806 



Fishei-y Bulletin 98(4) 



39.2 



38.7 



38.2 



37.7 



37.2 



36.7 



-77.0 



-76.5 



-76.0 



-75.5 



Figure 5 



Spatial and temporal distribution of juvenile Atlantic sturgeon captures made 

 by commercial fishermen in Chesapeake Bay. 



recaptures but no fish were recaptured more than once. 

 Capture rates of juveniles released at either up- or down- 

 river sites were similar and indicated no differential sur- 

 vival between these groups (Table 1 ). All yearling sturgeon 

 captured by fi.shermen contained a tag, or evidence of a 

 lost tag. For those that had apparently lost a tag, a sub- 

 sample of yearlings was determined to be of hatchery 

 origin through analysis of microsatellite nuclear DNA.^ 



Released fish reached an average size of 67.2 cm TL ±3.8 

 (SE) and an average weight of 1536 g ±69 (SE), after 12 

 months in the wild (Table 4). Average gi-owth rates, esti- 



mated from release to capture sizes, ranged between 0.64 

 and 1.839r/d. Estimated gi-owth rates from monthly mean 

 lengths and weights showed strong seasonality, with nil or 

 negative growth rates between January and March (Fig. 

 61. One-third of the juveniles sacrificed for diet information 

 had empty guts. Sand, silt, and detritus accounted for 34'/i 

 of the combined gut contents. Of the remaining identified 

 diet items, annelid worms were most important by volume 



^ King, T. 1997. Personal commun. Dep. of Interior, Leetown 

 Science Center, 1700 Leetown Road, KearneysviUe, WV 25430. 



