Nanaimo)
Single sample Peterson estimates derived using Bayes Algorithm with:
Marks applied in May: Recaptures during July and August; 2) Pooled for season
Inability to fish during month of June influences the outcome

20. 5. Stock Assessment - Modified Schnabel estimate
95% Confidence Limits: Lower = 14,461, Upper = 20,924
Capture
Recapture
Tagged
year Ct Rt M Mt
Ct*Mt
Estimates
2009
660
257
not valid
2010
439
264
112823
2011
466 12
197
521
242786
27355
2012
357
103
718
254898
24477
valid
2013
492 25
161
821
400980
20317
2014
476 38
114
982
463624
16856
2015
424 61
1096
455376
17083
3314
112
1045
4395
Total adult population
N =
17,083
Exploitation rate
F =
2.05%

21. 5. Discussions
Comparison with Minas Basin results: ,263 (95% CF 19,726-31,403) modified Schnabel estimate, of which 60% are St John River ~ 14,500 individuals
Comparison with estimated St John River Carrying Capacity: virgin 1880 population has been estimated as approx. 11,000 ( ,000) adults
Self-sustaining through natural reproduction: captured and released spend females and males, yearly YOY by-catch in other fisheries

22. 5. Discussions Exploitation rate at about 2% - sustainable;
Wide, over 40 age classes age structure;
Management model for continuous monitoring and regulation;
Developing an wild fishery / aquaculture coexistence model

23. Acknowledgements
Stanley Whelpley
Bill Ford

24. Acadian Sturgeon Technical Manual

25. Thank you! Questions?